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Aug. 26, 2015 — In recent weeks, Deb Callahan, interim CEO of the National Fenestration Rating Council, has gathered support for steering the organization through its recent leadership transition. She has also received questions about the direction she is taking.
While Callahan is committed to building on past success, one of her top priorities is introducing NFRC’s new vision. NFRC’s former vision described the organization as "the recognized leader in energy performance rating and certification programs for fenestration products.” Its revised vision, however, says, “NFRC is the leader in energy performance information, education, and certified ratings for fenestration products.”
“It’s a subtle change but an important distinction,” Callahan said.
The revision comes as a response to the growing demand for context. The public and design professional alike consistently tell NFRC they feel empowered to make more informed choices once they realize that in addition to saving energy, fenestration products play an important role in improving occupant comfort, contributing to green building, and delivering many health and human performance benefits.
“We’re not straying from our mission. We’re enhancing it,” Callahan said. “Our new vision provides a framework that lends additional perspective to its importance.”
Another priority for Callahan is creating a more nimble and responsive organization. She plans to accomplish this in part through another of her priorities: implementing technology that allows people to access the information they need, when they want it, from wherever they are. She sees flexibility and offering more choices as the key to expanding the value of NFRC’s programs and driving further adoption of its fenestration energy performance rating programs.
“It’s not just business as usual,” she said. “We’re accelerating our growth, and that means moving faster and encouraging those around us to do the same.”
Honoring NFRC’s renewed commitment to serving the commercial market is yet another priority for Callahan. She continues investing in market research and staff development to ensure that the organization is providing solutions to real-world challenges. Callahan plans to develop a knowledgeable, well-positioned, and energized staff to thoroughly explore, uncover, and serve the needs in this emerging market.
Callahan also views strengthening NFRC’s brand as a priority for clarifying the organization’s identity. It finds that public and design professionals alike sometimes misunderstand the scope of its ratings programs. It also finds they mistakenly assume NFRC sells products, performs installation, or writes the building energy codes.
“Constantly improving the experience we provide for those we serve is the biggest part of who we are and how we operate,” Callahan concluded. “NFRC is a great organization whose best days are still ahead.”
