West Yellowstone, MT

events@rockymountainafa.com
Registration
Agenda

AFA Summit At YellowstoneAgenda

We have assembled an impressive day-and-a-half of educational programming, including sessions on Leadership, Excellence, Team Culture, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Marketing!

Our sessions will be led by some of the industry's top experts, including:

  • Tony Thornton - Thornton Fence Consulting Group
  • Sam Natello - DotCom Global Media
  • Justin Judy - DotCom Global Media
  • Robert Whittaker - Purple Coaching & Consulting
  • Michael Reed - American Fence Association

EDUCATIONALPROGRAM SPONSORS

Fence Cloud
MySalesman
Fencing Supply Group

WednesdayDINNER SPONSORS

ZND
Ameristar
Wheatland Tube

AFA Summit At YellowstoneDaily Agenda

All Day
Arrivals
8:30 am—7:00 pm
Registration and Badge Pickup - Holiday Inn
9:00 am—10:10 am
The Quest to be Your Best - Holiday Inn

Tony Thornton Tony Thornton, Thornton Fence Consulting Group

This presentation outlines how to stay motivated, set goals, and impact others through your interactions, making impactful decisions to live an awesome life that has a positive influence on others.

Tony Thornton is a fence industry professional with more than 48 years of experience as a contractor, supplier, and manufacturer. His experience as an expert in the fence industry comes from owning and running companies, most recently, serving as executive director of the American Fence Association. Retiring in 2022 from AFA, he launched Thornton Fence Consulting Group, focusing on supporting fence contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers in developing better workflow methods and procedures to maximize profitability. His recent accomplishments include authoring "The 7 Strategies for the Professional Fence Contractor," launched in 2022, and the recently published "The 8 Strategies for the Professional Contractor." Tony currently serves as the association director for the Canadian Fence Association, helping their membership grow, and providing new educational content and industry certifications.
10:10 am—10:25 am
Break
10:25 am—12:00 pm
Seven Strategies for the Professional Fence Contractor

Tony Thornton Tony Thornton, Thornton Fence Consulting Group

This presentation is based on Tony's successful book, written to help fence industry professionals better understand the strategies of the top 10 percent of the most successfully run companies in the fence industry. Understand these strategies and position your company for growth and success!
12:00 pm—12:45 pm
Boxed Lunch
12:45 pm—4:30 pm
High Performance Leadership

Michael Reed Robert Whittaker
Michael Reed, American Fence Association
Robert Whittaker, Purple Coaching & Consulting

Leadership is not your title-it's a set of behaviors that anyone can learn. This class will help you create environments where people thrive. We'll start with the idea that leadership begins with a close, hard look at yourself and is practiced through consistent actions that inspire trust. Through a fun and interactive discussion, you will learn how to:
  • Develop self-awareness to identify strengths, blind spots, and the personal values that will prepare you to lead.
  • Understand how consistently applying key leadership behaviors will build trust within your team.
  • Apply practical tools to create momentum and a strong culture.
Michael Reed has been involved with the American Fence Association for nine years, the last three as its executive director. Michael loves AFA's history and culture and believes in the power of associations to solve problems big and small. He's focused on building an AFA that develops leaders, increases professionalism, and plays a leadership role in our industry's growth and success. His passion is leadership, and he's currently completing his doctoral dissertation on trust and leadership development.

Robert Whittaker is the founder and visionary of Purple Coaching & Consulting. He is obsessed with helping others grow their businesses, take control of their time, and get them what they want out of life. His certifications, training, accomplishments, and constant eagerness to learn more have led him to a successful career in helping others. From working in your business, to on your business, you now have someone as dedicated as you are. His goal is always to be the other "you" in your business. Nominated three times and winner of Fort Worth Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of Excellence Award, he has shown consistency and determination to excel.
6:00 pm
Hosted Dinner - Holiday Inn, 315 Yellowstone Ave
8:00 am—12:00 pm
Registration and Badge Pickup - Holiday Inn
9:00 am—11:30 am
AI in Sales & Marketing

Sam Natello Justin Judy
Sam Natello & Justin Judy, DotCom Global Marketing

Explore how AI is reshaping the way we sell and market, from smarter workflows to faster content and better customer insights. Whether you're streamlining sales or supercharging your marketing, this actionable session will unpack practical ways to harness AI without the hype.

Sam is the owner of DotCom - the leading digital marketing agency serving the fence industry. Trusted by many of the leading personalities and companies in the industry, Sam brings an unparalleled level of knowledge and experience about what it takes to be successful online.

Justin Judy is the Director of Sales and Marketing at DotCom Global Media, a leading digital agency serving the fence industry. With more than five years of experience educating business owners on tech, sales, and AI, Justin brings a sharp, no-fluff perspective to digital strategy. He's passionate about helping companies scale through smarter systems, bold branding, and better tools.
11:30 am—11:40 am
Break
11:40 am—12:40 pm
When to Camp, When to Climb

Robert Whittaker Robert Whittaker, Purple Coaching & Consulting

From zero to 8 figures, Robert's journey reveals the choices every business faces — when to camp and when to climb. Discover how to spot peaks and valleys, know when to grow before you go, and leave inspired with a Mountain Mindset to reach your summit.

12:40 pm
Lunch on Own
1:15 pm—2:45 pm
Exhibit Setup - Union Pacific
Exhibitors only, please.
3:00 pm—6:30 pm
Hosted Exhibit Reception - Union Pacific Dining Lodge
Networking at its best! Interact with up to 40 exhibiting companies and your fellow attendees in the grand setting of the historic Union Pacific Dining Lodge. Hosted cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served.
Dinner is on Your Own
9:00 am—1:00 pm
Proctored Certification Exams - Holiday Inn
Submit your certification application at https://bit.ly/RMtest0925
Register for testing at https://bit.ly/40nwwzO
10:00 am
Explore Yellowstone - Meet in Holiday Inn rear parking lot by 10:00 am.
We'll caravan through the park, entering at the West Gate.