News & Updates
Message from the President
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| Ivan Oelrich |
Ivan Oelrich, Incoming President Message
I want to celebrate the stability and strength of this great organization. Whether you realize it or not, this association is certainly one of the finest in the country and I look forward to building on our reputation.
This event marks the 54th anniversary of the Builders Association of North Central Florida. .How humbling it is to have the honor to serve such an organization
But I truly believe in order to continue to grow and move forward, we need to understand where we’ve been over the last 54 years.
In 1955, this association was founded by six builders Harold Walker, Clark Butler, George Gaston, Fred Mason, Walter Stubbs, and A.W. Fletcher who met in a small office in downtown Gainesville.
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In 1957, this association worked with the County to establish the building department and on October 1st 1957 A.W. Fletcher, one of our founding members, pulled the very first building permit in Alachua County.
In 1959, this association sponsored it first Parade of Homes in Skyline Heights
In 1974, this association added and officer position and Bud Hellriegel was our first Associate Vice President
And in 1993, this association changed its name from the Gainesville Home Builders Association to accommodate the growing commercial building industry
Several years ago, when I first went into the conference room at the association and saw all the photographs of our past presidents and associate vice presidents, I was taken back, I was in awe.
The people whose pictures hang on that wall are not only the people who built our association, but are the people that built our community.
Not only are they the ones who built the physical structures that define our area, but they are the ones that have donated their time and resources to build a better community.
That vision and commitment is still very alive in today’s association.
My vision going forward is very simple. To expand on the historical strength and greatness of this organization, to continue to build on the history this organization has established, and find new ways to extend our influence in this community.
All of us here today enjoy the benefits and rewards of the hard work of the leadership that came before us, but as we just showed, today’s association is as strong as ever.
Just last month, we came together and brought in 111 new members.
We have an outstanding staff led by Gina Hill with 33 years of service to our organization and Margie Krpan with 23 years of service.
And one of our very own, Barry Rutenberg, was just elected to be president of the National Builders Association in 2012.
From social opportunities to government affairs, from education and training to our continued commitment to partnering with charitable causes in our community, this organization continues to provide outstanding opportunities to our members.
When we focus and come together as a team, we have the strength and capacity to pursue and accomplish any goal we set. As with any great organization, our strength is derived from our members. I am always amazed by the amount of talented individuals that make up this association.
In this association we not only have builders, developers, subcontractors and suppliers but architects and engineers, real estate, bankers, and marketing professionals. I know I’ve missed some, but that’s the point.
This association has grown from not only serving the interest of the construction community but also serving our community as a whole. We continue to pursue the interests that are beneficial to our local economy yet also in the best interest of maintaining the greatness of the community we live in.
We’ve come a long way from 1955 and our six founding members meeting in a small office downtown.
Join me this next year and for several years to come, in being a part of the storied success of the Builders Association of North Central Florida. So after another 54 year an incoming president is as fortunate as I am will be able to talk about the history and strength of this organization.
Thank you again for this opportunity. I cannot express how truly humbled I am to have the privilege to serve as the president of such an outstanding association.
Invitation to the Membership Meeting
Seating is limited, please contact the BANCF office at (352) 372-5649 to make your reservations today!
Barry Rutenberg Elected NAHB Third Vice Chairman
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| Barry Rutenberg |
Address to the NAHB Board of Directors in Las Vegas, just prior to winning the election
Good morning fellow directors and friends. Just two days ago, history was made when Barack Obama was sworn in as President. His election was preceded by a campaign, built on the battle cry for change. You and I, we already know a great deal about change… Our businesses have changed…and those changes have been, very, very painful for those of us who have poured our blood, sweat, and tears into this home building industry. As we look toward a better future for our industry – strange as it may seem – hope resides in change.
That’s why it’s more important than ever, that we turn to experience and leadership, to guide our industry back toward better times. I know how to do that.
I’m Barry Rutenberg, and I want to be your 2009 Third Vice Chairman. For the last year, I have told you that these are serious times, and yes, I am a serious candidate! My address to this Board at our Fall Meeting contained part of my plan.
This campaign has been such a privilege. It has given me the opportunity to meet with so many of you across the country, and as Tennyson said “I am a part of all that I met”. I have learned a lot, and for that, I thank you. I want to assure you that I understand the breadth of the responsibility of the office, and i’m ready to take it on.
