Sunday, January 31, 2010

Strong Home Show Attendance Indicates A Brighter Year Ahead

Even with the season's largest snowfall occurring on its first day, the 2010 Home Show drew in more than 12,000 attendees over the weekend. "As important as that strong attendance is, anecdotal information I picked up from many of our vendors during the show is equally significant," said HBA CEO Matt Morrow. "Not only did we have a great turn-out, those who came to the Home Show had projects in mind, sometimes actual plans in hand, and were prepared to move forward in the near future."

Darrellene Sosebee of Southern Materials Company, who worked the show all three days, was equally impressed by the volume of prospective clients. "I definitely felt an up-turn in the level of real interest people have in building and remodeling. If these show attendees are any indication, I think our industry will see a better year. It was so busy I didn't even want to step away from my booth."



Many thanks to all the participating vendors who worked so hard to create such outstanding, quality displays. Thanks also to all the members who volunteered to work selling/taking tickets, presenting seminars/demonstrations, helping with set up, etc. This event could not happen without you!

Membership Matters - Applications, New Members & Renewals

New Applications
Associate:
Ferrellgas - Propane Supplier
Thomas Bloess
1219 N. Eaglecrest, Nixa MO 65714
417.310.6110
Sponsor: Lee Beaman

Specialty Stairs & Rail - Stairs & Railing
Stacy Bloodgood, Jr.
PO Box 1859, Lebanon MO 65536
417.533.1104
Sponsor: Sam Bradley

The Board will vote on membership when all information is received, if no contest is filed.

New Members
Associate:
New Seasons Landscaping & Irrigation - Landscaping and Irrigation
Michael Perry
PO Box 14436, Springfield MO 65814
417.827.5385

Water Technology of the Ozarks - Water Treatment
Bert Brower, Jr.
PO Box 1080, Nixa MO 65714
417.725.4141

Renewals:
A&M Crete, Inc.
Alandsons Supply Co
Black Bass Construction, Inc.
Bug Zero, Inc.
The Carpet Shoppe, Inc.
ColorGraphic Printing Inc
Country Home Improvement
Designworks Homes
Fahrlander Custom Homes
Hawthorn Bank
iLevel Weyerhaeuser
Janss Lumber Co., LLC
Liberty Mortgage
The Light House Gallery
Mid Missouri Bank
MO Propane Education & Research Council
Naught-Naught Agency
Pioneer Construction of Missouri, Inc.
Reed's Plumbing Heating & Excavation
Renner Supply Company
Rock Solid Construction
Seminole Décor Center, Inc.
H B Wall And Sons
Wickman's Garden Village
Window World of Springfield, Inc.

Cancellations:
Springfield Brick Co.
Ozark Mountain Land Surveying, Inc.
Colt Industries, Inc.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

SCS Home Entertainment Acquires Stereo One Springfield Operations

Despite Recession, Both Companies Now Poised for Home Market Success in 2010

Springfield, MO -- Local Home Entertainment and Custom Electronics Integration firms SCS Home Entertainment and Stereo One, Springfield, have reached an agreement whereby Springfield-based SCS will acquire significant operating assets from Stereo One Springfield.  The transaction will significantly improve SCS’s market position, while allowing Stereo One time to focus its attention on its home market in Cape Girardeau, MO.  Under the agreement, SCS will assume sales, service and warranty administration responsibilities for Stereo One’s Springfield area customers.  The business transition is scheduled to take place at the end of January.

“Both of our companies want to be poised to actively pursue emerging growth opportunities in our markets by applying the best resources possible to the solutions we offer,” said Stereo One owner and president John Selby.  “It was a wonderful experience servicing the Springfield market for nearly 10 years, and it’s now time to use 100% of our talent and experience to serve our home market.  And, to let Larry and his SCS team stand in the spotlight here in Springfield.”

Larry Batson, owner and president of SCS, has similar views and believes this move will benefit both parties and the Springfield community. “Consolidating employees, customers and strategies of the market’s two leading integrators of home automation and entertainment systems brings new vitality to SCS’s Value Proposition, and even more product options for our customers,” Batson pointed out.

