Thursday, November 4, 2010

HBA Slate of Officers and Directors

Your HBA of Greenville Annual Meeting is November 11. Among the business of the meeting is the election of officers and directors for 2011.

The Nominating Committee recommends for your consideration this slate of officers and directors:
  • President (2011): Wayne Moore, Harold Moore Builder
  • President Elect (2011): Hal Dillard, H. Dillard Co., Inc.
  • Vice President (2011): Robert Markel, GMR, Hadrian Construction Co., Inc.
  • Treasurer (2011-2013): Chuck Childress, BB&T
  • Secretary (2011-2013): Coleman Shouse, Lazarus-Shouse Communities
  • Associate Vice President (2011): Scott Presley, Greer State Bank
  • Immediate Past President (2011): Thomas Dillard, CGP, Dillard-Jones Builders
  • President's Appointee (2011): Richard Powers, Piedmont Natural Gas
  • Associate Director (2011-2013): Larry Hazenfield, ProBuild
  • Associate Director (2011-2012): Lou Hutchings, GBS Lumber
  • Builder Director (2011-2013): Hardy Peters, Reedy Construction, LLC
  • Builder Director (2011-2013): Chris Bailey, Stoneledge Properties
  • Builder Director (2011-2012): Alan Boone, Advanced Renovations, LLC
  • Builder Director (2011-2012): Mike Freeman, Freewood Builders
  • Builder Director (2011): Brad Thompson, CMB, 1st Choice Custom Homes

In addition, the following directors will continue to serve in 2011:
  • Associate Director (2011-2012): Michael Cox, Home Builders Insurance
  • Associate Director (2011-2012): Jim Blume, First Savers Bank
  • Associate Director (2011): Tom Ward, Home Team Pest Defense
  • Associate Director (2011): Eric Hedrick, Cornerstone Contractors
  • Builder Director (2011): Dan Rawls, Dan Rawls Co.
Click here to register for the Annual Membership Meeting and Associate Appreciation.

HBA Bylaws Amendment Proposed

Your HBA of Greenville Bylaws Committee has recommended three amendments to the association's Bylaws. The amendments are:

Amendment 1, add to the end of Article XIII (Voting, Proxies, and Quorums) of the Bylaws a new section:

The President may conduct meetings of the Board of Directors by electronic means. Electronic means includes telephone conference call, internet-based video conference, fax, or email. Actions taken in meetings held by electronic means shall have the same effect as a meeting with the Board of Directors physically assembled and meeting in a common location.

Meetings conducted by electronic means are limited to one topic, must meet the notice requirements of Article VII, Section 4 of these Bylaws, and may not take the place of regularly-scheduled meetings. The quorum requirements of the Bylaws also must be followed.

Business conducted according to this Section will be recorded in minutes of the meeting and presented to the Board of Directors by the Secretary for the approval of the Board of Directors. When taking a vote by electronic means, the President must poll all board members with voting privileges.

When meeting by conference call or internet-based video conference, the meeting will be conducted in the same manner as a meeting in which the members are physically assembled.

When email or fax is used to take a vote, the President must establish a deadline for responding to the request for vote and the deadline must be at least five (5) days following transmittal of the business to the voting members of the Board of Directors. The deadline to vote must be included in the request for a vote. Any votes received after the deadline will not be counted. Response to the request for vote must be either “yes”, “no” or “I desire a discussion”. If three members of the Board of Directors request discussion of the topic, the special meeting will be declared adjourned by the President and the matter must be added to the agenda of the next meeting of the Board of Directors. Members casting their vote when requested by email or fax may respond in the following manner: by email, fax, telephone, or in person at the association’s office. All votes will be collected by the Executive Vice President. After the deadline for the vote has passed, the Executive Vice President will report the results of the voting to the Secretary, who will approve the results and report them to the Board of Directors.

This section also applies to any standing committee, Council Board of Trustees, or committee or task force properly formed by the Board of Directors.

RATIONALE: State law requires that the bylaws allow for meeting and voting by electronic means in order for meetings and votes to be held electronically. This amendment will satisfy state law and allow the Board of Directors and committees to meet by conference call as well as allow for voting on non-controversial matters by electronic ballot.

Amendment 2, Add to the end of Article X (Board of Directors), Section 5, of the Bylaws:

If an Officer or Director has missed consecutive meetings of either the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee, the Officer or Director is ineligible to vote until he or she has attended one meeting without voting privileges of the governing body at which he or she has missed consecutive meetings.

RATIONALE: The bylaws are proposed to be strengthened the voting rights of a member of the Board of Directors who has missed two meetings in a row. The Bylaws Committee believes that consistency of attendance is important to good association governance and this amendment will encourage directors to consistently attend meetings of the Board of Directors.

