President's Message: Why Should You Engage in the NFC?

I'll Give You Several Reasons

I hear this question a lot:

"Why should I join the NFC?" I think that's the wrong question to ask. The real question is: "Why should you engage in the NFC?" Joining alone doesn't do much for you and your business, but being engaged can change your whole operations. Let me explain.

Right now, we have over 100 member companies in the NFC. A lot of them pay dues and use the FrameSAFE program. That's great; FrameSAFE is a good tool, and it's been a solid entry point into the organization for many years. But if that's all your company is doing, you're missing out on the most valuable aspect of NFC, and there is a lot more meat on the bone here.

If you've joined the NFC, you already know how to frame. You didn't survive the last few cycles in this industry by accident or chance. The NFC isn't about teaching someone how to build a wall, it's about learning how to build a better business. The best conversations I've had in the NFC weren't about framing details. They were about things like how a real HR function looks like in a framing company; when and how often payroll should run; who actually belongs on your finance team; how to run a safety program so it sticks in the field; and, how to manage foremen without babysitting them.

That's the stuff that actually moves the needle for your business.

The individuals engaged in the NFC aren't the fly-by-night framers who show up when times are good and disappear when things tighten. These are the professionals—the ones taking safety seriously, running responsible companies, and creating real jobs for the next generation of builders.

That's who you want to learn from.

The other piece—and this one matters just as much—is the networking. Developers move, markets shift, and projects pop up in places you're not always set up to cover. When the developers you currently work with land in a new area, they still need a framer and too often they're figuring that out the hard way, from driving around and calling lumber yards to asking whoever will pick up the phone. That's a terrible approach to finding a good framing partner. The best way to find a framer is through someone who already knows one, and that's where the NFC should help every time.

"We've built something real at the NFC over the past decade. It is a group of framers who care about doing things the right way: running good businesses, protecting the reputation of the trade, and creating opportunities for the people coming up behind us."

In 2019, one of my NFC peers got a shot at a project that didn't fit his company. He could have passed on it and let the developer figure it out. Instead, he called me—not because my name was on a list, but because we had spent time together. We had been in the same rooms during meetings, had real conversations, visited each other's operations, and built trust over time. That project didn't go out to bid. It was negotiated. We executed it well, and that relationship is still one of our best today. We now do multiple projects a year together, and when they move into new markets, I try to connect them with other NFC members in those areas so they don't have to start from scratch. That doesn't happen just by paying dues. It happens when you show up, contribute, and build trust.

The good part is showing up isn't complicated. Get to the annual meeting. Hit a regional event. Play in a golf outing. Grab a drink with another member and talk about what's actually working in your business and what isn't. Or just reach out and text someone, call them, or send them an email. Better yet, go and see their shop and then invite them to yours. This shouldn't feel like work—it should feel like being part of a group that actually helps you get better and helps you win.

We've built something real at the NFC over the past decade. It is a group of framers who care about doing things the right way: running good businesses, protecting the reputation of the trade, and creating opportunities for the people coming up behind us. But it only works if people engage.

So if you're in the NFC and you've been on the sidelines, step in today. Reach out to me directly. Let's connect. Let's learn about each other's businesses and figure out how to plug you into this network and help you grow into the kind of company this industry needs in greater number.

Don't just join the NFC. Engage in the NFC.

GERIS KRAUS

President, National Framers Council