President JR Molina's Induction Speech

In Albuquerque at the NOMMA convention, I delivered a speech to the attendees.  I told how I had practice giving my speech at home to my daughter.  As I recited the lines, her eyes crossed and she eventually asked me to stop.  “Daddy that's the most boring speech I've ever heard,” she said.  In that version of my speech, I listed NOMMA’s accomplishments and history and named all the people I wanted to thank.  Those are all important, but with my daughter’s comments in mind, I decided that I wanted to convey something different.  I scrapped that speech and developed a new speech that would hopefully convey my feelings and the meaningfulness of NOMMA to me and my company.

In my newly crafted speech, I talked about three things.  First, I discussed my family, second my work and lastly NOMMA membership.  Following is the speech that I delivered:


So let’s start with my family.  Dotti is my wife and we've been married for 17 years.  Together we have three daughters--Tabitha, Kylie and Holli.  Like most families, we have our ups and we have our downs.  We have good days and we have bad days.  Keeping my family in mind, I think about everything NOMMA has been through in the last five years.  I see NOMMA as a family.  And like every family, NOMMA has had good days and NOMMA has had bad days.

Just like everyone at METALFAB this week, we all have our own families and our own businesses.  We have been through great days and not so great days.  However, we survived the hard times by being a family and by coming together as a team and helping each other when help was needed.  Employees helped when you needed them and NOMMA members helped when you need outside support.

With my family, I always know my girls are there when I really need them.  This reminds me of NOMMA’s list serve.  Everyday members post questions or issues with the hope of finding help or guidance.  Within minutes a NOMMA brother or sister is there to help.  At NOMMA’s conventions each year, we get to spend time with each other networking, recounting our horror stories and our success stories of the past year.

The conventions remind me of a family reunion.  Family reunions and families in general can be a little dysfunction, but whose family is not.  So family at home, family at work and family in this association are not much different.  Through the good, the bad and the ugly, we are all there to help each other.

This leads me to the second topic, which is my work.  As I mentioned earlier, we all have our businesses that we run.  We all work six days a week, ten plus hours a day--or seven days a week and 12 hours a day if you work for Curt Witter.  As we know, the last 5 years have not been easy.  The economy hit us hard, all of us, even this association.  When I first got involved with NOMMA 12 years ago, NOMMA had just under 1000 members.  Now we have fewer than 600.  This decline illustrates the good and the bad times I mentioned earlier.  Like Phil Hoppman, Big D’s president, says, “The lower the lows the higher the highs.”  Whoever survives these stressful times is going to prosper when things come back around.  That is no different for any one of us who has survived this economy.  It is not any different for NOMMA as an association.  Things are going to come back around.  They always do.  Like I discussed earlier, being a family, working together and being a team are what we need to focus on right now.

This brings me to my third and final part, which is NOMMA membership.  The board has recently completed a strategic plan review.  We have chosen an aggressive goal and we are building our strategic plan around that goal.  Our focus is on membership.  For those who do not know in order for NOMMA to sustain its self, NOMMA must bring in 12 new members each month or 3 new members per week.  Our growth goal is 5% net annual growth.  To reach this goal, we must annually grow by 20% because we typically lose 15% of our membership through normal attrition.  Now, I ask the question, “How important is membership?”   Membership dues provide the funds that NOMMA needs to support our building code advocacy work and various programs that serve the membership.  Also, large membership gives NOMMA credibility with the code bodies during code hearings.  These are just a couple of reasons why membership is important.

In an effort to increase membership this year, NOMMA telemarketers and Industrial Coverage insurance have helped attract new members.  However, the most effective way to grow membership (and Mark O'Malley can attest to this) is by members sponsoring members.  Since late November, NOMMA has enjoyed a surge in membership.  We have hit monthly membership targets for the last three months.  I know most everyone understands the value of being a member of this association and just like on list serve, I am posting a request for help from each and every one of you tonight.  NOMMA needs more members.  If everyone can give to NOMMA, like NOMMA has given to each and every one of us, together, like a team or like a family, we can make this association grow and succeed again!

2013 NOMMA-NEF Award Winners

The following individuals and companies were presented with awards during NOMMA's annual awards banquet on March 23 in Albuquerque, NM. A congratulations goes to all winners!

2013 ERNEST WIEMANN TOP JOB COMPETITION

Note: Closed categories did not meet the 5-entry minimum.

