BUILDER magazine, a leading magazine of the home building industry, has honored Drees Homes' 80-year tradition of quality with the 2008 America's Best Builder Award.
"Most builders excel in just one discipline, be it customer service, great design, construction expertise or financial acumen," said Denise Dersin, editor in chief of BUILDER magazine. "But builders who receive this award manage to do it all. That is an amazing achievement."
A panel of industry leaders selected the 's Best Builder honorees this past September during the National Association of Homebuilders Fall Board meeting in
Seattle, Washington . Drees Homes showed outstanding performance in five important areas of running a home building business: finance/operations; customer service/quality; community/industry service; design/construction; and marketing.
Drees Homes, based in
Fort Mitchell, Kentucky , and operating locally in the Triangle, is celebrating their 80th anniversary in 2008. A family-owned company, they have weathered many business cycles with conservative fiscal practices, geographic and product diversification, and experienced management team.
On Tuesday, January 29th, Board Members of the Ashe County Home Builders met atAsheCountyHigh Schoolto make a very special donation to the Vocational Department.Led by President Dub Lewis, they presented students and teachers with over $3,500 worth of new tools.
According to Kelley St. Germain, Executive Officer with the Home Builders, this is the second time in three years that the Association has made a tool donation to the High School.Combined, the value of all donated tools has been over $5,500.
"Actively supporting those teachers and students working in the construction trades is very important to us," said St. Germain."After all, these are the future leaders and workers in our industry.Anything we can do to support them, we want to do. Giving back to our community is a very high priority for our members and organization."
Due to budget constraints, the tool donations have served a real need at the High School.Steve Scott, 2007 North Carolina Vocational Teacher of the Year, remarked, "We really appreciate what the Home Builders Association has done for our Department and School.The tools they have donated have helped us give our students the real world training they need to enter the construction industry and find good paying jobs."
Besides supporting the Vocational Department with tool donations provided at cost by Parker Tie Company, the Ashe County Home Builders Association has also started a Vocational Student of the Month Program sponsored by West Jefferson Chevrolet.Student winners for 2007 included Amanda Ham, Robbie Wurth, Cody Jones, Kenneth Faircloth, and Daniel Farmer.
The Home Builders also offers special scholarships to thoseAsheCountyHigh Schoolseniors who are interested in pursuing either a 2 year or 4 year degree in any Construction Trade.More information about approaching deadlines and applying for these 2008-2009 scholarships can be found on the Home Builders website, www.ashehomebuilders.com.
NCHBA member St. Lawrence Homes has teamed up with the Carolina Hurricanes to celebrate the team's 10th anniversary season. Throughout the 2007-08 season, the Hurricanes have conducted the 'Canes 10th Anniversary Season Home & Prize Giveaway. By partnering with St. Lawrence Homes, the Hurricanes are able to give a one of a kind grand prize to the lucky winner of the giveaway - a new home!
On Wednesday, Jan. 30, Hurricane's President and General Manager Jim Rutherford, Head Coach Peter Laviolette, Hurricanes players Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, Cam Ward, Cory Stillman and other team representatives joined St. Lawrence Homes President Bob Ohmann in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly completed home.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was an opportunity for some of the contest finalists to take a tour of the home and meet and take pictures with Rutherford, Laviolette, Staal, Whitney, Ward, Stillman and Ohmann.
Built by Jim Scott of St. Lawrence Homes, the home is a 3,137-sqaure foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom house located in Wake Forest, NC. "The grand prize of a house is obviously a huge one," stated Hurricanes Director of Marketing Curt Johnson, adding "it's an incredible partnership with St. Lawrence Homes, who we've had a long history with."
Hurricanes players, coaches and staff were on hand to dig the first shovels into the ground during the groundbreaking ceremony in August, and since then, players Chad Larose, Tim Gleason and Andrew Ladd helped lay bricks.
In addition to the house, more than 140 individual prizes, including game tickets, autographed items, merchandise and items from Hurricanes sponsors are being awarded during the promotion, which began Oct. 3. The winner of the grand prize will be determined at a drawing during the Hurricanes' final regular-season game on April 4. For more information on the contest, please visit www.hurricanesgiveaway.com.
The North Carolina Home Builders Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. awards scholarships based on a combination of need and merit to four year college students entering their junior or senior year and technical school students entering their second year who have declared their major in a construction related field.
To be eligible a student must meet the following criteria:
1. Applicants must be nominated by a NCHBA member firm.
2. Nominees shall be immediate family members - related by blood, (ie. children, step-children or grandchildren).
3. Students related by marriage, (ie. son-in-law, daughter-in-law, etc.) shall not be eligible.
4. Immediate family members of any current trustee of the NCHB Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. shall not be eligible.
5. Awards are for one year, but scholarship winners may submit a renewal application and be considered for renewal if they make satisfactory progress in their studies.
6. Only full-time students will be considered. NCHBA defines a full-time student as one taking a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
The North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame Board of Governors is pleased to provide your association with the opportunity to nominate a candidate for the North Carolina Housing Hall of Fame (NCHHF).The primary purpose of the NCHHF is to honor men and women who have made significant and lasting contributions to housing in
North Carolina , the building industry, and to the North Carolina Home Builders Association.Nominees do not have to be active or a member of the North Carolina Home Builders Association.
Below you will find links to the by-laws of the NCHHF and a nomination form.If you know of an individual who has excelled in making a significant and lasting contribution to the building industry, please complete the enclosed nomination form and return it to the NCHBA office at the address below.All nominations must be postmarked by April 15, 2008.
The North Carolina Home Builders Association extends an invitation to you to participate in the annual "Builder's Classic" Golf Tournament, Friday, April 25, 2008 in Whispering Pines, North Carolina. The tournament begins at 8:30 a.m. All proceeds go to the North Carolina Home Builders Educational & Charitable Foundation, Inc. The program awards scholarships to student majoring in a construction related field.