I stand before you today and vow to be relentless, relentless, in making sure that housing leads the way back to that economic recovery. I will work on your behalf to ensure the new administration in Washington understands that housing provides jobs…housing stimulates the economy. I know how to do that.
Housing is the very foundation of the American Dream, and we have to bring that dream back to life. Rest assured, I will work tirelessly to support affordable housing choices for all Americans…to oppose legislation and regulatory changes that unnecessarily drive up the cost of housing.I know how to do it.
Our industry faces many changes in sustainable housing. The political pressures on our industry to transform itself are growing. Ultimately these are issues that will affect even the smallest businesses. For the last 15 years, I have championed your interests in lumber and other building materials before Congress and two administrations. As my past has proven, I will support only those changes that support your interests and the long-term health of our great industry. i know how to do it.
There will be substantial challenges…but they are not insurmountable. As builders, remodelers, and developers…We know how to start from raw dirt…follow a plan…and create something of importance. We know that the foundation of the American Dream lies in housing – And we know how to build it!
The National Association of Home Builders is our association…it exists for you and me. We learn from one another…we support one another…we work on behalf of one another. Together we are the collective voice of housing in this great nation.
It is imperative that we strengthen our place at the table as our nation deals with the challenges at hand. I will work to protect and strengthen your voice. We have a proud history here. I’m proud to be a part of it. I know where we’ve been, I know the troubles we’re in now, and I know where we need to go. I’ll need your help and I’ll need your vote. I pledge, to you, that I will work to lift our industry up and I won’t let you down. Thank you.
----Barry Rutenberg, 1/22/09, Las Vegas, Nevada
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News from State & National
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| Paul Thompson |
Remarks by FHBA CEO/Executive Vice President Paul M. Thompson, CAE, at a BANCF Membership Meeting
“Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable”
Even though I live in Tallahassee and am a Seminole fan, I congratulate you and the Gator Nation for your BSC football championship. There are some fair-weather FSU fans in Tallahassee who wrote to the newspaper this week to say that the bad news for us is that Tim Tebow is coming back… and so is Bobby Bowden. But I’m optimistic… we like to think we have a “national championship-in waiting.” Let’s see how long we have to wait.
I know you’re proud of your football team and you should be. And you should be just as proud of your local Association, which certainly ranks as one of the best among the 28 local BAs here in Florida… a tribute to your past and current leaders, and your excellent staff led, of course, by Gina (Hill) and Margie (Krpan). One of your members, Andrew Rocco, is the Area II Associate Vice President for FHBA and doing a great job.
Margie called me quite some time ago with an invitation to be with you here today. The challenge she issued was that my message be upbeat and motivational at a time when our industry is suffering. I wish I could paint you a pretty picture today on the economic and housing outlook or assure you that 2009 will be better than 2008… but you know I can’t… which is why I titled my message “Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable.”
What have we learned through the downturn in the industry? Homeownership is not for everyone (70 percent may be as high as we want). When we pushed the envelope of home ownership to include those who truly weren’t qualified, the sub-prime debacle followed. Our problem today is foreclosures, appraisals based on foreclosures, and devaluation in real estate. It’s a vicious cycle that probably has not yet reached bottom.
The myth perpetuated by state and local governments that growth does not pay for itself has been explored. We have no growth... so why aren't the coffers overflowing? In reality, the state has a $2.3 billion budget shortfall and local governments and schools are facing drastic cuts in services. We learned that maybe our sales people were order-takers… and now they have to re-learn how to really sell. We learned that people's attitudes change when the economy sours. The Hometown Democracy proposed constitutional amendment that once looked so attractive to people as a means to stop growth in Florida is now not nearly as popular.
We see that people reacted to the downturn in different ways: tragically, some took their own lives; Some became angry and bitter; Some checked out, looked for other careers; Some rolled up their sleeves, got creative, and changed their business model (no longer business as usual) In your business, you have to present Value Proposition and today, you’re being forced to re-think how you’ve done business.
The value of a company is typically based on three things:
1) Operational excellence: you built a good house and the product stood on its own when there was demand for it… just like Wal-Mart: efficient, convenient, inexpensive. The builder that builds a good house never had a problem selling that house until now.
2) Customer intimacy: think Ritz-Carlton: exclusive, expensive. For you, that might mean moving from custom home building into remodeling.