Amendment 3, Amend Article X (Board of Directors), Sec. 7., of the Bylaws as follows:

(a) Regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held each month quarterly and may meet at other times when a meeting is called in compliance with Section 7.b. of this Article. The President may cancel meetings of the Board of Directors when there is a lack of business to conduct. However, the Board of Directors must meet at least ten (10) four (4) times in a year and may not fail to meet for two four consecutive months.

RATIONALE: This amendment will allow the Board of Directors to meet less frequently while still fully addressing the association’s business. The Board of Directors would like to meet quarterly for regular business and will meet at least two additional times during the year for strategic planning and orientation. This change is consistent with best practice for association boards of directors and is intended to be more efficient with the time of volunteers and staff.

The Bylaws amendments will be considered at the association's Annual Membership Meeting on November 11. To register for the Annual Meeting, click here.

Addison Homes Receives ENERGY STAR® Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Addison Homes, LLC, with the ENERGY STAR® Excellence in Efficient Homes Award for Five Year Sustained Commitment. The award recognizes Addison Homes' ongoing commitment to build ENERGY STAR®-qualified homes and to educate consumers and new home buyers about the benefits of building sustainable, energy efficient homes.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Vacancy for Builder on S.C. Housing Authority Board

The Home Builders Association of South Carolina has issued a call for applicants for a vacant position on the Board of Directors of the S.C. State Housing, Finance, and Development Authority. The position is for a professional with home builder and/or development experience. The term is for four years and the individual serving is not eligible to be awarded any funds for housing authority projects.

If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact Mark Nix at the HBA of South Carolina at 803-771-7408.

Homeownership Rate Falls to Lowest Level Since 1999

The nation's homeownership rate is at the lowest level in more than a decade, hampered by a rise in foreclosures and weak demand for housing.

The percentage of households that owned their homes was unchanged at 66.9 percent in the July-September quarter, the Census Bureau said Tuesday. That's the same as the April-June quarter.

The last time the rate was lower was in 1999, when the rate was 66.7 percent.

Click on this link to read the entire article at Yahoo! Business.

Monday, November 1, 2010

HBA of Greenville Builder Ballot

It is the election season. Have you noticed? The General Election is Tuesday, November 2. Polls open in South Carolina at 7 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m.

Please vote on November 2.

NAHB BuildPAC has contributed to the following candidates:
  • U.S. Senate: Jim DeMint (R)
  • U.S. House District 3: Jeff Duncan (R)
  • U.S. House District 4: Trey Gowdy (R)
South Carolina Builders PAC has contributed to the following candidates:
  • Governor: Nikki Haley (R) and Vince Sheheen (D)
  • Lt. Governor: Ken Ard (R)
  • Attorney General: Alan Wilson (R)
  • Treasurer: Curtis Loftis (R)
  • Agriculture Commissioner: Hugh Weathers (R)
  • S.C. House District 2: Bill Sandifer (R)
  • S.C. House District 19: Dwight Loftis (R)
  • S.C. House District 20: Dan Hamilton (R)
  • S.C. House District 22: Wendy Nanney (R)
  • S.C. House District 23: Chandra Dillard (D)
  • S.C. House District 24: Bruce Bannister (R)
  • S.C. House District 26: Judy Gilstrap (D)
  • S.C. House District 27: Garry Smith (R)
  • S.C. House District 28: Eric Bedingfield (R)
  • Greenville County Council District 26: Dan Rawls (R)
  • Greenville County Council District 28: Fred Payne (R)
Your Home Builders Association of Greenville cooperates with the Home Builders of South Carolina to raise and contribute funds to candidates for elected offices in South Carolina through the South Carolina Builders PAC. Eighty percent of the funds we raise in Greenville for S.C. Builders PAC are directed by the HBA of Greenville for local and legislative races. The remaining 20 percent is used for statewide races like Governor and Attorney General.

In addition, your HBA of Greenville assists NAHB in raising funds for BuildPAC. All of the funds raised for BuildPAC are used for Federal races.

The Legislative Committee surveys and interviews candidates and makes recommendations for supporting those candidates to the HBA of Greenville Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on local and legislative races. The S.C. Builders PAC Trustees determines contributions for statewide races, and the BuildPAC Trustees determines the contributions for national races.

As a matter of Policy, NAHB's BuildPAC does not contribute to candidates for President or Vice President.

South Carolina ranked fifth for pro-business climate

Site selection magazine ranks South Carolina fifth in the country for pro-business climate. Number one on the list is South Carolina.

Read the entire report in GSA Business by clicking here.