HBA of Greenville Builder Ballot

It is the election season. Have you noticed? The General Election is Tuesday, November 6. Polls open in South Carolina at 7 a.m. and remain open until 7 p.m.

Please vote on November 6.

NAHB BuildPAC has contributed to the following candidates:

• U.S. Senate: Senator Lindsay Graham (R)
• U.S. Senate: Senator Tim Scott (R)
• U.S. House District 3: Congressman Jeff Duncan (R)
• U.S. House District 4: Congressman Trey Gowdy (R)

South Carolina Builders PAC has contributed to the following candidates:

• S.C. Senate District 2: Sen. Larry Martin (R)
• S.C. Senate District 6: Sen. Mike Fair (R)
• S.C. Senate District 7: Rep. Karl Allen (D)
• S.C. Senate District 8: Ross Turner (R)
• S.C. House District 2: Rep. Bill Sandifer (R)
• S.C. House District 20: Rep. Dan Hamilton (R)
• S.C. House District 23: Rep. Chandra Dillard (D)
• S.C. House District 26: Rep. Garry Smith (R)
• Greenville County Council District 20: Councilman Sid Cates (R)
• Greenville County Council District 21: Councilman Jim Burns (R)
• Greenville County Council District 22: Councilman Bob Taylor (R)
• Pickens County Council District 5: Councilwoman Jennifer Willis (R)
• Greenville County Sherriff: Sheriff Steve Loftis (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, Pickens, and Laurens counties for S.C. Builders PAC are directed by the HBA of Greenville for local and legislative races in our area. The remaining 20 percent is used for statewide races like Governor and Attorney General and directed by a board of trustees.  President-Elect Rick Quinn serves as the PAC Trustee representing the HBA of Greenville.

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.

Homes for Hope dedication by Rosewood Communities

This past Monday was one of the coldest this fall but the generosity of the housing trade was not shut out and shined at the Homes for Hope dedication. The home was dedicated to Homes of Hope by Rosewood Communities and their trade partners. Some of the speakers included Jack Nulty, Executive Director of Homes for Hope, Mark Nyblom, President of Rosewood Communites, and the HBA's own Michael Dey.
The event put a needed spot light on the work that Homes for Hope or H4H (a division of Hope International) does by operating within the building industry across the United States to build a home on a largely probono basis. Once the home is completed it is sold  to a consumer and that sell generates revenue to help eradicate poverty in developing countries worldwide. The home dedicated on Monday generated over 80,000 for the H4H charity.
For more information on Homes for Hope check out their website.

For more information on the dedication home check out Rosewood Communities by clicking here
or the Greenville News article .

Call to Action: Want your voice heard? Join a HBA committee

Want your voice heard? Want to help make your association better, smarter, more relevant? Join an HBA of Greenville Committee. Want to know more about our committees? Click here to review our committee list and download job descriptions. Want to volunteer? Simply email Michael Dey at mdey@hbaofgreenville.com and state your committee preference. Don't want to serve on a committee but still want to volunteer? Send Michael an email with your areas of interest. The board forms task forces on a regular basis that handles a specific task and then disbands. Your association would love to have your help.

Call for Nominations for Builder, Associate, and Remodeler of the Year

It is that time of year again for you to recommend a member for our annual Builder of the Year Award, Associate of the Year Award, and Remodeler of the Year Award. The awards are given to a members who freely gives of his or her time, efforts and participation in order to make the HBA of Greenville a stronger organization for all of its members. These members serve the industry through participation on HBA Committees and with special projects of the Home Builders Association. Each represents the highest level of integrity and honesty in the home building industry. Below is a list of recent recipients:

Builder of the Year:

• Thomas Dillard, 2011
• Brad Thompson, 2010
• Todd Usher, 2009
• Rick Quinn, 2008
• Ted Smith, 2007
• Coleman Shouse, 2006
• Ted Smith/Ron Taylor, 2005
• Keith Smith, 2004
• Jim Gregorie, 2003
• Dan Rawls, 2002
• Clyde Rector, 2001
• Bill Fuller, 2000

Richard A. Ashmore, Sr., Associate of the Year:
The Board of Directors has renamed the Associate of the Year Award the Richard A. Ashmore, Sr., Associate of the Year Award. Richard Ashmore was President of Ashmore Brothers Inc. He was a member of the HBA of Greenville until his death in 2011, and was inducted in to the S.C. Housing Hall of Fame.

• Jason Freeman, 2011
• Scott Presley, 2010
• Eric Hedrick, 2009
• Chuck Childress, 2008
• Tom Ward, 2007
• Scott Presley, 2006
• Lou Hutchings, 2005
• Richard Powers, 2004
• Sandy Wiygul-Bell, 2003
• Robert Murphy, 2002
• Gary Gilliam, 2001
• Richard Powers, 2000

Remodler of the Year:
The Board of Directors also voted to bring back the Remodeler of the Year Award, which has not been awarded in more than 10 years.  The recipient should derive his or her primary business from residential or commercial remodeling activities.

In addition, these awards also may be given to members of the association:

• Community Service Award
• Sales and Marketing Award
• Membership Award
• Spirit of the HBA Award
• Committee Chairman of the Year Award
• Rookie of the Year Award

These awards may be given to a political or community leader:

• Distinguished Service Award
• HBASC Champion of Housing Award

If you know of a member or other person who should receive one of these awards, please send your nomination to Michael Dey at mdey@hbaofgreenville.com.  Your nomination will be confidential.

Tax Information of 657,000 Businesses Also Compromised

Tax information for at least 657,000 S.C. businesses was compromised as part of the recent hacking of SC taxpayer records, according to information released Wednesday by Gov. Nikki Haley and Department of Revenue Director James Etter.

The State of South Carolina has arranged through Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. for free credit monitoring services for all S.C. businesses for the life of the business.

Starting Friday, Nov. 2 at 8 a.m., businesses can register at www.dandb.com/sc/ or by calling 800.279.9881.

Duke Energy Announces New Security Deposit Policy for Builders and Landlords

Beginning in February 2013, Duke Energy will require builders, property managers, landlords and realtors to settle unpaid prior obligations prior to establishing new electric service accounts. Also, if a customer has not established a satisfactory credit history – or has no credit history – a security deposit will be required before new service can be established.

Customers with satisfactory payment records will not be assessed security deposits.

Learn more at duke-energy.com/deposits.

Emerging Workforce Stats

According to XYZ University, a demographics consulting firm specializing in organizational dynamics, the U.S. Workforce will change in significant ways in the next five years:

• By 2015, Generation Y (born since 1982) will out number Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) in the workforce.
• On average, 10,000 Baby Boomers retire each day.
• Generation X (born between 1965 and 1982) will make up 65 percent of the workforce by 2020.
• 70 percent of college grads leave their first job within two years.
• 75 percent of employed Americans are looking for a job.
• One in three college students and young professionals under the age of 30 prioritize social media freedom over salary in accepting a job offer.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a shortage of 10 million workers due to the retirement of Baby Boomers.