Industry Leaders and Innovators Gather to Celebrate Excellence and Share Knowledge in Outdoor Living at the North American Deck and Railing Association’s Annual Summit
NADRA, or the North American Deck and Railing Association, is dedicated to recognizing and promoting excellence in the outdoor living and decking industry. As part of this commitment, NADRA holds an annual awards presentation and celebration to honor exceptional professionals and their outstanding projects in the outdoor living industry.
This event is a prestigious occasion that acknowledges the hard work and talent of the best in the business. The awards showcase the most innovative, creative, and inspiring projects in the industry, from stunning deck designs to impressive dock builds and everything in between. The recognition of these projects is a testament to the level of excellence that NADRA strives to achieve, and it helps to set the standard for the outdoor living and decking industry as a whole.
“The NADRA Summit this year was truly remarkable. It was a pleasure to spend time with such talented deck builders who are also genuinely great individuals. The entire event was filled with excitement, and Chris and Amy’s session was as insightful as ever. As an added bonus, we were able to end the event on a high note by playing guitars outside by the bonfire. It was a fantastic way to wrap up an already amazing event!” ~ Robert Lascelle, My Deck, LLC
The festivities commenced on the evening of Wednesday, the 29th, with a lively welcome party and a delightful cocktail hour on the picturesque beach.
Education Session:
The morning following the welcome party and cocktail hour on the beach began with a buzz of excitement, as NADRA members gathered for a high-energy session titled hosted by Legacy Academy. The 4-hour presentation was packed with valuable insights and practical takeaways that left a lasting impact on everyone in the room.
Led by industry veterans Chris and Amy Breen, along with their team and current clients, the session was attended by a diverse group of professionals, including sales representatives, contractors, and other experts in the outdoor living and decking industry. Regardless of their level of experience, everyone in attendance walked away with new tools and strategies to help them achieve personal and professional growth.
The session kicked off with coffee and set the tone for an engaging and productive day ahead. As Michael Beaudry, NADRA’s Executive Vice President, noted, the discussions were incredibly impactful and touched on some of the most intense personal and professional development tools available in the industry. Overall, the session was a highlight of the event and a testament to NADRA’s commitment to promoting excellence within the industry.
Cocktail Reception:
Guests at the event were treated to an enjoyable hour of refreshments, and a refreshing ocean breeze for the cocktail reception. The atmosphere was lively and vibrant, complemented by the rhythmic beats of the steel drum band. Guests indulged in refreshing mojitos and long island iced teas while enjoying the soothing ocean breeze and engaging in delightful conversations. It was truly an hour of pure enjoyment and relaxation.
Annual Awards Dinner:
The dinner was an absolute delight! Attendees had the opportunity to enjoy the evening’s festivities alongside their partners, spouses, dates, significant others, family members, and friends from all across North America and beyond. And the food! Let’s just say it was nothing short of spectacular! The menu featured a diverse range of dishes, from fancy salad shooters and delectable seafood paella to mouth-watering carving stations and some mouth-watering Southern classics, such as brisket and beer can chicken. Every bite was a culinary experience that left guests feeling satisfied and happy.
NADRA’s 2023 Board of Directors:
- President: Vincent Carrubba, Admiral-Spacemaker, Inc.
- Immediate Past President: Heath Bowman, Southeastern Underdeck Systems, LLC / Haven
- Vice President: Andrew Pantelides, Regal Ideas
- Treasurer & Secretary: Bruce Verblaauw, NJ Decks and Railings
- Tom Horvat, Koppers Performance Chemicals
- Mike Reasons, BlueLinx
- Lainie Sleppin, MoistureShield
- Tim Sandlund, Fortress Building Products
- Executive Vice President: Michael Beaudry, NADRA HQ
The 2022 Terry Award was presented to:
Mark Guthrie, FastenMaster and John Kozal, Deckorators. This award is in honor of their extraordinary dedication and unwavering commitment to assure a common sense approach in code development throughout North America and beyond.
The 2022 Recognition Award was presented to:
Chris and Amy Breen with Legacy Decks Academy, In recognition of their exceptional accomplishments in the coaching they are providing to the membership and the industry we love. The North American Deck and Railing Association gives this award with sincere appreciation for their outstanding contributions.
