First and foremost, let me take a moment to say how honored I am to be serving as President of the Asheville Home Builders Association for 2013. Since its charter in 1966, the AHBA has been a strong voice for its Members. Although we have all endured some of the most difficult years our industry has ever known, the AHBA is poised to offer our Members even more opportunities to build relationships and grow their businesses. We can all be proud that our AHBA continues to be the 5th largest HBA in North Carolina, and the 63rd largest HBA in the Nation!
As we begin to see the potential that 2013 will bring for our businesses, all signs seem to point to the fact that the economy is indeed improving. And, it appears that the housing industry will once again be a major factor in underpinning the overall economy. If the predictions from industry professionals prove to be correct, we are all looking toward better times ahead.
We have a number of exciting events coming up in the next few weeks! We had the first ACE (Advanced Contractor Education) class on January 23rd. I want to personally thank Chuck Cloninger of Ward and Smith, PA for presenting an informative class regarding the new North Carolina Lien Law, and its effects on our industry. The ACE Education classes are available free to AHBA members. Participants will receive 1 ACE credit for each 1-hour class they attend. Once 6 or more credits are earned during a calendar year, a participant will receive the ACE designation. I encourage you to take advantage of this FREE education from industry experts.
Believe it or not, it is already time to start thinking about the 2013 Parade of Homes. New this year, the AHBA will offer information sessions to make sure that you have the most complete and accurate information about the Parade. The information sessions for Builders are broken into Beginner and Advanced sessions so as to be better suited to the individual participant. The sessions for Builders will be offered at specific times during the week of February 11th and there will be an information session for Associate Members on February 18th so make sure to register for a session that best suits your needs. Builder Members who attend one information session and the Parade of Homes Kick Off Event will receive $200 off a home entry, and $100 off a special projects entry. Don’t miss the Parade of Homes Kick Off Event on February 21st at Wild Wings Café sponsored by Progress Energy!
On February 26th and 27th the AHBA will host the OSHA 10-hour Construction Industry Safety Course. The course is $10 for members and $20 for non-members. This is a great way to make sure you have the information needed to keep your business free of fines, and working safely.
These are exciting times for our Industry, and I am sure we all are anxious to discover the opportunities that 2013 will bring.
I look forward to joining you at upcoming events!
Blog written by Steve Wallin of Custom Homes of Asheville
