Fellow members,
I hope that everyone is beginning to thaw out from this extra cold winter. I for one am glad to know that warmer days are soon to be upon us. However, there are always some events that only happen in the winter that I look forward to every year. One is the International Builders Show/ Kitchen and Bath show, that took place last month in Las Vegas, Nevada. While at the show, I felt that the building industry as a whole is increasing for 2014. Compared to the past few years, attendance was definitely up with over 75,000 attendees and exhibitors. The second event that I attended which I also look forward to was the HBAI spring board on February 18, 2014 in Springfield. I’ve always been told by my fellow builders that the best way to protect my industry is through our advocacy at the state level. For that reason, it is very important to me that I attend the HBAI Lobby Day and as many of the state board meetings that I am able. As much as I focus on growing our association, I also want to know that it is being protected as well.
This month, we have quite a few meetings and events happening that I would like to encourage all of you to attend. First, on March 6th, our Sales & Marketing Council and the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago have partnered once again with Dick Greenwood to host the IBS Recap at Coldwell Banker in Oak Brook.
If you were unable to make it to IBS, you will not want to miss this event. On March 18, we are partnering with the Residential Construction Employers Council (RCEC) for a Lunch and Learn presentation on the topic the Affordable Care Act at Parksite in Bolingbrook. Last, you will not want to miss our March General Membership Meeting and Craft Beer and Wine Tasting at Meno Stone Company, Inc. in Lemont. HBAI Executive Vice President and SSHBA Lobbyist Tony Rossi will be there to inform us on what is happening in Springfield.
And yet with all that is going on, there are many more events coming up in the future such as the HBAI Lobby day on April 30th in Springfield, our Ocho De Mayo Networking Bash and Raffle on May 8th at Harrah’s Casino, and our annual SSHBA golf outing on June 25th at Silver Lakes Golf Course in Orland Park. I am happy to announce that Joe Kobel and Pat Connelly have teamed up as chairs of this committee again to to bring us a wonderful day of golf and fun.
I’m hoping that with everything that is going on this month and in the future that we’ll all have some time to build some houses and warm up!
