The USHBA Member of Month for July is Janet Owen. Janet has been volunteering at the USHBA helping to coordinate the tech side for our virtual events: the USHBF Hemp Build 2021, USHBA Members Only Event 2022, and the USHBF Hemp Build 2022. She has also performed a majority of the work improving and managing the website this year. We have been so lucky that she has taken the interest in our community and donated her time to our mission to help move hemp building forward.

Janet stands out in my memory from a virtual halloween part that region 9 hosted back in October of 2020. This was soon after I first got on the USHBA board and it was around the time that I became President of the USHBA. Jennifer Martin and Carolyn Reeves had worked out all these games, activities, and dance breaks. Tom Rossmassler was the Ghost of Insulation Past, I was Mario, and Janet wore a creepy mask.  After the “official” fun was had, a group of us were hanging out in the open zoom chat talking. I distinctly remember Dion Markgraaff being in the room showing off the different hemp items he had. Most of the people left were current or former BOD members or regional leaders, and though Janet had yet to work with the organization, she seemed to fit right in. I am so glad she was there for that moment and so glad she has stuck around.

Janet has become the go to person when we need to make improvements on anything tech related in the USHBA. She has also become a great person to reach out to talk about life and to help me get some perspective. She is a valued member of the community we are building. Please join me in thanking her for her work.

Thank you so much for being there for the USHBA and for me.

Jacob Waddell

USHBA Executive Director