A. Driveway Gates - Nonforged

1 Ornamental Gate & Fence A4

2 Anderson Welding & Sons LLC  A1

3 Mudge Metalcraft A3

B. Driveway Gates - Forged

1 Art's Work Unlimited B1

2 Fine Architectural Metalsmiths B3

3 Bighorn Forge Inc. B2

C. Interior Railings - Ferrous, Nonforged

1 Wiemann Metalcraft  C3

2 Metal Head Inc. C4

3 Compass Ironworks C6

D. CLOSED - Interior Railings - Nonferrous, Nonforged

E. Interior Railings - Ferrous, Forged

1 Flaherty Iron Works Inc. E2

2 Compass Ironworks E3

3 Heirloom Stair & Iron Inc. E4

F. Exterior Railings & Fences - Nonforged

1 Rod Iron Rod F5

2 Mueller Orn. Iron Works Inc. F4

3 Downtown Ornamental Iron Inc. F2

G. Exterior Railings & Fences - Forged

1 Bighorn Forge Inc. G4

2 Allen Iron Works & Supply Inc. G2

3 Flaherty Iron Works Inc. G1

H. Furniture & Accessory Fabrication - Nonforged

1 Steel Welding H5

2 Metal Head Inc. H1

3 Lightning Forge H3

I. CLOSED - Furniture & Accessory Fabrication - Forged

J. Gates/Doors - Nonforged

1 Boyler's Ornamental Iron Inc. J1

2 M. Cohen & Sons Inc.  J5

3 Big D Metalworks J3

K. Gates/Doors - Forged

1 McLellan Blacksmithing K1

2 Grizzly Iron Inc. K5

3 Disenos Ornamental Iron K2

L. CLOSED - Stairs Complete - Commercial

M. CLOSED - Stairs Complete - Residential

N. Structures

1 Heirloom Stair & Iron Inc. N3

2 Big D Metalworks N4

3 C.T. and  S. Metalworks N2

O. Unusual Ornamental Fabrication

1 C.A.N. Art Handworks Inc. O6

2 Eureka Forge O7

3 Heirloom Stair & Iron Inc. O1

P. Restoration

1 C.A.N. Art Handworks Inc. P2

2 DeAngelis Iron Work Inc. P3

3 Flaherty Iron Works Inc. P5

Q. Art/Sculpture

1 Heirloom Stair & Iron Inc. Q5

2 Lightning Forge Q2

3 Elegant Iron Studios Q1

Mitch Heitler Award for Excellence

Chosen from the gold winners by the Heitler Award Committee

Boyler's Ornamental Iron Inc. J1

SERVICE AWARDS

Frank A. Kozik Award For Outstanding Volunteerism

Todd Kinnikin, Eureka Forge

Julius Blum Award For Outstanding Contributions To the Industry

Tom Zuzik Jr., Artistic Railings Inc.

Clifford H. Brown Award For Outstanding Contributions To Education

Lynn Parquette, Mueller Ornamental Iron Works Inc.

President's Silver Star Award For Outstanding Dedication To Membership

Mark O'Malley,  O'Malley Welding & Fabricating Inc.

2013-2014 NOMMA Board Slate

NOMMA 2013-14 Board of Directors Slate The Nominating Committee, chaired by Immediate Past President James Minter Jr., is pleased to announce the following slate of officers and directors to be presented during the upcoming membership business meeting in Albuquerque, NM. Their office takes effect following the swearing in ceremony at the awards banquet on Saturday, March 23, 2013.    President — JR Molina, Big D Metalworks, Dallas, TX* President-Elect — Mark Koenke, Germantown Iron & Steel Corp, Jackson, WI Vice-President/Treasurer — Allyn Moseley, Heirloom Stair & Iron, Campobello, SC Fabricator Director (3-yr. term) —  Greg Bailey, Bailey Metal Fabricators, Mitchell, SD Fabricator Director (3-yr. term) — Cathy Vequist, Pinpoint Solutions, Jupiter, FL Fabricator Director (2-yr. term) —  Henry Wheeler, Wheeler Ornamental Metals, Dothan, AL** Supplier Director (3-yr. term)  — Dave White, Locinox USA, La Grange Highlands, IL All current Fabricator and Nationwide Supplier members are entitled to one vote per company on items presented to the membership.  Voting takes place during the Opening Session of METALfab 2013, Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at 10:15 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM. Current board members continuing for 2013-2014: Fabricator Director — Greg Terrill, Division 5 Metalworks, Kalamazoo, MI Fabricator Director — Keith Majka, Majka Railing Co. Inc., Paterson, NJ Fabricator Director — Tina Tennikait, Superior Fence & Orn. Iron, Cottage Hills, IL Supplier Director — Rick Ralston, Feeney Inc., Eugene OR Supplier Director — Mark Sisson, Mac Metals, Kearney, NJ Immediate Past President — Will Keeler, Keeler Iron Works, Memphis, TN A “thank you” goes to the following retiring board members for their years of outstanding service: Ray Michael, R & F Metals Inc., Clinton, MD is rotating off the board after four years of service. Todd Kinnikin, Eureka Forge, Pacific, MO, is rotating off after three years of service. Gina Pietrocola, D.J.A. Imports Ltd., Bronx, NY, is rotating off after six years of service. *The president-elect automatically advances to president. ** Henry is filling the unexpired term of Allyn Moseley, who is advancing to an officer. A thanks to the Nominating Committee: James Minter Jr., chair; Will Keeler; Gina Pietrocola; Bruce Boyler; Keith Majka; JR Molina; Mark Koenke; and Todd Daniel (nonvoting).

