Written by Catherine M Follett, PRO-NE President 

As I make my exit as the Board President of PRO-NE, this quote from Maya Angelou could not ring truer for me.

“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” 

As I self-reflect on the past two years, what has become clear to me is the tremendous collective spirit, commitment, and professionalism of our staff and PRO-NE’s volunteer Board of Directors. 

Against all odds, our organization navigated through unprecedented upheavals in the economy, business practices, and behaviors that will forever change our lives; we have all had to shift and adapt.

At the onset of the coronavirus conundrum, we transitioned from NARI to our new PRO-NE Affiliate, which also brought challenges with respect to the changes in the Executive Directors’ role. At that time, the focus was to develop creative programming to attract membership that would continue to support our new organization, a challenging task in a remote world. 

I am particularly proud of the PRO-NE’s Career Day this year, which brought together five hundred students, contractor members, vendor exhibitors, and many volunteers with the goal of creating a spark in students, as they are much needed as future remodelers. Our Women in Remodeling Event was equally as rewarding as our Monthly Women in Remodeling Conversations via Zoom. It has been a wonderful, collaborative effort of so many insightful, caring, and creative gals who, as leaders, inspire me. We also share much-needed laughs along the way for added enjoyment. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as your President from 2020-2022. I plan to stay on as one of the Directors of the PRO-NE Board while also serving on the Education Committee, as I feel enthusiastic about setting the best system standards and furthering education to attract all members.

I will continue to be involved as an Affiliate Leader for PRO-NE to the PRO-National Board, which encompasses 6 Chapters. Top of mind for PRO-National is the development of the PRO Learning Center. This center will respond to the needs of all our members by creating a comprehensive learning program that will supply educational and certification courses for contractors and those interested in pursuing a career in remodeling. The Learning Center is expected to launch in early 2023. 

As we continue to work through inflationary issues and national labor shortages, which affect all of us and our businesses, we must embrace changes with a positive spirit as we enter 2023. 

Please stay tuned for dynamic programs in the new year. Our organization stays strong, and we encourage your participation to make us even better.

In closing, I would like to welcome Eric Adams as our new PRO-NE Board President. I believe his commitment and thoughtful approach to our needs will continue to steer the ship moving forward.