3) Product leadership: set yourself apart by being new, innovative, and not necessarily cheap. Think of the products we are willing to pay more for because of their brand: Apple, Google, Nike, and Starbucks. Our industry’s equivalent might be .. Green building.
This afternoon. I want to do two things. One, assure you that your association is working hard to help you survive these challenging times. And two, share with some strategies to stay “up” in a down market through five principles that I think we can all apply to rise above our circumstances, weather this storm, and live to fight another day.
I know you’re aware of what a valuable resource BANCF is to you right now… through its governmental affairs work, its educational and promotional efforts, and perhaps most important, the networking opportunities it presents. You may be somewhat less familiar with what NAHB and FHBA are doing on your behalf.
NAHB is part of a coalition called “Fix Housing First” in which we are trying to get the federal government to create a first-time new-home buyer tax credit and buy down interest rates to 2.99 percent in the first half of the year. We’re in the game and we’ll try to get it done.
At FHBA, we are working to ease the pressure banks are putting on builders, freeze impact fees, extend all types of development and building permits, prevent sprinklers from becoming mandatory in new homes, and hold down workers comp rates.
Let me turn now to five principles that each of us can apply to give ourselves the best opportunity for success:
One, stay positive.
Two, be proactive.
Three, rekindle your potential.
Four, tap into the power of networking.
Five, maintain the proper perspective.
First, stay positive. How do we achieve this when we are bombarded daily with negative news and quite often negative people? Recognize and appreciate that you have unique abilities. You have a circle of competence and it doesn’t matter how small that circle is as long as you operate within in. Be thankful for the ability you have. Recognize and appreciate the intrinsic value of what you do. What you do has meaning… it impacts the lives of people and this community. It’s a feeling of pride that should not be diminished by the condition of your balance sheet. And, realize that your attitude influences everyone around you… be they employees, trade partners, co-workers, even family. You set the tone and you have the ability to uplift (or deflate) the people you work with. Every day matters; every touch matters; your positive attitude can make a difference.
Next, be proactive. There are a lot of areas where we need to be proactive in this environment but three that come to mind are marketing, technology, and customer service. A recent McGraw Hill study on marketing showed that companies that advertise during a recession grow by 275 percent after the recession compared to 19 percent growth for those companies that cut their marketing. Technology is an important area to be proactive, including the role that a tool like blogging plays in real estate sales. Above all, customer service is the key… the goal is to create Raving Fans who will recommend you to others.
Rekindle your potential. You can never stop growing… the difference between being in a rut and being in a grave is only about three feet. You have one body and one mind for one lifetime… better nurture it and care for it. There can be no substitute for hard work. In his book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell explains the success of Bill Gates and the Beatles with the 10,000 hour rule. So the next time you read about someone who has become an overnight sensation, there’s a good chance they’ve worked a lifetime to achieve that success. Perseverance is important. Paul Harvey as was the key to his success. He replied: “Every time I got knocked down, I got up.” We all must pursue perfection. I feel sure that Andrew Miller – the son of your member David Miller – practices to pitch a perfect game in major league baseball…. he may not achieve it… but that’s his goal.
Tap into the power of networking. When you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he didn’t get their by himself. And neither do we succeed without the help of others. None of us knows as much as all of us. There truly is strength in numbers. Iron sharpens iron. We learn from each other. We are comrades not competitors. When we work together, we strengthen our industry.
Maintain the proper perspective. There will always be others less fortunate. “I felt sad for the man who had no shoes… until I saw the man who had no feet.” Be thankful for your health. I’m sure no one here has the goal to be the richest person in the cemetery. Keep your family first. Have the faith that this too shall pass. Look back. We made it through.
In conclusion, it’s been said if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. This is my third stint as EO of FHBA. I suggested that the third time is a charm. One member of our staff spoke up and said, “Or, three strikes and you’re out.” My plan is to lead FHBA through these troubled times. What is your plan? Will these circumstances defeat you… or will you rise above them.
Let me leave you with this thought: one person can make a difference. Two people saved professional basketball in 1979: Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. One of your recently deceased members, Clark Butler, changed the way title insurance was priced by his sheer power of his will. Has Gator football been the same since one man, Urban Meyer, put his stamp on the football program or Billy Donavan on the basketball program? One person can make a difference. I challenge each of you to be that person in your family, in your community, in our great industry and in our association.
Thank you and God Bless You.
--- Paul Thompson, 1/15/09
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