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US LBM announces their intent to partner with GBS Building Supply

GBS represents US LBM’s first partnership in the Carolinas as it actively pursues other opportunities to broaden its presence in the Southeast U.S.

Significantly enhances the ability to service an expanding customer base as the U.S. housing market recovery continues

Greenville, South Carolina – September 22, 2015 – US LBMHoldings, LLC (“US LBM”) announces its intent to acquire GBS Building Supply of Greenville, SC from its employee shareholders. The acquisition is expected to close on October 5, 2015. Bob Barreto will continue leading GBS’s day-to-day operations with his existing team in his current role as CEO and President. 

In 1972, a group South Carolina-based homebuilders, under the leadership of R. Buford Landers, established a company to serve as their own supply source while also meeting the needs of all professional homebuilders. GBS has grown from a startup with just 10 employees to an employee-owned company with a staff over 100 strong. Today, GBS operates 6 locations across the Carolinas supplying windows, doors, stone, roofing, siding, millwork, lock hardware, columns, trim, mouldings, cabinetry, countertops, decking & railing, gypsum, lumber & plywood, insulation, and other building materials. In addition, GBS Building Supply operates a custom molding & millwork center and offers kitchen design services and floor system design. 

“GBS is excited to join the US LBM team,” said Bob Barreto, CEO and President of GBS Building Supply. “This new partnership allows us to continue to invest in operations and enhance customer service at all our locations. The opportunity for growth for our employees, customers, and vendor partners is extraordinary.” 

“GBS Building Supply is a great addition to the US LBM family and continues our strategy to diversify from both a product and geographical perspective,” said L.T. Gibson, President & CEO of US LBM. “GBS has a proven team with a history of success. We are excited to partner with their associates and look forward to future opportunities together in the region.” 

For more information on GBS BuildingSupply, go to gbsbuilding.com. 

US LBM is a collection of leading buildingmaterial distributors across North America operating 165 locations in 22 states. It is the 3rd largest building products distributor in the United States, and recipient of the 2015 ProSales Dealer of the Year award. US LBM implements the philosophy of local management and leadership to capitalize on the premier reputation of its operating companies and local customer relationships. www.uslbm.com 

Contacts: US LBM Holdings 

Michael Kauchak 

Marketing Manager 

(630) 450-9549; 

mike.kauchak@uslbm.com

Local builder is looking for Construction Site Supervisor.

Greenville, SC based residential contractor looking for Construction Site Supervisor for Marietta, GA based projects.  The construction site supervisor will assist Project Manager (PM) in overseeing the construction activities taking place on the work site and will be involved in daily supervision of Sub Contractors.  The role is a salaried position and reports directly to the PM.  When supervisor is present, all work crews and individuals on site will take direction from the site supervisor, who is responsible for knowing what work is to be done and implementation of the necessary resources to complete the work.  In concert with the PM, the Construction Site Supervisor will plan, implement and oversee construction efforts at specific worksites. 

Specific Duties and Responsibilities:

·         Insure unit construction schedule is followed and  maintained

·         Immediately communicates any deviations to the schedule to the PM

·         As directed, contacts subs for scheduling of work on project

·         Monitors subcontractor attendance on site

·         Regular inspection of work product for quality control issues, identifies issues and directs necessary repairs

·         Monitor, manage, and direct unit “punch out” including minor carpentry work as needed

·         As directed, meets with buyers on site to demonstrate progress and quality of construction and answer questions.  Any change orders requested will be directed to PM in writing

·         Insures safe conditions on the job site at all times

·         Insures job site is maintained in a clean and orderly fashion with all materials secured and safe from weather

·         Insures subcontractors are parking appropriately as not to inconvenience existing community homeowners or hinder normal community activity

·         Receives material and matches with Obsidian Purchase Orders.  Delivers all packing slips to PM

·         As needed, facilitate with unloading of material

·         Meets with local utility companies to insure proper and timely installation of utilities

·         Schedules and meets local inspectors for progress inspections and reports inspection results to PM

·         Contacts necessary subs to schedule work to remedy any failed inspections

·         Insures timely & proper installation of buyer changes as directed by Obsidian office

Knowledge and Skills:

·         Minimum of 5 years residential construction management experience

·         Excellent written and verbal communication skills

·         Positive attitude and problem solving mentality

·         Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously

·         Experience managing skilled trades and non-skilled labor

·         Experienced carpenter with own tools

·         Thorough understanding of framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, foundation, carpentry and masonry trades

·         Ability to read and understand blueprints, schematics, and construction documents

·         Understanding of proper safety procedures and recognition of hazards

·         Ability to organize material and labor

·         Knowledge of national and local building codes

·         Proficient using email and basic smart phone technology

Compensation

·         Annual Salary - Commensurate with experience

·         Monthly  cell phone reimbursement

·         Truck mileage reimbursement

Please forward resumes to the HBA office.