“This move has excited our employees,” Batson goes on to say, “as they can see the opportunities presented by growing the customer base and employee base, not to mention new knowledge to be gained by learning how another successful provider has created business success.”

Batson believes having both businesses under one management team will not only strengthen the business and the employees’ expertise, but offer Springfield area residents service and products they will not find anywhere else.

SCS’s immediate plan is to continue serving Stereo One customers from Stereo One’s Springfield showroom and warehouse location in Brentwood Center South on South Glenstone, while also serving all customers as usual out of its headquarters facility on South Charleston.  “Our intention is to adopt Stereo One’s customers as our own, to the point of offering warranty and non-warranty service to the best of our abilities,” said Batson.  “Whether they are looking for sales, project engineering, installation, or diagnosis and repair service, customers will see some familiar faces from Stereo One’s staff, as well as meet new SCS staff members,” adds Batson.  

Stereo One’s Selby says he can confidently assure Stereo One customers that he is putting them in the care of the most customer-oriented, technically proficient provider currently operating in Springfield.  “We know our customers hold unusually high expectations for how they and their systems are taken care of, and we know how loyal SCS customers are to SCS, so I am convinced that SCS is the right successor to Stereo One’s solid track record of customer care,” Selby said.

SCS Home Entertainment was started in Springfield in 1990 by owners Larry and Melynda Batson.  Currently it employs nine staff members at its location at 4235 South Charleston.  Their web site is www.scshomeentertainment.com . Stereo One, started by John Selby in 1980 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, employs 48 personnel company-wide, 14 of which are based in the Springfield store.  Stereo One Springfield opened for business in 2001, and opened its new south Glenstone showroom in 2005.  Both companies sell, install and maintain audio/video components, music systems, entertainment furniture, security and surveillance, home theater seating, custom-designed home entertainment systems, lighting & shading control, environmental control, as well as fully-integrated home automation systems.

###

Monday, January 18, 2010

HBA Charitable Foundation Elects Adkins, Ikerd and Murray as Officers

The Home Builders Association Charitable Foundation (HBACF) board of directors this week elected its officers for 2010 and began making plans for execution of its recently adopted strategic plan goals in the coming year.

Greg Adkins, a realtor with Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realtors, was elected to serve a second term as president of the HBACF board. Adkins presided over the board in 2009 and worked to establish the HBACF's first ever three to five year strategic plan.

Debbie Ikerd, a realtor with Murney Associates, will serve a second consecutive term as Vice-President of the board, while Debi Murray, a realtor with Murney Associates, will serve a first term at the board's Secretary-Treasurer.

The board's nominating committee is also finalizing a proposal to amend the HBACF bylaws to better clarify when and how board members and officers will be nominated and elected in the future. On February 27, the HBACF board will hold an intensive board of directors orientation and planning sessions to lay out specific work plans for 2010 to guide the efforts of all HBACF boards and committees in carrying out the goals and objectives of the strategic plan that was adopted in 2009.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

There's Still Time to Sign Up for January Membership Luncheon!

The HBA's January Membership Luncheon Meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 19 at 11:30 a.m. at the Ramada Oasis Hotel building, rather than in its Convention Center. (There will be some directional assistance to help you arrive in the right place that day if you haven't been there before.) The program will focus on the “Protect Our Homes From Double Taxation” amendment initiative which seeks to defend homes and property from double taxation by preventing any entity from imposing any new tax, including sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or other real estate. The cost of the luncheon is $15 per person. Call the office at 881.3711 to reserve your space.

NAHB International Builders Show Opens January 19 in Las Vegas


The National Association of Home Builders annual International Builders Show International Builders' Show® (IBS) officially opens January 19, but pre-show education begins as early as this week (Friday, January 15). IBS is the largest annual building industry tradeshow in the country.  It's THE place to see and discuss the hottest products on the market and network with your friends and allies.  On top of that, IBS offers more than 175 education sessions taught by industry experts. 

