I write this just a couple weeks before Christmas and this time of year reminds me of many happy memories of home. As we have pointed out over the past couple of years, for the first time in NAPBIRT's history, we are able to have a conference in our home town of Normal. We are very excited to have you to our home. This is also my home, as I grew up about 20 miles from here. In addition, it is the home town of Carl and Travis Thacker. Bloomington-Normal is the home to some other unique and special people, places and things. ISU is the oldest public university in Illinois. The farmland around Bloomington-Normal ranks among the top three areas, in all the world, for corn and soybean production. Home of State Farm Insurance and McLean Stevenson, from the TV show M*A*S*H, was born in Normal.

Abe Lincoln spent quite a bit of time, in the county, as a circuit lawyer. The Shirk family began producing Beer Nuts in Bloomington in 1937 and is the only location in the world where Beer Nuts are produced.

The American Passion Play, now in its 89th season, is the oldest continuously performed Passion Play in the United States. Gus Belt founded Steak 'n Shake in Normal, in February 1934 and the manufacturing division of Mitsubishi Motors, in Normal, represents their only passenger car assembly plant in North America.

The Twin Groves Wind Farm covers 21,000 acres of land and will have a total of 240 towers upon completion. At that time the Twin Groves Wind Farm will become the second largest wind energy farm in the nation and, of course, the World headquarters of NAPBIRT.

We have been working hard to welcome all NAPBIRT members, as well as non-member repair techs, to our home. The Marriott Hotel, Uptown Normal and the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau have all been preparing for our conference and they are ready.

Start planning your pilgrimage by clicking on the navigation links at the top of the page. You will see some of the familiar offerings, as well as, some new additions to the conference. We look forward to, “Welcoming You Home”, April 13-16.

Still Learnin'
Bill