A Sense of Relief, Pride and a Positive Feeling
by Dan Warren


My wife Paula and I decided some time ago to drive to this year’s Association of Millwork Distributors (AMD) 46th Annual Convention in Charlotte, N.C. Over the 20 years we have been AMD members we have been blessed with a great number of friends within the association. So as this year’s outgoing AMD president, I thought it would be “the Presidential thing” to do to visit a few of members and tour their respective distribution centers. We went as far as to name our trip the AMD Tour America 2010. Eighteen days and just short of 5,000 miles Paula and I completed our little junket from South Dakota to North Carolina.

I came away from the convention and the entire trip with a sense of relief, a sense of pride and a positive feeling on the future of our country, our industry and our association (and relief since my year as president was over and with that a feeling of regret also). What a tremendous honor to be president of the association of your peers. In 2011, our association moves forward with an outstanding new leader and first female president of AMD, Audrey Dyer, president of ECMD Inc.

The sense of pride comes from what the association has done and accomplished for so many of us in the millwork industry. Whether it is education, training, codes and standards, new product offerings or simply networking this association has provided great opportunities for the millwork industry and its members. I often wonder and feel sorry for those companies within our industry that have not taken the initiative to be part of an association that has been (and continues to be) a true advocate for its members for more than 46 years. In my opinion, they have no idea what they are missing because AMD has shown how anything is possible for its membership. I have repeated this thought many times throughout the years, but I truly believe this to be true; if you can’t find value and benefits in AMD, you are not looking or trying!

"There is no doubt attitude is everything and the member attendees
had a positive attitude this year."

The building industry and our association have endured tremendous challenges over the past several years. In my remarks to the membership at the opening session during the October AMD Convention, I stated, “AMD will be an association of quality, not quantity.” I think our keynote speaker, Jason Jennings, said it best: “Give yourself a round of applause, you’re still here.”

Standing at the podium, overlooking my fellow attendees, a “positive” feeling came over me. Looking back at me were some of the brightest, hardest-working, most dedicated people with whom I have ever been associated. As I walked the convention floor I heard nothing but positive responses. Were there people doing cartwheels and jumping up and down? No, but they had a sense that things in our industry are improving. There is an old adage; something about success is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent doing. There is no doubt attitude is everything and the member attendees had a positive attitude this year.

Through these turbulent times, there have been many changes, but the constant for the millwork industry and its members remained the AMD. Our organization remains strong and viable due to our fellow millwork distributors, manufactures and reps who continue to find the value in AMD and remain supportive, dedicated and active.

Oh, by the way, having spent that much time together I am happy to report Paula and I are still speaking and made it back safely to South Dakota.

Dan Warren is president of Warren Window and Supply Inc. and past president of the Association of Millwork Distributors. His opinions are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect those of this magazine.


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