2023 Message from the President
Happy New Year! As we kick off 2023, I wanted to let you all know how excited I am to be representing every one of you as the new President of NARI Atlanta. In 2023 I will be focusing on growing our membership and increasing participation in our various events and professional development opportunities.
For those of you that don’t know me, I have been a member of NARI for six years when I started my construction business after retiring from a 24-year military career serving our country. My construction background started as a framer while I was going to college in Minnesota and continues today. I obtained my residential contractor license in 2016 and immediately started Crill Construction + Contracting. I can go into more detail if you want, just ask me at one of our NARI Nights.
The past couple of years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for most of us, both personally and professionally. The remodeling business has seen a lot of growth over the past couple of years and depending on who you listen to or what articles you read 2023 has a positive outlook as well. Throughout the ups and downs of business and the economy, being part of a professional organization such as NARI gives us exceptional opportunities to support and learn from each other. So, I encourage all of you to show up and get involved, you will see the benefits yourself.
For those of you who might not be as familiar with NARI, there is a lot offered for contractors and industry partners. I encourage everyone to visit the NARI Atlanta website and become familiar with all that NARI has to offer and the calendar of events. Let me take a few minutes to outline some of these opportunities.
NARI Nights: A great networking opportunity! Last year our average attendance was over 80 Contractors and Industry Partners. Maybe this year step out of your comfort zone and attend one or all. Please know you are always welcome, and we encourage you to invite a co-worker, supplier partner or industry professional in the remodeling and construction field.
Certifications: Maybe this is the year you become a Certified Remodeler (CR), Certified Remodeling Project Manager (CRPM) or as popular as aging in place is you consider the Universal Design Certified Professional (UDCP) Certification. There are a variety of certifications available through NARI along with CEUs you can take advantage of.
CotY Awards: I encourage you to enter one of your projects in our Contractor of the Year (CotY) Awards. This will give you an opportunity to showcase your work in any one of the 40+ categories. The CotY Awards highlight award-winning projects, help increase credibility with customers, and builds overall confidence.
In addition to the items I’ve outlined, we also have plenty of opportunities for you to volunteer and serve on any of our committees. We are all part of this organization for different reasons, so I encourage you to take every opportunity to get the most out of our organization both personally and professionally.
Finally, a word on membership. We currently have a strong membership, but I want to see that grow even more. We will be focusing on increasing our membership renewals along with growing the trade service membership. Some of these services include plumbers, electricians, painters, and drywall companies just to name a few. I would like to ask each of you to invite one guest every month to a NARI Night or invite them to one of our special events like the Cutting Edge or the Brew Bash. If we all invite just one person a month, we can show them the benefits they can receive and the networking opportunities available to them. Invite them and ask them to come back or find out if they want more information on membership. Kathryn and I are more than willing to make a call or meet with them to answer any questions. Just let us know!
I will see you at the next NARI event and if I don’t know you already, please introduce yourself. I wish you all a productive and prosperous 2023.
JD Crill, CR
Crill Construction & Contracting
770.710.5870