Also make plans to attend the BBQ "Throw Down" Thursday, April 24 at 5:30 p.m. The dinner, sponsored by Builders Mutual and hosted by Pete Mace of Sandhills Team & Carolina Real Estate Brokers, will be held at
Pine Barrens .Last year's chef, Larry Airey, Executive Officer for Lake Norman HBA, will be challenged by NCHBA's Director of Codes and Construction, Robert Privott. Members will cast their votes for the best BBQ by placing dollars in contribution jars, which will be located in Robert and Larry's respective serving areas. All contributions will go to the North Carolina Home Builder Educational & Charitable Foundation.
Haywood County HBA will be offering a variety of North Carolina Builder Institute (NCBI) courses throughout spring 2008.This provides a great opportunity for members in the western part of the state to earn credit toward their NCBI designation without having to drive a long distance.Courses being offered:
March 18 - PM102 Take-off to Higher Profits (4 hours)
PM202 What Does it Really Cost? (4 hours)
Instructor - Greg Isenhour
April 8 - PM107 Building Codes (4 hours)
PM207 Construction Industry and the
ADA (4 hours)
Instructor - Robert Privott
May 7 - BM203 Borrowing Bucks for Builders (8 hours)
Instructor - Jim Bowman
Courses will be held at Fat Buddy's Restaurant in the
Waynesville
Plaza behind the Coldwell Banker RE office on Russ Avenue. For more information and to register, contact the Haywood County HBA office at (828) 454-0221.All courses must be paid for in advance.
The Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association is pleased to be offering a Residential Construction Superintendent Designation course on Tuesday, March 25 from 1-5 p.m. Instructor David Smith will present an Office and Subcontractor Relations course at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington Madeline Suite.
Cost is $200 for members, $250 for non-members. Please call (910) 799-2611 for more information or to make your reservation.
The Lake Norman HBA University now offers the NCBI Accreditation Program, as part of the their program of classes! No longer will you have to drive to Raleigh for your NCBI designation courses. Classes are being held at Mitchell Community College in Mooresville, NC, on a monthly basis. The cost for HBA members is $180 per 8 hours and $95 per 4 hours. Upon completion, builders receive this prestigious designation not only with NCBI, but also with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Do you love to recruit new members to your local association? Does someone in your local association stand out as a power recruiter? If so, nominate him or her to receive the SPIKE of the Month award!
Every month in North Carolina Builder magazine we feature one member who has excelled in recruiting new members to his or her local association. If you know someone who fits this profile, please send their name, phone number, email address and local association information to
for consideration for the SPIKE of the Month award.
December 12, 2007, the North Carolina Building Code Council rejected a proposal to require sprinklers in single-family homes. The Council instead called for a broad, comprehensive fire-safety education program. "On behalf of our more than 18,000 member firms, the North Carolina Home Builders Association (NCHBA) applauds the Council's action and supports the development of an effective public fire-safety education program," said NCHBA President Paul Mullican.
The Council's refusal to mandate residential sprinklers is consistent with a similar action taken earlier this year by the International Code Council (ICC) whose voting members, comprising building inspectors from around the country, rejected placing a requirement for residential sprinklers in the International Residential Code. Both the Council and the ICC found a significant number of unanswered substantive and technical questions regarding mandating residential sprinklers.
Click here to visit www.nchba.com for complete information why fire sprinklers should not be mandated in one and two family residences.
The North Carolina Home Builders Association is delighted to announce the dates for the 6th Annual 21st Century Building Expo & Conference (21CBEC).The three day educational conference and two day exposition will be held September 10-12 at theCharlotteConvention Centerin Charlotte, NC. All home building professionals inNorth Carolinaand surrounding states are encouraged to attend and "Soar Above the Rest." The 21CBEC is the largest networking event in the southeast for those in the home building industry.
Hundreds of new products and services will be unveiled at this year's event with over 400 exhibits on the Expo Floor. In 2007, the sold out Expo floor drew the highest attendance in the show's history, and hopes are high that 2008 will be another record breaking year. The 21CBEC is striving to make this year's Expo an even better resource by providing every opportunity for attendees to find up-to-date information pertinent to the home building industry.For more information visit our Web site at www.21buildingexpo.com.
Exhibitors may now select their booth space for 2008. For more information on exhibitor space, please contact Tracie Garrett at 800.662.7129 or email .
The STARS Awards Gala will be held in conjunction with the 21CBEC.Please note that this event has moved from Thursday evening to Wednesday, September 10, when we will celebrate the best in the building industry with "An Evening of Patriotic Proportions."For information about being a STARS Sponsor or submitting an entry, contact Kathryn Atkinson at 800.662.7129 or email
.
's Best Builder honorees this past September during the National Association of Homebuilders Fall Board meeting in
On Wednesday, Jan. 30, Hurricane's President and General Manager Jim Rutherford, Head Coach Peter Laviolette, Hurricanes players Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, Cam Ward, Cory Stillman and other team representatives joined St. Lawrence Homes President Bob Ohmann in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the newly completed home. 
Built by Jim Scott of St. Lawrence Homes, the home is a 3,137-sqaure foot, four-bedroom, three-bathroom house located in Wake Forest, NC. "The grand prize of a house is obviously a huge one," stated Hurricanes Director of Marketing Curt Johnson, adding "it's an incredible partnership with St. Lawrence Homes, who we've had a long history with." 
The North Carolina Home Builders Association is delighted to announce the dates for the 6th Annual 21st Century Building Expo & Conference (21CBEC).
The STARS Awards Gala will be held in conjunction with the 21CBEC.