To plan your visit to the International Builders' Show, or just to see what all the fuss is about, visit buildersshow.com. Whether or not you plan to be there for all or part of IBS this year, you can keep up with much of what is going on there by following HBA President Rusty MacLachlan or HBA CEO Matt Morrow on twitter. Both will be in attendance and they will be tweeting the best of what they see, complete with occasional pictures and video.

IBS Schedule at a Glance





Friday, January 15 - Monday, January 18, 2010
8:00am - 5:00pm
Pre-Show Education
Caesars Palace

Tuesday, January 19, 2010
8:00am - 5:00pm
Educational Seminars

Las Vegas Convention Center
8:00am - 5:00pm
Pre-Show Education

Caesars Palace
9:00am
Grand Opening Ceremonies

Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall S3
9:30am - 5:00pm
Exhibits Open

Las Vegas Convention Center, North & Central Halls
3:00pm - 5:30pm
2009 Joint Executive Board, Budget & Resolutions Committee

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
8:00am - 5:00pm
Educational Seminars

Las Vegas Convention Center
9:00am - 4:00pm
Pre-Show Education

Caesars Palace
9:30am - 5:00pm
Exhibits Open

Las Vegas Convention Center, North & Central Halls
10:00am - 11:30am
Daily Keynote Speaker: James Canton

LVCC - South 222/223
7:00pm
Spike Party & Directors' Reception

Thursday, January 21, 2010
8:00am - 2:00pm
NAHB Board of Directors Meeting

Las Vegas Convention Center, Hall S3
8:00am - 5:00pm
Educational Seminars

Las Vegas Convention Center
9:00am - 12:30pm
Pre-Show Education

Caesars Palace
9:30am - 5:00pm
Exhibits Open

Las Vegas Convention Center, North & Central Halls
10:00am - 11:30am
Daily Keynote Speaker: Tim Sullivan (Moderator)
with Arthur Falcone, Laurence Pelosi and Steve Hilton

LVCC - South 222/223

Friday, January 22, 2010
8:00am - 12:00pm
Educational Seminars

Las Vegas Convention Center
9:30am - 2:00pm
Exhibits Open

Las Vegas Convention Center, North & Central Halls
10:00am - 11:30am
Daily Keynote Speaker: Dan Heath

LVCC - South 222/223

All dates and times are subject to change.
*updated 9/16/09

Remodelors Council Update and other Committee News

At its January meeting, the Remodelors Council discussed seminars in the upcoming Home Show and the EPA approved Lead Safety Certification Training Classes to be offered in February and March by the HBA. Download the Safety Training Course registration form by clicking here.

The Remodelors Council will be hosting three seminars at the Home Show, one per day. The Council also discussed how, in today’s challenging economy, many HBA builder members are performing more remodeling work. Seeing this as a growth opportunity for the Remodelors Council, the Council is making the following policy recommendation for consideration by the Board of Directors: Any HBA Builder member may join the HBA Remodelors Council (even if they have not been remodeling for two years) if they take an educational course offered by the Remodelors Council.

In other HBA news, the Associate Council met to discuss new member applications, name change requests and the general market. Two applications for membership and one name change request were approved to be sent to the Board of Directors for acceptance.


Sunday, January 3, 2010

Learn More About Initiative to "Stop Double Taxation: Protect Our Homes" at January Meeting

The HBA's January Membership Luncheon Meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 19 at 11:30 a.m. at the Ramada Oasis Convention Center. The program will focus on the “Protect Our Homes From Double Taxation” amendment initiative which seeks to defend homes and property from double taxation by preventing any entity from imposing any new tax, including sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or other real estate. Download more information by clicking here.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Mark Your Calendar for HBA Events in 2011


Time to start filling in your 2011 calendar with these HBA/NAHB events:

January 12 - 15
International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida

January 28 - 30
HBA Home Show

March 15 - 17
Certified Green Professional Class

April 6
HBA of Missouri Legislative Day - Jefferson City

May 25
HBA Housing & Residential Construction Conference

June 17 - 19 & 24 - 26
HBA Parade of Homes

October 14 - 16
HBA Home Remodeling EXPO