June 21, 2024

From the Director’s Desk: See You Next Week

See You Next Week

Next week I, and about 100 other wood pellet manufacturers, supply chain partners, and vendors, will descend on historic Charleston for the 2024 Pellet Fuels Institute Annual Conference. It is worth noting that, next week, the Pellet Fuels Institute will host its annual golf tournament and a summer board meeting. We pack a lot into three days.

Here are the top six moments (in no particular order) I’m looking forward to:

1. Being in Charleston. If I’ve been more excited about a conference venue than I am for Charleston, I don’t remember it. Our philosophy since 2018 is to take the PFI Annual Conference to cities (or destinations) everyone should see once. For me, Charleston is at the top of the list of cities we’ve taken our conference to. Charleston is dripping with history (I hope everyone has finished reading “Demons of Unrest,” the new book by Erik Larson that recounts the events leading up to the first shots being fired on Ft. Sumter, beginning the Civil War.
2. Golfing with Brett. For the past 3-4 years I’ve been paired for the golf tournament with Brett Jordan, CEO of Lignetics. Brett tolerates my non-existent golf game, and we catch up on industry stuff, family stuff, and even some music. Best of all, I know that many of our other golfers have similar arrangements, golfing with industry friends they’ve golfed with for years. I’m delighted that the golf tournament remains such a draw for people. As of today, the forecast for our golf tournament looks clear, but humid and warm. Don’t forget sunscreen.
3. Overhearing industry chatter. I’ve always asserted that the most valuable things gleaned from industry conferences are the things overheard in passing. While we work hard to build formal discussions into the conference program that are illuminating, it is the private or semi-private conversations that yield so much insight. With more than 90% of the installed domestic pellet capacity represented at our event, there’s a high likelihood of everyone learning something of real value for their businesses.
4. Our retailer panel. For the past five years, we’ve been featuring a conversation with hearth retailers in our conference program. I rely heavily on our board to help me identify and select retailers with deep experience in hearth retailing and this year is no exception. Chad Merrill (Stove Depot), Johanna Dorn (Costello’s Ace Hardware) and Ross Schultz (Hearth & Home Technologies) collectively have more than 50 years of hearth retailing experience. My preparatory discussions with each of them were fascinating and if you’re hoping to leave our conference with a peak into the box of hearth retailing and the minds of current and prospective pellet users, you won’t be disappointed.
5. Welcoming our new board members. Committing to serve on any board is no small thing and I certainly don’t take it for granted. Serving on the PFI board involves committing to a couple of trips each year. That people are willing to commit their time and resources to supporting our organization via participation on the board is no small thing. Our annual conference serves as a transition point for our board, as members wrap up their tenures on the board, or begin one. This year’s incoming class features a couple of new faces, and the return of a few veterans. The best news is that all are top-notch people.
6. Seeing YOU! If you are reading this and will be with us in Charleston next week, you have my thanks and appreciation. Please say hello. I’m delighted you’ll be there. Thank you.

*I didn’t even mention the low-country cuisine we will all be enjoying.

—Tim Portz
 Executive Director

2024 Annual Conference

Photo of the Week:

Hats on Parade: L to R: Blaine Emery (Lignetics) and Jed Hammell (Stagemeyer Staves) talk bowhunting before the 2023 Pellet Fuels Institute Golf Tournament. Hammell and Emery will pick their conversation up next week at the Wild Dunes Golf Course at Isle of the Palms, South Carolina.

Photo Source: Tim Portz

Send Us Your Photos! Help us build a collection of photos of our members, their pellet mills, and products! Send images to Tim Portz at [email protected].

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