57th Annual NFBA Building Expo 2025
General Info
Thank you to all who attended the NFBA Conference & Expo & made our week so special!
*NOTICE: NFBA does not use a 3rd-party company to book hotel reservations for conference. NFBA has been made aware of scammers trying to get credit card information from NFBA members. Please do not give out your info to unauthorized callers.
Thank You to our Conference Sponsors!
Questions related to exhibiting? Contact Patrick Filippelli at 630-929-7960
Some NFBA exhibitors have been receiving communications from companies soliciting the NFBA attendee list. Please note that these companies are posing as official representatives of the NFBA Frame Building Expo to sell unofficial attendee data lists. These companies are unrelenting and are known to constantly change their company and domain names, but they have no affiliation with the NFBA, and we cannot recommend purchasing a list through them. Exhibitors are advised to beware of anyone soliciting on behalf of the NFBA. Please contact us at NFBA@heiexpo.com with questions
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Room 300C NFBA Executive Committee Meeting (Closed)
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Room 300C NFBA Board Meeting (Closed)
4:00 PM - 7:00 PM - Level 2 Registration Open
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM - Room 300D NFBA Post-Frame Curriculum Certification Testing (Separate Registration Required)
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
6:30 AM - 5:00 PM - Level 2 Registration Open
6:30 AM - 8:30 AM - Henley Concourse Breakfast
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
Improving Cash Flow & Inequitable Payment Practices with Stephane McShane, Maxim Consulting Group
Stephane works with construction related firms of all sizes to evaluate business practices and assist with management challenges. In this session project managers will gain an understanding of how to:
- Increase profits with better billings and collections practices
- Apply tools and techniques that optimize cash flow
- Maximize cash flow with process standardization
- Create transparency and accountability with measurement
- Quantify the impact of slow payment
- Specific, tangible things specialty contractors can do to improve payment cycles
- Jurisprudence surrounding contract language and enforceability
- Negotiating points with general contractors and owners
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
The Lost Art of Connecting: How to Build Relationships You Simply Can't Afford to Lose with Tim Wackel, The Wackel Group
Please join Tim as he discusses how building powerful relationships doesn’t require magic, chemistry or luck… it requires knowledge, commitment and a process. His program teaches business professionals proven ideas for developing trust and creating loyalty that lasts a lifetime! During this workshop participants will learn how to evaluate the “true quality” of their existing relationships, improve existing relationships using a simple 3 step process, develop thoughtful, unexpected and inexpensive rituals that create lasting loyalty, focus on being interested (versus always trying to be interesting!), and become effective at working with people who are sometimes difficult to like.
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
Frost Protecting Post-Frame Buildings with Caynen Klessig, PE
Post frame buildings utilize several foundation types that must be designed to resist frost action and heave. The majority of the presentation will focus on using frost protected shallow foundations and designing according to ASCE 32. Caynen will determine required insulation details for both heated and unheated buildings and he will explore common detailing and code related questions that apply to frost protection of post frame buildings.
8:40 AM - 9:40 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
The Life Cycle of Estimating: Bidding with More Data and Less Gut with Stephane McShane, Maxim Consulting Group
With the technology available to the industry, it is entirely possible to price work utilizing data in lieu of estimating software with the “hope” that it contains the right information to help land the job AND not lose profit. During this session, Stephane will discuss the life cycle of estimating and the critical path of information that must be shared through the “get work, do work, and keep score” functions to allow for this critical information to be gathered, extracted, and utilized.
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
Marketing and Branding: Stand Out Online and Increase Sales with Rachel Mawhirter, Marketing Maven Consulting
Rachel Mawhirter is an energetic and creative marketing and communications professional from Great Bend, Kansas who owns and operates an award-winning brand management and design firm. In addition to serving as an outsourced marketing department for progressive companies in a variety of industries across the U.S., the Marketing Maven team also tackles one-time projects for website design, video production, photography, graphic design, consulting, and training. Learn how to brand your company so it stands out from the rest!
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
Improving Safety at YOUR Company: A Post Frame Safety Panel with Safety Committee Members Perry Lynch, Todd Meinhold & Dave Underwood, moderated by NFBA legal counsel Doug Jenks
A panel consisting of NFBA safety committee members, moderated by NFBA legal counsel, will share their experiences with safety in the post frame industry. Hear from the panelists about tools and best practices they use at their company, and how it can be applied to yours. A Q&A session will take place at the end of the session, where safety committee members can answer issues that are relevant to you.
