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National Woods Board
Richard Christianson

National Woods Board Welcomes New Board Members

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National Woods Board

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The National Woods Board (NWB) is pleased to announce the appointment of four new members to its board of directors.

Following is a quick look at each of the new NWB board members and their credentials.

Nicole Carter Jason Greenwood Mark Smith

Nicole Carter is the Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) for Widefield School District 3 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a role she has held since 2005. Among her responsibilities, Carter oversees CTE grants and state requirements and provides curriculum guidance for skilled trade programs at the MiLL (Manufacturing Industry Learning Lab), aligning with industry certifications through the Career Development Incentive Program.

Jason Greenwood is president of JB Cutting Inc., a full-service manufacturer of three-dimensional laminate MDF components based in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Greenwood has 30 years of manufacturing and operations management experience, with a strong focus on continuous improvement and lean methodology. The bulk of his career was spent in the aerospace industry where mainly focused on power transmission products and tooling for large aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.

Mark Smith is a recently retired woodworking instructor at Reed Custer High School in Braidwood, Illinois, and has been an educator at the secondary and post-secondary level for 30 years developing and implementing computer-integrated-manufacturing curriculum with a view towards the wood industry. He currently serves as chairman of the Woodwork Career Alliance Education Committee and the Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers (AWFS) College of Woodworking Knowledge committee. The Wood Industry Association recognized Smith as the Educator of the Year with the Wooden Globe Award in 2024.

Joe Wadsworth is CEO and owner of Custom Source Woodworking Inc. (CSW) in Turnwater, Washington. CSW is a member of both the Architectural Woodwork Institute and Woodwork Institute. Throughout his more than four decades in the industry, Wadsworth has remained passionate to introduce the next generation into rewarding woodworking careers.

“It’s fantastic to welcome these four new voices to the board,” said John LeTorneau, NWB President. I look forward to working closely with each of them to advance this vital trade and ensure its future success by fostering growth for the next generation of skilled woodworkers.”

LeTorneau also thanked exiting board members Tim Kistler, Rob Rozell, Shane Skalla and Kelly Viktor-Burke for their past service. “I think I speak for the entire NWB board in acknowledging their valuable service and commitment to the organization.”

The NWB is a non-profit organization tackling the workforce challenge head-on with a groundbreaking initiative to transform woodworking education and connect skilled workers with industry employers.

What truly differentiates the NWB’s solution from previous projects are three key elements:

  • Industry Collaboration, Partnership, and Investment: The NWB’s approach is deeply rooted in strong relationships with woodworking companies and key industry associations, fostering a collaborative environment that ensures training directly aligns with real-world needs and is supported by sustained financial commitment.
  • Curriculum: The NWB has developed a scalable curriculum for high school and postsecondary woodworking programs that is not only industry-approved but also continuously updated to meet the evolving demands of the woodworking sector.
  • WCA Affiliation: A crucial differentiator is the seamless integration of Woodwork Career Alliance (WCA) certification that is directly embedded into the training program. This means students earn valuable, industry-recognized credentials as they progress, significantly enhancing their job prospects by demonstrating their proficiency to potential employers.

By focusing on these three distinct areas, the NWB aims to bridge the gap between education and industry, creating a robust and efficient pipeline of skilled workers ready to meet the demands of the modern woodworking workforce.

About the National Woods Board
The National Woods Board (NWB) was inspired by the MiLL National Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which teaches woodworking students everything from fundamentals to advanced production using high-tech machinery. Ultimately, the vision of the NWB is to bridge the gap between education and the trades by creating advanced career opportunities that fulfill the industry’s massive workforce needs. Learn more about the NWB’s program and how to get involved with supporting its vital mission at NationalWoodsBoard.org.

Richard Christianson

Not Your Father’s Shop Class: Fostering Future Woodworkers

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In yet another sign of how times have changed, it was social media that brought educator Mark Smith together with Aetna Building Solutions – the company he credits with ultimately saving his high school industrial technology program.

Jon Minnaert, president of the Maywood, Illinois-based building materials distributor, was on the hunt for just such a program to add to the ‘Aetna Gives Back’ charitable division. The good-works initiative already provides scholarships to local colleges, supports area youth teams and organizations, and provides giveaways during the holidays, among other campaigns. While all worthy causes, there was a strong desire to extend the company’s generosity in a way that would directly impact its core industry – preferably at the local level.

Scrolling one day on LinkedIn, one of a number of social media platforms where Smith shares his students’ undertakings at Reed-Custer High School in Braidwood, Illinois, Minnaert stumbled on exactly what he was looking for.

Continue reading the article at Channel Connection, powered by the North American Building Material Disribution Association.

Reed-Custer High School is an EDUcation member of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America.

The NBMDA is a Gold Sponsor of the WCA.

 

Richard Christianson

NBMDA Sets the Gold Standard of New WCA Sponsorship Program

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Strong membership support will help fund workforce development initiatives.

 

The North American Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA) and 14 of its members have signed on as Gold Sponsors of the Woodwork Career Alliance of North America (WCA). Their sponsorships will benefit WCA high school and postsecondary woodworking programs in the United States and Canada. Sponsorship proceeds also will help the WCA advance its industry outreach activities.

The NBMDA’s strong show of support kicks off the WCA’s new INDustry Supporter Sponsorship program in rousing fashion. The WCA is working to expand its base of participating educators, woodworking professionals, industry suppliers and association partners to develop and grow a skilled woodworking workforce.

Education also is at the forefront of the NBMDA. The association represents leading wholesale distributors of wood panels, surface materials, cabinet hardware, finishes and related products.

“The NBMDA is filled with people who are passionate about this industry and concerned about its future,” said Michael Donnelly, president of the NBMDA. “We share the WCA’s commitment to inform, encourage and educate kids to take advantage of the opportunities our industry has to offer. The industry needs the WCA’s help and the WCA needs the industry’s help.”

“We are extremely grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support by the NBMDA and its members,” said Scott Nelson, president of the WCA. “Resolving the woodworking industry’s long-standing challenge to recruit and retain high-quality employees will not happen on its own. We need all sectors of the industry to come together to right the ship. We hope that others will follow the lead of the NBMDA and its members’ generous support of the WCA.”

A key component of the WCA’s new sponsorship program provides INDustry Supporters the option of supporting a school of their choice or having a significant portion of their sponsorship donation placed in a general fund to help educational institutions and their students defray the costs of participating in the WCA skill standards and Passport credential program.

The inaugural Gold INDustry Supporter Sponsors include:

  • Arauco
  • Atlantic Plywood
  • Axalta Coating Systems
  • Columbia Forest Products
  • Daniels-Olsen, a Metro Hardwoods company
  • E.B. Bradley
  • Intermountain Wood Products
  • M.L. Campbell
  • Milesi Wood Coatings
  • North America Building Material Distribution Association (NBMDA)
  • OHARCO
  • Rev-A-Shelf
  • Timber Products
  • Web Don
  • Wurth Group North America

View all sponsors and learn more about the WCA and its new INDustry Supporter Sponsorship program.

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About the Woodwork Career Alliance
The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America was founded in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The WCA’s mission is to develop and administer a unified set of Skill Standards for the wood products industry. Since 2011, WCA has developed observable and measurable performance standards and assessments for more than 240 woodworking machine operations. In addition, WCA has issued more than 1,600 Passports, a portable, personal permanent record documenting each holder’s record of achievements as a woodworking professional. More than 100 high schools and post-secondary schools throughout North America are WCA EDUcation™ members. To learn more about the WCA, how to get involved with its programs or to sign up to receive the quarterly WCA Pathways e-newsletter, visit WoodworkCareer.org.