NOMMA Membership Has Its Privileges, Helps Enlighten (and Enrich) a Metal Artisan

Published: July 24, 2012

Metal craft often conjures up symbols of solid strength, like the skeletal I-beams of a rising skyscraper. The delicately wrought creations of Bill Coleman, who runs Arc Angels, Inc. in Dunedin, Florida, bring to mind more flexible forms. Recent projects include acustomized bike rack in the shape of an antique locomotive and a peach tree wall sculpture complete with hand-forged fruit. Coleman is an artist by any measure, but one with a business to run, a task he believes becomes easier with membership in theNational Ornamental & Miscellaneous Metal Association (NOMMA).

“NOMMA is a very good educational and networking source for anyone in the metalworking industry, including suppliers and fabricators,” says Coleman. “It provides a great service.”
Coleman’s history with the industry dates back to his teenage years in Sarasota in the ‘60s. After learning about railing and fabrication while working part time at his father and uncle’s firm, American Metal Products, Coleman founded his own company, a 25-person firm focused on making railings and other products for customers domestically and overseas.
Over the last few years, Coleman has focused on the more artistic end of metalworking, both for his own firm and for the Institute for Creative Arts, a school he helped start that’s focused on passing down Old World blacksmithing styles. He’s found that NOMMA benefits, like the ListServ information exchange, provide leads and camaraderie amongst colleagues and allow him to share his specialized knowledge.  It’s led to jobs as well, like a recent project to provide aluminum railing to a school in North Dakota.
“With ListServ, you get expertise and answers on how to do just about anything,” says Coleman. “What to do to blend welds, the anodizing processes, powder coating, code requirements of steel versus aluminum railing… members that have expertise in these area come and answer anything. If you had to learn it the hard way, those lessons would costs thousands and thousands of dollars.”
Coleman also says the NOMMA community is especially helpful when it comes to one-of-a-kind projects, which are difficult to scope out and properly execute without experience.
“It’s always an education no matter who you are, big or small,” he says. “The smaller you are, the more you can learn.”
Arc Angles, Inc. in Dunedin, Florida, aims to produce the finest cast and wrought ornamental metalwork available from its fabrication facilities. http://arcangels-inc.com/
 The Institute for Creative Arts works to preserve Old World craft skills and pass them down to the next generation of artisans.www.facebook.com/creativeartsdunedin
If you or someone you know is interested in the metalworking industry, be sure to share this post with them and comment on the work you see in the box below.

By Mark Sission
Mac Metals Inc.

Affordable Care Act

Dear Members,

With the Supreme Court's upholding of the Affordable Care Act there has been much discussion on how this legislation will affect small business. Over the next few months we will provide "plain English" information on how this complex legislation will affect you, the small business owner. The new law is being enacted in sections and most of the act's major requirements will kick in during the next two years. 

A few things to note:

• If you have fewer than 25 employees you may be entitled to a tax credit equal to 35% of the premiums you pay, as long as you pay more than 50% of the insurance costs for your workers.

• If you do not provide coverage, you would be required to pay a $2,000 per worker tax penalty. There is concern that many business owners may opt to pay the penalty rather than offer coverage.

• You can "grandfather" a plan by keeping a plan you had in effect on March 23, 2010. This will exempt you from some of the reform changes.

An article on this topic is appearing in the Sept/Oct Fabricator. I've also listed some key resources below. A thanks to our insurance administrator, Industrial Coverage Inc., for providing some of the material listed below. The best "in-a-nut-shell plain English" guide I've seen so far is the Oxford/United Healthcare brochure listed below.

Sincerely,

Todd Daniel
NOMMA Executive Director

Resources

American Subcontractors Association – Summary of the Legislation

Empire Blue Cross/Blue Shield Brochure   

Oxford/United Healthcare Brochure   

National Federation of Independent Business – Affordable Care Act Timeline

2012 ICC Code Hearings

ICC Hearings First Step to Develop 2015 Codes
Public hearings include the International Building,
Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing and Private Sewage Disposal Codes

Code enforcement officials, construction industry professionals and the public will meet to consider a broad range of proposed code changes to several International Codes that will improve building safety. Codes developed by the International Code Council are used in all 50 states and many nations worldwide.