9:50 AM - 10:50 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
2025-2026: Anticipating Business Cycle Changes with Michael Feuz, ITR Economics
Michael will provide crucial insights into understanding the dynamics unfolding in the US economy including interest rates, inflation, and more. This session will help business leaders navigate through 2025 and 2026 strategically, maximize on the growth opportunities, and prepare for the later part of the decade.
- Stay ahead of the curve: Anticipating changes in market conditions before they happen and understanding the signs allows you to be successful in every phase of the business cycle.
- Plan with confidence: Equip yourself with key management objectives and when to implement them so you can maximize the opportunities in 2025, 2026, and beyond.
- Outperform the competition: data driven planning and decisions allows you to act first and gain a competitive edge.
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
The Professional Client Approach: Rules for Customer Engagement with Marvin Montgomery, Marvin Montgomery & Associates
For more than 30 years, Marvin Montgomery has earned widespread national recognition and praise for his informative, practical and stimulating programs that reflect his basic philosophy: “Preparation and practice are the keys to sales success.”
In this session members will learn:
- The Rules of Client Engagement that will reduce customer anxiety and immediately build know, like and trust.
- The five Benefits that are gained by using this approach to reinforce the value of not information dumping.
- The importance of actively listening and asking questions so you become a solution provider.
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
Artificial Intelligence with Kevin Fox, Foxwerx Group
Missed calls. Lost leads. Too much time spent chasing customers. Sound familiar? In this eye-opening session, Kevin Fox will show how AI can automate scheduling, follow-ups, and customer interactions, so your business keeps growing—even when you're on-site.
Discover how AI-powered tools like virtual receptionists, automated lead follow-ups, and AI-driven estimating can save time, boost revenue, and keep you ahead of the competition—without requiring tech expertise.
If you're a contractor, builder, or business owner looking to work smarter, not harder, this session is for you. Learn how AI can take the busy work off your plate—so you can focus on building. Don’t get left behind - see how AI can transform your business today!
11:15 AM - 12:45 PM - Ballroom EFG Keynote, Olympic Gold Medalist in Greco-Roman Wrestling, Rulon Gardner and
NFBA Membership Meeting
While growing up on a dairy farm in Afton, Wyoming, Gardner became accustomed to defying the odds. When he was just in kindergarten, he was identified by his teachers as a special-needs student -- a characterization that plagued him throughout much of his school years in the form of poor grades and bullying. But with strong family support and the resolve of an Olympic champion, those early struggles would prove to only fuel his motivation to succeed and capture not only a gold medal, but also a Bachelor`s degree from the University of Nebraska.
1:00 PM - 5:00 PM - Exhibit Halls AB EXPO OPEN
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - Downtown Grill & Brewery - NFBA Past President’s Get Together (By Invitation)
EXPO FLOOR ACTIVITIES (HALL AB)
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Window & Door Installation: Tips and Tricks
with Kyle Stumpenhorst, RR Buildings featuring Plyco building products
When installing windows and doors, the first basic rule is to 'think like a drop of water'. Water leaks from around windows and doors are the visible result of a poor installation and air leaks not only cause a building to be inefficient and waste energy, but it’s also leaves them susceptible to damage caused by condensation. This can lead to insect infiltration and/or mold problems. Join Kyle to learn the proper way to install some of Plyco’s most popular windows and doors and learn best practices that can be applied in a multitude of install situations with a variety of brands and products.
3:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Rapid Framing System
with Todd Meinhold and Dwayne Borkholder
Join us for a quick demonstration of the Rapid Framing System which will give attendees a visual of what is now possible on the jobsite. “Rapid Framing System – A New Kind of Speed”!
4:15 PM - 4:45 PM
The Evolution of an Industry
with Rudolf (Rudy) Heusuk
It has been said that the name pole barn is a negative word that connotates primitive crudeness. One of the early missions of the NFBA was to take that sting out the term pole building by opting to call them frame buildings. Hence the name “Frame Builders”. Rudy Heusuk documented the post-frame evolutionary process from its infancy when the main poles were indeed round telephone poles, to today’s state of the art manufacturing processes. He will share his story.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Prize Drawing (HALL AB)
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Women in Post Frame Meet N’ Greet: New This Year! (DOWNTOWN GRILL & BREWERY)
Please join us Wednesday after the Expo for an opportunity to make new acquaintances and share challenges and solutions from your day-to-day experiences. There will be fun activities, prizes, and an engaging presentation from conference speaker, Rachel Mawhirter of Marketing Maven Consulting!
8:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Plyco Reception (MARRIOTT HOTEL – FULTON ROOM)
Enjoy entertainment, food, and beverages, compliments of Plyco Corporation, a leading supplier of products to the post-frame, metal-clad building and commercial construction industries.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM - Exhibit Halls AB Registration Open
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM - Henley Concourse Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
The Power of Attitude with Marvin Montgomery, Marvin Montgomery & Associates
There are so many times in life that we sit back and wait for good things to come our way. It’s inevitable that storms will come into our lives and there is nothing you can do to prevent the majority of them. They could be Health, Finances or Business related. During this motivating presentation you will learn seven ways to maintain and sustain a Positive Attitude even when things are not going your way. Chuck Swindoll believes “Life is 10% what happens to a person and 90% how we react to it” and so do I. That’s The Power of Attitude.
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
Selling More in Today's Busy World: A Four Step Playbook for Creating Greater Sales Success with Tim Wackel, The Wackel Group
Is it necessary to have a detailed strategy for making initial contact with a prospect? Tim believes the answer is no, it is not. Over the years he has discovered that anyone can make calls, and it takes almost no skill to convert a huge number of contacts into a sparse number of opportunities. If you want to significantly increase your business sales, you need to have a better plan. During this session Tim will reveal his four “secrets” that will help you win new business in today’s busy world.
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
Post-Frame Barndominiums - Building Code and Structural Design with Tim R. Royer, PE
A barndominium, by definition, combines a living space with a large utility space. This combination can create unique building code challenges. Also, the larger size of a barndominium may require special structural engineering design. This presentation will take a close look at building code requirements and the unique structural design of post frame barndominiums including several example designs.
9:10 AM - 10:10 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
Success Training with Eric Miner, Blunier Buildings
The objective of this course is to help leaders and aspiring leaders to embrace an employee-first culture. Eric will cover how to use success training to drive individual success in your team members creating an environment where every team member strives to their best every day. Individual success drives team success which drives success.
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
Going Barndo 3.0! with Stacee Lynn and Oliver Bell, The Barndominium Company
It’s more than a fad. It’s a movement. The residential Barndominium market continues to expand beyond anyone’s expectations. Barndominium customers have wants, desires, and questions. Conventional builders often attempt to steer customers away from Barndos (because they don’t know how to build them), but customers want what they want! Post frame builders are well positioned to provide excellent service. Are you ready to have a common sense, creative conversation to help customers build their dream Barndo? If so, join us for this session and talk Barndo advantages and challenges. Learn how to talk about design and décor advantages. Learn the value of clear span design in Barndominium homes and the aesthetically appealing design advantages provided. Participate in an interactive session that will let you see and experience our new design tech and participate in a lively Q&A session that will help you help customers better understand not just that they want a Barndo because it’s cool… they really want the better design and décor idea that Barndominiums provide.
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
OSHA and Safety: Safety Matters – What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You and Your Business with Doug Jenks, Auman, Mahan & Furry
Attorney Doug Jenks will discuss the current state of OSHA, given the changing priorities in the Federal government, while giving some useful and practical advice to remain complaint with OSHA standards. Specifically, Doug will discuss the top 10 most cited OSHA standards, as well as some new requirements that have recently been adopted. Doug will also discuss the changing legal landscape regarding independent contractors and describe how this can impact your business.
10:20 AM - 11:20 AM Breakout Educational Sessions
Business Management Track of Education - Ballroom A
Building Success: Transforming Workplace Culture in Construction with Lisa Ryan, Grategy
With a passion for workplace culture, employee engagement, and gratitude as a business strategy, Lisa helps organizations retain top talent and boost productivity. Members of the frame-building sector grapple with unique hurdles, including communication breakdowns and a high rate of employee turnover, which can stifle business expansion. This program delivers essential insights into bolstering team communication, enhancing collaboration, and ensuring the acknowledgment and appreciation of every team member's efforts. It equips participants with strategies to minimize turnover by cultivating an engaging and supportive work atmosphere, pivotal for attracting and retaining the industry's finest talents. These competencies are vital for upholding quality and staying competitive in the marketplace. By reshaping their workplace culture, members can look forward to boosted employee morale, heightened productivity, and a fortified bottom line. This initiative goes beyond addressing immediate challenges; it arms your members with enduring strategies for triumph.