We are proud to announce the winners of the 2022 National Deck Competition! Click Here to View All Winners at NADRA.org.
“This event is special in so many ways. Not only is it an event to celebrate our awesome decking industry and compete with the best of the best, but it’s also a family reunion. I can honestly say this is one of my favorite events/little getaways that I look forward to every year. It is so refreshing to be with people who have the same passion for the industry as me.” ~ Andy Henley – Hen-House Decks
“Congratulations to all the National+ Deck Competition winners and to all the talented Deck Builders who submitted their entries in this year’s competition. NADRA has created a venue and platform for Deck Builders across the globe to connect, share ideas, and techniques, and make a difference in our industry. Being able to see our products used by so many top builders was humbling, but being able to connect in person with such talented people is the greatest honor. Thank you NADRA for everything you do for our industry.” ~ Andrew Pantelides – Regal ideas
“The NADRA awards banquet gets better and better every yea, as do the incredible projects people are building. I brought the family down this year and we all had such a great time. Only regret was not staying another day!” ~ Mike Mitchell, Mitchell Construction
Overall First Place, Neighbourhood Fence and Decks, Inc.
Every inch of this project includes fine detail you would normally see on the inside of a home. For example, the fully trimmed post wraps, the sublimated aluminum wood grain ceilings, custom laser cut privacy panels, the sound system, TVs, the full-service kitchen, and the bar just to name a few.
Outdoor features include the Sedum “Green” roof, natural putting green, and cantilevered pool deck, along with the water and fire features, taking this build to the next level. Lighting plays a big part in completing this “dream”. One of the biggest challenges was planning the irrigation and water draining systems on this build. Each zone and area are carefully designed and controlled. The other challenge was the retaining walls hidden behind some of these feature areas that allow us to create the various entertainment areas.
This build pushed our boundaries as a team. It allowed us to grow mentally and physically while exploring different materials and installation methods to keep this backyard “resort” sustainable for years to come. It was a real honor for us to be able to work on a project like this and to have clients that allowed us to be creative and make us a part of their home.
Overall Second Place, Windeck, Ltd.
One of the biggest challenges was installing the first louvre roof slide in Canada. With no training or videos, we had very small tolerances that had to be maintained. The 12mm thick ceramic frit-printed privacy glass was extremely heavy and needed a crane. With each piece of glass costing roughly $5,000.00, it was very nerve-racking working around trees and power lines trying to get them installed. One of our favourite features on this deck is the pop-up TV which was also a first for us. The size of the TV the customer chose threw a curveball at our framing because we then had to recess the TV into the deck so that it didn’t pop up too high for proper viewing. This TV can swivel 360 degrees for viewing from either the hot tub or the living area. All electrical was run under the deck and with the proximity to the ground, all wire had to be run before the decking went on. Another modern but challenging aspect of this project is that all 17 motors (between louvre roofs, pop-up tv, & drop-down screens) 250 lights, 5 fans, & 6 heaters are operated via the customer’s home automation system.
Overall Third Place, Majestic Outdoors
Through the design process, the client asked us “do decks have to be square or rectangle and have corners?” Well, no they do not, and we specialize in curved decks and railings, so we designed curved corners for a rectangular-shaped deck. Then realized after some conversations with the client that the stairs are straight, and we can’t have that on a curved deck.
The client agreed and that would be cool. Now we need to design breaker boards, but can’t make them straight, that will mess with a no-corner curve deck. After some doodling, we have a Ying and Yang design, which flowed perfectly. Now the homeowner wants to add a firepit, we agreed only if it was round. With that, now we are going to design and build you a curved bench. It was truly a fun challenge to keep the design going for no corners and great that the client gave us the freedom to design this deck with no restrictions. Decking, lighting, and railing products are TimberTech and all curved decking is done with Azek products.
