Hey there sports fans! As the year comes to an end, we are looking forward to the future of the checkoff and the concrete masonry industry. One important part of the checkoff succeeding is having an effective CEO at the helm. We are immensely grateful for all the hard work and effort Ray is putting into building out this organization, but we knew from the beginning when we coaxed him out of retirement, he wasn’t looking to make a second career out of this. And while Ray thankfully isn’t going anywhere any time soon, we are beginning the search for a full-time CEO. 
 
In the coming weeks we will be finalizing the job description, forming a search committee, and conducting a national search to find the right person to lead our efforts forward. We will keep everyone updated and share the job description once it’s ready for prime time.
 
Numerous committee meetings have taken place since our first Board meeting in November, including Board, Executive, Finance, Communications and Programs – and all continue to make significant strides forward. Coming from our Programs committee, all five of our Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) Chairs and Vice Chairs have been appointed:Region 1: Chair – Aaron Fisher, Vice Chair – Richard VicinoRegion 2: Chair – Rocky Jenkins, Vice Chair – Sam FinneyRegion 3: Chair – Trevor Bear, Vice Chair – Bill DawsonRegion 4: Chair – Mark Wilhelms, Vice Chair – Maroni MejiaRegion 5: Chair – Joseph Kerrigan, Vice Chair – Thomas FinchMore information to come on Regional Advisory Committees, and how you can get involved at the local level.
 
And just a reminder, the start date for assessments has been voted on by the Board to being April 1, 2023. We chose this timing to allow all producers ample time to prepare, and to ensure we as the checkoff can have multiple points of support and resources in place ahead of the start.
 
As always, please reach out with any questions or thoughts.
 
Best,
Major