Table of Contents
The Cabinet Makers Association (CMA) is pleased to announce they will host a regional event on June 22 in
Springfield, Missouri. This one-day educational event features forklift training and a tour of CMA member
Cabinet Concepts by Design.
Cabinet Concepts by Design was formed in November 2007 by Matt and Shelley Wehner. As you may recall,
at that time the housing market was in decline, remodeling was down, and the market collapse of 2008 was
just over the horizon. In the midst of this, the Wehners did the improbable and purchased a small cabinet
shop. Over the past 11 years, Matt and Shelly have taken the 6,000 sq. ft. shop with four employees to an
entirely new level, growing their business at a steady clip. Currently they occupy a 30,000 sq. ft. facility and
have 32 employees.
The classroom portion of the forklift training will be a "train the trainer" session so attendees can go back to
their shops to train the rest of their employees. Upon completion, attendees will receive their certification
cards. In addition, the instructor will provide a basic overview of the forklift and how it operates. The
"hands-on" portion of the certification process must be done at your own facility.
Registration is $55 for current CMA members and $125 for non-members. Student/Instructor members are
free, while non-member students/instructors are $25. Registration includes breakfast and lunch.
For out-of-town attendees, the CMA has secured a block of rooms at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Springfield. The CMA is also encouraging visitors to stay the weekend for a trip into Branson, boating on
Table Rock Lake, or a canoe trip.
The CMA has been hosting high-value events such as this since 1998 as a means of connecting similar-sized
shops around North America with the purpose of sharing best practices and business acumen, while learning
how other businesses do what they do. In addition to the plant tours and educational seminars, the regional
events also encourage networking and simply a chance to talk shop and share issues, solutions and even
projects. Although dubbed "regional", these types of events typically draw attendees from across the country as well as Canada.
