Upcoming Event Schedule

Friday, January 24th, 2025

8:30 am – 10:00 am

Room 7

The 2025 Economic Heartbeat for the Fence Industry

This session will provide the professional fence contractor with a “state of the industry” presentation.

The overview will address the fence industry economic analytics, drivers and components that will impact business owners for 2025.

Tony Thornton

10:30 am – 12:00 pm

Room 7

your website sucks and google hates you

This is the most fun and mind-blowing, info packed presentation in the fence industry.

If you have never seen it, you will not want to miss it.  You will never look at Google rankings or your website the same way again.

Sam natello

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm

Room 7

7 Strategies for the professional fence contractor

This session will outline the 7 Strategies for Success to the professional fence contractor.  The strategies focus on the top 10% of the most successfully ran companies in the fence industry.  Understand these strategies and position your company for growth and success.

Tony Thornton

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Room 7

Updated astm gate construction standards

Safer gates start with safe gate designs. ASTM F2200 for gates intended to be automated, and the recently updated ASTM F1184-16/ASTM F900 for non-automated gates are the guiding documents for safe gate construction. In this course, we will address key aspects of the standards with real world situations, cover recent updates and trends, and provide additional resources. If you are already educated on the topic, use Q&A time to gain clarity on the specifics.

Zach Eichenberger

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Room 7

UL325 Automatic Gate Safety Standard Review

In this course, you will learn the core tenants of the UL325 standard addressing how gates are automated. Students will be educated on how to identify entrapment zones, apply safety devices, and generally install automatic gates to meet the standard. If you are already educated on the topic, use Q&A time to gain clarity on the specifics.

Zach Eichenberger

4:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Room 9

GSAFA Chapter MEeting

Join us for our Chapter Meeting in Room 9

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Room 7

Nobody trusts you – Building Trust online

We explore the role that TRUST plays with Google rankings as well as with your potential online customers. If Google doesn’t trust you, they will not rank you. If your potential customers don’t trust you, they will not hire you. Trust is the #1 problem online today! We explore specific strategies and tactics to improve your TRUST SCORE (this is an actual score assigned by Google} through social medial media, your website, online directory listings, and great content.

Sam natello

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

The Pool

Jackpot Kick-off Cocktail Party at “The Pool” 

For all registered attendees and exhibitors we will be having our Jackpot Kick-off Cocktail Party at “The Pool” on Friday night from 7-9 pm.  Please join us in this tropical setting for hor d’oeuvres, beer, and wine, (cash bar available) sponsored by the Jackpot Exhibitors and the GSAFA Chapter. 

Saturday, January 25th, 2025

9:00 am – 10:30 am

Room 7

art of effective leadership

This class will discuss the different ways to lead and how to utilize them statistically in both your business and personal life.

chris rice

9:30 am – 4:00 am

Show Floor

SHow FLoor open

The show floor will be open on Saturday from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm.    We will have countless DOOR PRIZES and a CASH 50/50.

FLoor MaP

 

Tony Thornton – Seminar Instructor

Tony Thornton, CFP, CAGOI, CAGSD 

Thornton Fence Consulting Group

Tony Thornton, CFP, CAGOI, CAGSD is the managing partner for Thornton Fence Consulting Group, (TFCGroup) established, April 1, 2022, and most recently served as Executive Director of the American Fence Association from 2014- 2022. Tony is a fence professional with 45+ years of industry experience with all types of fence and gate operator/access control system installations, operation, and management skills. TFCGroup support business’s, evaluating their strengths and challenges to develop proven procedures and checklist to maximize efficiency and profitability.

Zach Eichenberger CGAT, CGAD, CAGOI, CAGSD – Speaker

Director of Products & Services, Controlled Products Systems Group

My name is Zach Eichenberger (CAGOI, CAGSD, CGAT, CGAD). I am the current Director of Product & Services for Controlled Products Systems Group. In this role I oversee Product Management, Learning & Development and run the business units of RFID, Access Control, Crash/Anti-Ram, and Commercial/Residential Door Automation. I currently sit on the Board of Directors for the AFA and am a voting member of the Underwriters Laboratory Standards and Technical Panel (UL STP). I’m a trainer for the AFA Business School and have a passion for Gate Safety Standards and education in general. My 27 years in the industry allow me to draw on many experiences, but I always learn something new during my training sessions.

Chris Rice – Speaker

Situational Leadership – Trainer – Ameristar Perimeter Security USA Inc

Spanning 15 years in the construction industry – 8 years in Credit & Finance, 3 years in Logistics, 2 years in Sales and 1 year and some change in Organization Development / Corporate Training – Chris has had the blessing of teaching/coaching multiple teams and individuals as well as create leadership trainings, allowing team leaders and team members development opportunities; with the privilege of seeing many of these team members promote into desired roles or take on leadership roles in their own right. Chris is a driven and determined leader and professional who welcomes challenges and solves problems through teamwork and coordination. Although well-round in the business arena, Chris has a passion for teaching and coaching; helping to develop win-win solutions by working with members in cross-functional team environments.