One meeting was conducted in the fall of 2021.  This meeting was a two-day meeting.  Held in Lexington, KY at the Embassy Suites.  The meeting included tours of the Freeman Corporation in Winchester, KY and Powell Valley Millwork in Clay City, KY.  The technical presentations included; Dr. Matt Bumgardener - “Current Status and Market Directions for the Hardwood Industry”, Mr. Bob Bauer – “KFIA Young Leaders Program and Real American Hardwood Promotion”, Dr. Rado Gazo – “Hardwood industry training and education in Indiana”, Mr. Darren Morris – “The White Oak Initiative – Ensuring White Oak For The Future”, Mr. Michael Thornberry and Mr. Bill Perry – “History of Their Family in the Wood Industry and Past Year, Current, and Future Forest Products Economics”  Forestry Extension personnel planned and facilitated the meeting. The Fall meeting was held on November 10-11, 2021. This meeting provided information and technical assistance to 16 hardwood industry people trying to improve their drying facilities yields and production. A total of folks attending the meeting was 43.

5. Impacts: The meeting attendees increased their knowledge of drying hardwood lumber by 9.69% and $1,563,509 dollars were saved or earned as a result of the meeting.  

One meeting was held in Lansing Michigan in the spring of 2022. This was a joint meeting with the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association and the Great Lakes Drying Association. The meeting was held at the Ramada conference center and tours included Devereaux Sawmill and Quality Hardwoods.  The technical presentations included; Dave Neuman, MI DNR: Michigan Forest Products and Industry; Bob Pope, SII Dry Kilns: “Drying White Woods–Keys to Success “; Matt Colburn, Messersmith Manufacturing, Inc.: Boiler and Feed Water System Maintenance. Forestry Extension personnel planned and facilitated the meeting. The spring meeting was held on May 4^th and 5^th, 2022. This meeting provided information and technical assistance to hardwood industry people trying improve their drying facilities yields and production. A total of folks attending the meeting was 45. Attendees were from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. 

5. Impacts: The meeting attendees increased their knowledge of drying hardwood lumber by 10.4% and $7,207,200 dollars were saved or earned throughout the region as a result of the meeting.