New Feature at HBAofGreenville.com

HBAofGreenville.com visitors can contact members directly

A new feature of your Home Builders Association's website, HBAofGreenville.com, allows visitors to our website to send you a message directly from your listing on the website.

After a visitor to HBAofGreenville.com has found your listing under Find A Member, they can simply click on your listing and a message window will open that allows them to send you a message.  They do not have access to your email address, but the window includes a verification code that they must enter in order to send the message to prevent spam.  The message is sent directly to your email address with the subject, "Referral from Home Builders Association of Greenville."

Your listing also includes a link to your website as well as your mailing address and telephone number.

"We are excited about this new feature at HBAofGreenville.com that allows consumers to email you directly without gaining access to your email address," Michael Dey, Executive Vice President of the Home Builders Association, said.

Why We Desperately Need To Bring Back Vocational Training In Schools

Article courtesy of Forbes.com
Written by Nicholas Wyman

Throughout most of U.S. history, American high school students were routinely taught vocational and job-ready skills along with the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic. Indeed readers of a certain age are likely to have fond memories of huddling over wooden workbenches learning a craft such as woodwork or maybe metal work, or any one of the hands-on projects that characterized the once-ubiquitous shop class.

Instructor helps a student participating in a woodworking manufacturing training program in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Photographer: Tim Boyle/Bloomberg Charlie Negron

But in the 1950s, a different philosophy emerged: the theory that students should follow separate educational tracks according to ability. The idea was that the college-bound would take traditional academic courses (Latin, creative writing, science, math) and received no vocational training. Those students not headed for college would take basic academic courses, along with vocational training, or “shop.”
Ability tracking did not sit well with educators or parents, who believed students were assigned to tracks not by aptitude, but by socio-economic status and race. The result being that by the end of the 1950s, what was once a perfectly respectable, even mainstream educational path came to be viewed as a remedial track that restricted minority and working-class students.
The backlash against tracking, however, did not bring vocational education back to the academic core. Instead, the focus shifted to preparing all students for college, and college prep is still the center of the U.S. high school curriculum.
So what’s the harm in prepping kids for college? Won’t all students benefit from a high-level, four-year academic degree program? As it turns out, not really. For one thing, people have a huge and diverse range of different skills and learning styles. Not everyone is good at math, biology, history and other traditional subjects that characterize college-level work. Not everyone is fascinated by Greek mythology, or enamored with Victorian literature, or enraptured by classical music. Some students are mechanical; others are artistic. Some focus best in a lecture hall or classroom; still others learn best by doing, and would thrive in the studio, workshop or shop floor.
And not everyone goes to college. The latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that about 68% of high school students attend college. That means over 30% graduate with neither academic nor job skills.
But even the 68% aren’t doing so well. Almost 40% of students who begin four-year college programs don’t complete them, which translates into a whole lot of wasted time, wasted money, and burdensome student loan debt. Of those who do finish college, one-third or more will end up in jobs they could have had without a four-year degree. The BLS found that 37% of currently employed college grads are doing work for which only a high school degree is required....continue reading.

Lot Leads, Get the dirt on available lots.

Blackstream Real Estate recently contacted your Home Builders Association concerning available lots. There is currently 30.98 acres available off Old McElhaney Rd and is developable. If you would like more information on this please contact Jonathan Kesseler at Jonathan.kessler@svn.com.

Please see below the flyer for more information.

 

The Housing Market: Explaining the New Normal

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

In the past five years, while the population was growing, the number of renters has increased by nearly 6 million. The number of homeowners has dropped by 328,000.

The story explores recently-released Census data on home ownership trends. Read more by clicking here.