Matt and Charlyce Attend EOC Seminar in Providence

This week marks my first attempt to provide full-scale daily blogging to our members, from a location abroad. HBA Operations Manager Charlyce Ruth and I touched down tonight just before midnight local time in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence is the site of this year’s Executive Officers Council Seminar of the National Association of Home Builders. 

This annual event provides opportunities for Executive Officers and senior staff of HBAs from across the country to network, share ideas and successful programs and services for members. We also learn from a wide variety of expert seminar presenters on topics ranging from association legal issues to enhanced member services to political strategies (the list goes on and on). Annually the EOC Seminar provides valuable content that is put to work for the benefit of HBA members. This year’s seminar is focused largely on providing support for HBA members and their businesses in an increasingly challenging housing market. Charlyce and I will be actively seeking any and every membership edge your HBA can offer to help your business survive and even thrive. The EOC seminar is also the venue for the annual Association Excellence Awards where HBA programs, advocacy & services to members are evaluated and measured against those of peer associations from across the country. The HBA of Greater Springfield again is up for several awards this year, and I hope to have good news to report to you as winners are announced throughout the week.

Tomorrow will be a busy day at the EOC Seminar. Charlyce is enrolled in NAHB’s spokesperson training program. This is excellent and very useful training. I have taken the course, as have a number of our board members over the years, and it has helped us carry your association and industry message in the local media and in other public settings. I’ll be busy with my duties as a member of the national EOC board of directors, welcoming new executive officers and serving as a guide/mentor to a couple of first-time attendees the board has assigned to me. Of course, I’ll also have the opportunity to learn in seminars. And the first series of Association Excellence Awards will be announced. 

It was nice to get some work done in the office today before catching our 5pm flight, but we are paying for it now - checking into the hotel as the clock strikes midnight.  If you need to reach Charlyce or me this week, we will be checking e-mail frequently. Meanwhile, Public Affairs Director Jennifer McClure is riding herd back at the HBA headquarters, along with Kay Wylie and Linda Thieman. They will happily help you with any needs you have this week.

Don’t forget Tuesday is Election Day (I voted absentee last week). Several HBA members and friends will be on the ballot and they need your support. Of special note is HBA builder and board member Terry Ozborn who is in a tight race for Greene County Public Administrator. If you live in Greene County, please pull a republican ballot to vote for him (and tell every friend you can find to do the same). More tomorrow.

- Matt