The 2012 Code Development Spring Hearings, April 29-May 8 in Dallas, are focused on a set of codes known as Group A that include the International Building, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing and Private Sewage Disposal codes. These will be the initial hearings for 1,600 proposed revisions that ultimately will result in the 2015 editions of the codes. Code changes approved at the Dallas meeting will form the basis for resolution at the Final Action Hearings in October in Portland, Ore. Please note that ICC policy has been amended to provide that a jurisdiction or other eligible governmental entity must submit an application to become an ICC Governmental Member by April 1 to be able to send voting representatives to the Final Action Hearings in October.

“The International Code Council supports the building safety community and construction industry by developing codes and standards to ensure safe, sustainable and affordable structures,” said ICC CEO Richard P. Weiland. “The Code Development Hearings in Dallas are a critical step in the process to ensure the International Codes are updated to provide maximum public safety, and provide a forum to discuss and debate the merits of the proposed changes.”

To vote at the Dallas hearings, Code Council Members must submit any new or updated Membership information to ICC no later than April 18. There is no cost to ICC
Members or others to register to attend the hearings. For more information and to register in advance, visit www.ICCSafe.org/SpringHearings. Advance registration allows the ICC to verify voting credentials for Members.

ICC uses the governmental consensus process to develop its codes. It is an open, inclusive process that allows input from all individuals and groups. Final decisions are made by International Code Council voting Members—Governmental and Honorary Members who represent the public’s interest.
Prior to the hearings on April 28, 2:30-6 p.m., attendees are invited to participate in an educational tour of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium and earn ICC and AIA CEUs. The expert-led tour will examine engineering and architectural features including the retractable roof and retractable five-leaf, clear glass walls in each end zone that are the tallest moveable glass walls in the world, and historical features. The cost for the tour is $75 and includes transportation.

The hearings will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Downtown Hotel. ICC has secured a special $149 a night rate at the Sheraton for reservations and a limited number of governmental rate rooms for reservations made before April 6.

2012 Ernest Wiemann Top Job Winners

Note that categories C, G, H, K, and P did not open because they did not meet the minimum entry requirement.

1 = Gold | 2 = Silver | 3 = Bronze 

  View on Flickr |   View on YouTube

A. Gates, Driveway - Nonforged    

1 Ornamental Gate & Fence A-3

2 Emerald Ironworks Inc. A-2

3 Art's Work Unlimited A-4

B. Gates, Driveway – Forged

1 Custom Iron by Josh C-8

2 Eureka Forge C-2

3 Metal Head Inc. C-4

D. Interior Railings - Nonferrous, Nonforged    

1 Big D Metalworks D-4

2 Wiemann Metalcraft D-1

3 Art's Work Unlimited D-6

E. Interior Railings - Ferrous, Forged    

1 Vasquez Custom Metals Inc. E-5

2 Disenos Ornamental Iron E-4

3 Royal Iron Creations E-7

F. Exterior Railings & Fences - Nonforged    

1 Wiemann Metalcraft F-1

2 Hess Ornamental Iron LLC F-5

3 Iron Decor F-3

I. Furniture & Accessory Fabrication - Forged    

1 Vasquez Custom Metals Inc. I-8

2 Wonderland Products Inc. I-4

3 Heirloom Stair & Iron Inc. I-1

J. Gates/Doors - Nonforged    

1 Custom Iron by Josh J-4

2 Big D Metalworks  J-10

3 Wiemann Metalcraft  J-5

L. Stairs Complete - Commercial    

1 Anvil Craft Corp. L-2

2 Johnston Products L-4

3 DeAngelis Iron Work Inc. L-5

M. Stairs Complete - Residential    

1 Big D Metalworks M-1

2 Germantown Iron & Steel Corp. M-8

3 M. Cohen & Sons Inc. M-4

N. Structures

1 Germantown Iron & Steel Corp. N-7

2 C.T. and  S. Metalworks N-4

3 Royal Iron Creations N-6

O. Unusual Ornamental Fabrication    

1 Disenos Ornamental Iron O-1

2 M. Cohen & Sons Inc. O-2

3 Artisan Metal Works Ltd. O-4

Q. Art/Sculpture    

1 Johnston Products Q-5

2 Crystal Metalworks Q-4

3 Germantown Iron & Steel Corp. Q-2

Mitch Heitler Award for Excellence 

Chosen from among the gold winners by the Mitch Heitler Committee.

  

Big D Metalworks M-1

Copper in Architecture Award for Ornamental Applications 

Presented by the Copper Development Association. The award recognizes jobs that make outstanding use of copper or copper alloys.

Wiemann Metalcraft  D-1

Big D Metalworks            D-4 & J-10

Wiemann Metalcraft         J-5