Sales & Marketing Track of Education - Ballroom B
Barndo Design Tech & Build Strategy with Stacee Lynn and Oliver Bell, The Barndominium Company
As a builder, why should you seek a design partner in the Barndominium (or any other building) space? As a builder what does your customer expect you to deliver in their Barndo design project? As a builder what are some of the better products you can offer your customers to help them realize their dream home? While some builders (and designers) may still believe you can design your customer’s dream home on the back of a napkin… YOU CAN’T. That is a recipe for disaster. We hear many stories about Barndo enthusiasts who feel like they were misled or even cheated by a designer who did not use appropriate design approaches for their project. We hear about Barndo lovers who selected a builder or contractor that did not build their residential Barndo to local loads and codes and/or who faced financial challenges and left the customer holding the bag. We know that is not you! The purpose of this presentation is to discuss how to use technology, partnerships, collaboration, and budgeting to provide your customers with a reasonable solution and approach to a successful and satisfaction-filled build.
Technical & Safety Track of Education - Ballroom C
Technology You Can Apply in Your Business: A Panel Doug Jenks, Joe Shimp, Scott Olson, & Jason Heath
The impact of technology use in daily life is undeniable, and this extends to the business world as well. When used correctly, technology can greatly enhance an organization's success and competitiveness. By incorporating technology as a part of your strategic plan, you can leverage its capabilities to improve efficiency and productivity in various aspects of your business. Learn about what technology is available to you and how you can start to use it to your benefit.
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM - Ballroom EFG Awards Luncheon (Ticketed Event)
12:00 PM - 4:30 PM - Exhibit Halls AB EXPO OPEN
EXPO FLOOR ACTIVITIES (HALL AB)
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
3-Hour Firewall Presentation
Tim Royer P.E. – Timber Tech Engineering, Inc.
As NFBA members’ commercial business grew, so did the demand for expansion of post-frame fire-rated wall systems. Larger commercial buildings with larger areas and multiple occupancies required fire walls, fire barriers and fire partitions (which require fire ratings from both sides). Other recent code changes (2009 IBC, Table 602, and 2009 IBC 705.5) requiring an exterior fire-rated wall from both sides at separation distances of 10 feet or less (versus the former 5 feet) also added to the need for economical post-frame fire-resistant walls. With these circumstances, NFBA took on the challenge of pursuing efforts to obtain certification of a tested 3-hour load-bearing post-frame wall with fire protection from both sides that could be used for fire walls, fire barriers or fire partitions. After a successful 3-hour rating was obtained, the outlook for additional certifications was promising. Tim will have a mock-up of a 3-hour firewall on-hand for demonstration to attendees.
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Fall Protection Drop Safety Demonstration
Michael Marsee – 3M Personal Safety Division
Attendees will learn the basics of Fall Protection including Harnesses and how to wear them properly and Anchorage and how to tie off properly. Michael will do drop demonstrations focusing on the impact the body experiences during a fall, Self-Retracting Lifelines, Horizontal Lifelines, Descent and Rescue.
4:00 PM - 4:30 PM Prize Drawing (HALL AB)
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Christians in Construction Reception (ROOM 301)
This event will feature family-friendly musical entertainment by Will Kruger and an indoor Petting Zoo for the kids. There will also be plenty of food and beverages and games for everyone!
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Expo Social and Foundation Auction (BALLROOM EFG)
Looking to maximize your Conference experience? Make sure you are one of hundreds of attendees at this Annual Conference celebration! The Reception and Auction is a highlight of the conference, and this event IS FREE TO ALL REGISTERED ATTENDEES AND EXHIBITORS. Enjoy County Fair style food, drinks, and games as well as a cornhole tournament. Attendees will also be able to participate in the silent auction where all of the proceeds will benefit the research and education efforts of the NFBA Foundation.
