Eric Miner and Megan Pope | 10122026

Guest: Eric Miner and Megan Pope of the NFBA (National Frame Building Association)

Host: Randy Chaffee

Producer / Director / Co-Host: Wes Wyatt

📌 Episode Overview & Intro Chat

• Show Intro & Banter:
• Randy and Wes kick off the episode with playful banter about Randy’s "food-stealing bodyguard," Wes, touching on Wes's health recovery as he gets back behind the production board.
• Randy recaps his recent trip to Salt Lake City for the National Frame Building Association (NFBA) board meeting, noting that post-frame construction is positioned for massive growth.
• Introducing the Guests:
• Megan Pope: Executive Director of the NFBA and executive director for regional chapters, including the Buckeye Frame Building Association (BFBA) and the newly formed Great Lakes Frame Building Association (GLFBA).
• Eric Miner: President of the newly launched GLFBA chapter and a leader at Timberline Buildings.
• Randy jokingly mixes up Megan’s name with her membership director, Morgan Pope, before diving into industry updates.

🏗️ Evolution of Post-Frame: "A Rising Tide Lifts All Ships"

• Moving Beyond the "Old Pole Barn":
• Eric and Randy discuss how post-frame construction has evolved far beyond traditional agricultural pole barns and dirt-floor sheds. Today’s projects encompass commercial facilities, municipal structures, and high-end residential barndominiums.
• Eric highlights his building philosophy: "I love to build a post-frame building that doesn't look like a post-frame building."
• Reframing the Competition:
• Eric points out that fellow post-frame builders aren't the real competition; the real competition is traditional stud framing, masonry, and structural steel.
• By collaborating through industry associations, post-frame builders can raise construction standards, educate code officials, and expand total market share instead of fighting over small slices of the pie.
• The Power of Peer Networking:
• Randy shares an anecdote about builder friends from Michigan and New Jersey who met at the NFBA conference years ago. They turned their relationship into an informal advisory board, meeting annually and calling each other year-round to troubleshoot problems and share best practices.

🏛️ The NFBA Conference & Expo (Columbus, OH)

• Dates & Venue:
• When: February 8–10, 2027.
• Where: Greater Columbus Convention Center, Columbus, Ohio.
• Educational Tracks & Building Code Focus:
• The conference features four distinct educational tracks:

1. Technical & Safety
2. Business Management
3. Sales & Marketing
4. Building Code Track (New): Offers 4 hours of qualified Continuing Education (CEU) credits tailored specifically for municipal building code officials to demonstrate that post-frame is a modern, code-compliant structural system.

• Signature Events:
• Networking staples include the Christians in Construction breakfast, the Expo Social, and the annual Plyco Reception.
• Women in Post-Frame (3rd Annual Meet & Greet): This year’s event pairs fellowship with an interactive local community service project.
• Regional Chapter Integration on the Expo Floor:
• Dedicated Chapter Area: A designated pavilion on the exhibit floor will give local chapters a dedicated home to meet, recruit members, and host private breakout meetings.
• Honorary Member Pricing: Members of affiliated regional chapters (GLFBA, BFBA, Wisconsin WFBA, Heartland, and Canada’s CFBA) receive honorary NFBA member discount pricing for the national show.
• Attendees will also receive custom badge ribbons representing their respective local chapters.

🤝 Launch of GLFBA & The November Joint Chapter Event

• Forming GLFBA ("Glyph-ba"):
• To build regional unity across Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois, the board formed the Great Lakes Frame Building Association (GLFBA), with Eric Miner elected inaugural president.
• Regional chapters provide accessible, localized education, advocacy, and networking without builders feeling like "a little fish in a big pond."
• Joint Launch Event Details (GLFBA & BFBA):
• When: November 4th (with room blocks available Nov 3–4).
• Where: Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana.
• Schedule:
• Morning breakfast followed by an exclusive facility tour of nearby Plyco Corporation.
• Buffet lunch back at Swan Lake Resort.
• Afternoon educational presentations featuring Randy Chaffee, Eric Miner, and guest speakers.
• Evening networking reception followed by dinner.
• Accessible Pricing: Discounted resort rooms ($99/night) and affordable registration ($75 for the first attendee, $50 for the second) to encourage full team participation.

🎙️ Closing & Should-Ask Questions (SAQs)

• Megan’s SAQ:
• Question she wishes members would ask: "What are my member benefits, and how do I actively use them?"
• Megan’s Answer: Don't just pay association dues and walk away. Dig into the full menu of member resources, discounts, safety training, and legal/engineering libraries. Actively utilizing just four or five core benefits pays for the membership five to six times over.
• Eric’s SAQs:
• Question 1: "What can you not do in post-frame construction?"
• Eric's Answer: Aside from building a 40-story skyscraper, post-frame can accomplish almost anything in modern low-rise construction faster and more cost-effectively than traditional methods.
• Question 2 (For GLFBA): "How can the association help grow my business?"
• Eric's Answer: Regional chapters exist to serve builders directly—providing local peer connections, sales and marketing training, and advocacy to make every member company more profitable and successful.

💡 Key Takeaway

"Post-frame is no longer just for barns—it is competing head-to-head with steel and masonry. Growth doesn't happen in isolation; get involved in your regional and national associations, take full advantage of your member benefits, and help raise the tide for the entire industry."

Eric Miner:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-miner-629954ab/

Megan Pope

https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-pope-02502927/

National Frame Building Association:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-frame-building-association

Randy Chaffee:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randychaffee/

https://www.facebook.com/therandychaffee

Source One Marketing:

https://www.sourceonemarketingllc.com

Building Wins:

https://www.buildingwins.live

Wes Wyatt:

https://www.weswyatt.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/weswyatt/

https://www.facebook.com/weswyatt/