CA Builder Magazine

Prior to entering our industry nearly 30 years ago, I spent 10 years in the U.S. Army. Because unit commanders rotate to new assignments every few years, the services have developed a wonderful custom of the “Hail and Farewell.” Each unit holds a ceremony wherein the outgoing commander thanks his troops, and welcomes the new incoming commander. It’s a tradition that demonstrates the continuity of leadership that any successful organization must have to be successful. This is my opportunity to express my thanks to all of you and to welcome our new Chairman, Horace Hogan.

As difficult as this year has been in our industry, it was also a year of great accomplishment. We met with the Governor and the leadership of the Legislature and won support for our industry stimulus package of fee deferrals and map extensions. We worked closely with NAHB to make sure California’s needs were met as a part of the Federal stimulus measures. If you have any doubt as to the value of your membership, you need look no further than the list of “Dream Killers” that were defeated, or significantly improved by our lobbying team.

This was a break-out year for the California Major Builders Council. Under the leadership of Layne Marceau, CMBC did exactly what it was created to do, by taking leadership on an issue of critical importance to our industry (SB 375) and completely transforming this landmark legislation from a Dream Killer into an opportunity to change the way we do business in California.

I had the opportunity to travel up and down the state this year, logging more than 15,000 road miles and numerous air trips. We conducted a media tour, during which we met with the major newspapers around the state, carrying the message of how important our industry is to the economy of the state. In many cases we saw positive results. I had the pleasure of meeting with hundreds of members in most of our regions and I was gratified to learn that they value their membership in our Association as critical to their company’s survival. Without exception they have a positive attitude and hope for the future.

As a member of the President’s Council at NAHB, I had the opportunity to meet with my counterparts from around the country. They constantly wanted to know about industry issues in California.

I had the opportunity to work with the finest team of industry advocates in the country. Thanks to Bob Rivinius for his counsel and fount of experience with our Association. We also have a lobbying team second to none. The legacy of Tim Coyle, Richard Lyon and the rest of the team is written in their incredible record of success in this very difficult year. Over at CMBC, Ed Manning was a tiger at the negotiating table on SB 375. Gail Grimm led our Foundation to new heights this year. And Linda Baysari and her team pulled off a major miracle at PCBC, turning what might have been a disaster into a smashing success.

Special thanks to our extraordinary staff. Jeff Klein, John Frith, Mike Strech, and Scarlett Vanyi, and their coworkers are superb. Thanks also to Shirley Rall — my “go-to” person on just about every subject.

I was also blessed with a group of top industry leaders as my team. Wes Keusder, Horace Hogan and John Young were all constant sources of support and counsel. Our Executive Committee, made up of leaders from around the state, met every two weeks and wrestled with the myriad issues that are part and parcel of running a 6,000-company Association.

Now it’s time to welcome our incoming Chairman. Horace Hogan has already started his travels around the state, covering events that I couldn’t attend, and forming new relationships with our local organizations. He has already conducted meetings with staff and the transition to his administration will be smooth and seamless. We are in good hands with Horace. His combination of strategic thinking, industry experience and quiet-but-firm leadership is exactly what we need as we move forward into recovery and growth in the year ahead.

I’ve been honored to serve as your Chairman for the past year. Thank you all for your support. At the beginning of the year I was reminded of the old movie line when Bette Davis said, “It’s gonna be a bumpy ride!” All of you made that ride a bit smoother. Hail and farewell.