AFA President, Lyle Buchanan

Expecting a great year ahead, American Fence Association President Lyle Buchanan is looking forward to FENCETECH/DECKTECH’11 in Las Vegas. “FENCETECH is about bringing together the best in the industry,” Buchanan said. “I’m excited about the return to Vegas from February 8-10 in 2011.” The Mandalay Bay Resort and Convention Center, right on the strip in Las Vegas will host the 2011 show. Buchanan, along with FENCETECH’11 Chair Lynn Hayworth, CFP, is already hard at work. “With our dedicated AFA members and the capable hands of Lynn Hayworth, I am confident that it will be our best show yet,” Buchanan said.

Fencepost, the official magazine of the American Fence Association caught up with Buchanan recently to ask him about the upcoming trade show and his thoughts on the value of an AFA membership. Read their interview after the jump.

Fencepost: What can a fence contractor gain from attending FENCETECH/DECKTECH?

Buchanan: It’s one of the fastest growing trade shows in the country. I’ve been attending for 15 years, and while you see a lot of familiar faces, there is also always something new.  There is always a new exhibitor with a new product.

I also enjoy knowing that wherever I am in the United States, there will probably be someone I know in the area who I met during FENCETECH. We’ve got a great network of people in the industry, and it’s an honor to be connected with so many professionals.

Fencepost:  Is there anything new for FENCETECH/DECKTECH’11 of which attendees should be aware?

Buchanan:  We will be introducing an Access Control Demo Area on the show floor for the first time, which I know will be of interest to many of our attendees.

Of course we’re taking the feedback we received from the 2010 show in Orlando, and are committed to providing the best in educational opportunities. The most popular seminars will be back, and I do expect that there will be several new sessions.

Fencepost: Why the return to Vegas?

Buchanan:  After every FENCETECH, we gather comments from attendees and exhibitors. Without fail, Las Vegas is our most popular destination, and is always well attended. We encourage everyone to support AFA and secure housing at Mandalay Bay, Luxor or Excalibur. The three properties are conveniently connected via the monorail.

Fremont Street in Las Vegas

Fencepost: What is the value of an AFA membership?

Buchanan: Well, I can point out the monetary benefits. AFA members receive a discount on all of our wonderful programs, including training schools, certifications and FENCETECH/DECKTECH, plus special member rates from our business partners.

But more than that, the professionalism that an AFA membership can bring to an individual and a business is priceless. When customers see the AFA logo, they can trust that they will be getting quality work meeting the highest standards.

For more information about Fencepost, visit www.fencepostmagazine.com.