Friday, April 4, 2025
8:00 AM - 10:30 AM - Exhibit Halls AB Registration Open
8:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Exhibit Halls AB Continental Breakfast
8:30 AM - 12:30 PM - Exhibit Halls AB EXPO OPEN
Nail-Pounding Competition
Grand Prize Drawing
Program Changes and Cancellations:
NFBA reserves the right to substitute speakers due to any unforeseen circumstances. If NFBA must cancel a show, registrants will receive a full credit or refund of their paid registration fee. No refunds will be made for lodging, airfare, or any related expenses.
Registration
Registration Options:
Member Pricing |
Non-Member Pricing |
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Builders, Contractors, Architects, & Engineering firms Only - FREE |
Builders, Contractors, Architects, & Engineering firms Only - FREE |
Optional Events:
Awards Luncheon - Member: $55
Awards Luncheon - Non-Member: $65
NFBA Certification Exam: $165 Members & Non-Members
*Pass the exam and receive $165 in NFBA Credit. Participants have the option to take exam 1 or 2. Passing exam 2 is an automatic pass for exam 1. To learn more about NFBA certification: CLICK HERE
Program Changes and Cancellations:
NFBA reserves the right to substitute speakers or to cancel and reschedule events due to any unforeseen circumstances. If NFBA must cancel a show, registrants will receive a full credit or refund of their paid registration fee. No refunds will be made for lodging, airfare, or any related expenses
Special Events
Coming Fall 2025
Exhibitors
Booth Space for the 2025 NFBA Conference & Expo is SOLD OUT!
Exhibiting at the Frame Building Expo gives your company access to more than 1,000 post-frame professionals who attend to find new products, learn best practices, and network with colleagues. Review the floor plan for available booth space, submit your application, and review the exhibitor prospectus for additional information regarding the attendees who attend NFBA. We also have a large variety of Sponsorship opportunities available to current exhibitors.
(PDF Floor Plan)
(PDF Application)
Scan badges and collect leads using an app on your phone. Purchase a lead retrieval license to activate!
If we can be of any assistance, just let us know. We look forward to working with you and hope to see you next April in Knoxville, TN!
Questions?
Contact NFBA Exhibition Management at NFBA@heiexpo.com or call Patrick Filippelli at 630.929.7960.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Exhibitors will receive 4 complimentary Booth Personnel Registrations for the first 100 Sq. Ft. of exhibit space purchased and then 2 complimentary Booth Personnel Registrations for each additional 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space purchased. The cost will be $50 for each additional person.
*EXAMPLE: A 10’x20’ space would be allowed 6 complimentary personnel.
Each Space Includes:
- 8’ BLACK/ BEIGE / BEIGE / BLACK back drape
- 3’BLACK side drape
- A standard 7”x44” booth ID sign
A Few Important Things to Note
- The exhibit hall aisles will be carpeted in Tuxedo (Black carpet with gray and white speckles).
- Your booth space is not carpeted, we strongly encourage you to purchase carpet or bring your own flooring for a few reasons:
- Defines your booth space
- Comfort on your feet
- Aesthetically pleasing and inviting for attendees
- Your booth is a shell (pipe, drape and ID sign) so it does NOT come with a table or chairs. For ease, a discounted booth package with carpet is offered on our online site.
To Order Online and Obtain Show Information:
- Visit our website https://www.c1tradeshowservices.com/order-services/.
*Any freight handling, labor, or Signage orders will still need to be faxed into the number at the bottom of our order form along with our payment authorization form. A payment authorization form will not need to be faxed in, if you select the box saying “please check this box for C-1 to utilize this card for your show site charges for such items as material handling, additional furnishings, labor, shipping, etc…” on the credit card information screen found on our online ordering website. This will authorize your payment information to stay on file for the remainder of the show.
EXHIBIT HALL SCHEDULE (Hall AB) – 119,922 sq. ft.
Exhibitor Toolkit
Some NFBA exhibitors have been receiving communications from companies soliciting the NFBA attendee list. Please note that these companies are posing as official representatives of the NFBA Frame Building Expo to sell unofficial attendee data lists. These companies are unrelenting and are known to constantly change their company and domain names, but they have no affiliation with the NFBA, and we cannot recommend purchasing a list through them. Exhibitors are advised to beware of anyone soliciting on behalf of the NFBA. Please contact us at NFBA@heiexpo.com with questions
Handouts/Presentations
2026 Call for Presentations (click here)
2025 - Knoxville
2024 - Des Moines
| Randy Goruk: Tips for Explosive Growth |
2023 - Louisville
