After conducting our fall meetings by conference call, I am looking forward to the rich face-to-face interaction that has characterized these meetings for what is now over three-quarters of a century. For our Association, this journey, through one of the most economically difficult periods in our history, has not been an easy one but has arguably made us stronger and more focused than ever before.
The FRA staff has, like most of us, really had to tighten their belts, and my hat is off to them for the commitment, selfless service, and personal sacrifice they demonstrated along the way. Voluntarily taking on more work and less pay during a very tumultuous period for our members was a strong statement in their belief in the value our Association brings.
While many of our members struggled to maintain their full membership in the face of stark budget cuts within their companies, what I found interesting was how many still sought ways to build their contact with and support for FRA—another testimony to the value our colleagues continue to find in the shared interests this Association uniquely addresses.
Although I don’t believe we are completely out of the woods on this recession yet, most economists now believe the worst is behind us. I believe we have been effective in increasing our relevance by sharpening our focus on the core elements of supply chain operations, advocacy, and emerging trends in energy security and climate change that will likely impact all of our members in the months and years ahead.
We’ve made great progress on the policy front, highlighted by the adoption of the gross vehicle weight pilots in Maine and Vermont and our influence in fending off the potentially devastating Heavy Vehicle Use Tax exemption rollbacks in the Carolinas and Virginia that would have cost our members millions of dollars annually. Within the existing supply chain, recovery will likely be a bit bumpy, so our collective efforts to continue to work on transportation and efficiency will be of heightened importance as we work to sort out the implications of the unprecedented changes brought on by biomass consumption and lagging building products demand. Once again, the winds of change are howling, and we are fortunate to have, through our Association, a platform to discuss and vet new ideas, opportunities, and technologies that can benefit us all.
I have come to the end of my space with more to say than the editor allows, so let me close by simply saying it has been an honor and a pleasure to serve as your 35th chair of FRA. I look forward to seeing you at Hilton Head and sharing, as we have in the past, your ideas, passions, and hopes for the future for this unique and wonderful industry that I’ve been blessed to be associated with.
Dave Liebetreu
FRA Chairman