“For the past three years, we’ve included our boys so they could put a face to the names they often hear over the years. When they started to work for us they started to fully understand how amazing their dad is along with greater respect for our team and the abundance of talent that has congregated in one room. It’s the elite deck builders from all over the world! We’ve made it a part of our spring break so we can have our core family time and our NADRA family time. This year made it special to include Jim Noonan, the man who started Noonan’s carpenter inspiration.” ~ Julie Noonan, Pro Deck Supply
One Final Award:
During the event, special recognition was given to the NADRA’s dedicated leaders, Michael and Margie Beaudry, as a surprise award for their exceptional leadership. While Heather Marchand, their daughter, preferred to stay out of the limelight this year, she made a brief appearance towards the end of the event. Heather interrupted a giveaway and invited Bobby Parks to join her on stage to present one last, significant award to the deserving recipients.The gesture was a heartfelt one, and it marked a fitting end to a fantastic event.
“On behalf of the entire NADRA membership with our greatest appreciation, we recognize, Michael & Margie Beaudry.
Thank you for your 19 years of dedication and passion
to ALWAYS doing things for the right reason and having fun doing them.”
In perfect Margie fashion, she lovingly blew the audience a kiss during a much-deserved standing ovation.
“Of course, this was the best-kept secret for months and by far the most important Award of the night. Thank you so much for all you guys do for our industry. Without you, we would just be dirty fingernails, sunburned, beer-swilling, low-paid footnotes building boxes, and dropping boards on top. With you, we are some of the most respected, cutting-edge, visionary artists with power tools making high 6 figure incomes and can live in any neighborhood in any town in America and beyond.
The beauty of that thought makes me want to give another Standing “O” while I wipe the tears from my eyes. You put us in nice neighborhoods, with nice stores, and nice vehicles, and enabled us to achieve a level of respect our hard work alone would never have garnered. Thank You.” ~ Brendan Casey, Casey Fence and Deck
“It was wonderful seeing Margie & Michael getting an award and the recognition that they deserve for always leading the association in the best direction for the industry. The awards ceremony was spectacular and the Beach Olympics is always a fun and great team building event.” ~ Bruce Verblaauw, NJ Decks and Railings
A Few Images From The Awards Night! The full gallery of pictures can be found HERE. (There are many photos, please be patient as it may need a few moments to load.)
NADRA’s Largest Code Meeting in Years!
NADRA’s Code Committee held a meeting on Friday morning at 8 am. We were thrilled with the turnout of over 50 NADRA members! Please take time to visit NADRA’s official code page at NADRA.org to see the latest code-related news.
Third Annual NADRA Beach Olympics and Farewell Luncheon
The energy was palpable on the beach as attendees gathered to compete in the third NADRA Beach Olympics. With teams separated and Gold Medals on the line, everyone was eager to put their skills to the test. From Ladder Ball to Spear Throwing, Water Bucket Brigade, and even a Sand Castle contest for the little ones, there was something for everyone. The sounds of beach music created the perfect ambiance for the day’s festivities, and attendees enjoyed delicious food and drinks throughout the competition.
As the games concluded, the reigning champs from the previous year gave it their all, but ultimately, it was Legacy Academy that claimed the top prize. “It was incredible to see everyone come together and compete in such a friendly and fun way,” said Vincent Carrubba, NADRA’s President. “It was truly a highlight of the event.”
After a delicious lunch, attendees went their separate ways, some heading home while others took the opportunity to explore the resort and surrounding area with their loved ones. “The NADRA Olympics was a great way to end an amazing event,” Carrubba added. “It’s always bittersweet to say goodbye to everyone, but we’re already looking forward to next year’s event and all the excitement it will bring.”
In conclusion
From the moment we stepped into the hotel until we bid farewell on Friday, it felt like a reunion of long-lost family members. Our organization’s 19-year vision to build a foundation of core values such as integrity, trust, and honor, with a community of professionals willing to share and support one another, has been realized through NADRA.org. We extend our gratitude to those who couldn’t be with us physically but tuned in from different parts of the world.
Our board of directors and committees are already working together to enhance education, drive membership, and promote our association’s sponsorships. We invite all industry professionals to join our family, take part in your industry’s association, and become a Deck Safety Ambassador by signing up here.
Congratulations to all the participants and member partners who supplied the remarkable innovative products that we get to use as we transform our clients’ lives. We are incredibly proud of everyone and thrilled about what we will accomplish together in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Michael Beaudry, Executive Vice President, NADRA
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