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26 • JUNE 2012 • WORLD FENCE NEWS AFA names first group of Blue Ribbon Contractors continued from page 12 been named Blue Ribbon Contractors: • Security Fence, Inc., Cookeville, Tenn. lumbia, S.C. Mo. • Guardian Fence Suppliers, Co- • Robinson Fence, Springfield, • Accent Fence, Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga. • Baker Fence Co., Derby, Kan. • Commercial Fence Co., Pasadena, Tex. • Area-West Fence Co., Lakeside, Calif. • Taylor Fence Co., Colorado Springs, Colo. • Ideal Fencing Corp., Erie, Colo. • Premier Fence, LLC, Avon, Mass. ing, Ohio. • BellBrook Fence Com., Kitter- • Straightforward Fence Co., Levittown, Penn. • Medallion Fence Ltd., Maple, Ontario, Canada. N.C. Minn. • Gaston Fence Co, Inc., Dallas, • Midwest Fence, South St. Paul, • Penn Fencing Inc., Butler, Penn. • Abbey Fritz Fence Co., Inc., Bal- timore, Md. • Yutka Fence, Inc., Kenosha, Wis. • Simmons Fence & Specialty Products LLC, Janesville, Wis. • Keller Fence Co. North, Grand Rapids, Minn. Prospective Blue Ribbon Contrac- tors must meet seven mandatory re- quirements and at least three additional qualifiers. The mandatory requirements are: 1. Minimum of the last three un- broken years AFA membership. 2. Agrees to adhere to the AFA Code of Ethics. 3. Must be a licensed fence "con- tractor." Contractor in this context should be defined as someone who is actively engaged in the business of in- stalling fence products on a daily basis as the main business of the company. It is not meant to eliminate a "contrac- tor" that makes material sales to other "contractors" or the public. 4. Attends local chapter meetings (at least two per year). 5. Must have a currently certified Certified Fence Professional (CFP) on staff. 6. Minimum of five years active and current involvement in the fence industry. 7. No officer of the company shall have been convicted of any felony. In addition to the mandatory re- quirements, Blue Ribbon Contractors must satisfy a minimum of three of the following additional qualifiers: 1. Have a currently certified Certi- fied Automatic Gate Operator Installer on staff. 2. Have attended FENCETECH for the last two years. 3. Pursue continuing education: Attend at least three training seminars per year (can be FENCETECH or local training. Local training must be verified by a certificate of attendance.) 4. Have current employee(s) who have completed any Fence Training School. 5. Support AFA representation by speaking to any organization outside the industry on the benefits of using AFA or Blue Ribbon Contractors. These groups could be architects, en- gineers, local or state governments, other trade or business organizations such as Lions, Exchange Club, home owners associations, school districts or boards, business clubs, or highway de- partments. 6. Have received awards or recog- nition as a business or community leader or professional. 7. Have contributed to community or charitable projects. 8. Participated in AFA national or chapter projects. 9. Served as chapter officer or di- rector within the last five years. 10. Served as an AFA committee member within the last three years. 11. Served as an AFA mentor. Members of the Blue Ribbon Con- tractor Committee are: David Gregg; Eddie Clark, CFP; Michael Smith, CFP; and Lawny Chapman. For additional information, con- tact Matt Gibson at mattg@cmser- vices.com. Since 1962, the American Fence Association has promoted industry ed- ucation and certification programs. For more information about the association, visit the web site at www.americanfenceassociation.com. Jake Boss Pete Keep up with the adventures of Pete and Jake each month in World Fence News Isn't It Time to Put the Strength of the Gorilla to Work for Your Business? Fast Installation, Water-Shedding Design- and Now ICC Compliant... From its patented interlocking design to its incredible water-shedding technology, nothing beats the durability and strength of a Gorilla Deck® by Homeland Vinyl Products™. Now, both our Gorilla Decks and six railing styles are ICC compliant making them one of the most attractive decking systems in the industry today to sell and install. Call now and add the strength of a Gorilla to your business - now featuring ICC compliance (ESR-1657, 2003 IBC and IRC). Gorilla Decks feature: • UV stabilized vinyl • Strong interlocking design • Unique water-shedding surface • Concealed fasteners • Easy and fast installation MEMBER Patent No. 6,324,796 www.homelandvinyl.com Toll Free: 800-999-6813 Fax: 205-854-3677 Phone: 205-854-4330 VINYL FENCE, DECK AND RAILING MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION A Division of the American Fence Association