News

Breakfast Meeting Follow-Up

Nov 29, 2010
Posted In: General

Our breakfast meeting hosted by Coastline Homes of Ellsworth, ME on October 14th was a huge success, and was attended by more than a dozen people! We were struck by the genuine warmth of the local builders towards one another. Hugs and handshakes were the norm. Collective support for the advancement of the modular industry, as opposed to individual self-interest, was evident from start to finish.

Our itinerary for the meeting included:

Overview of National (NAHB/National Association of Home Builders), State (HBRA/Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Maine), and local chapters (MHBA/Modular Home Builders Association of Maine) structure of the home builders association by Nick Sherman.

MHBA Recent Actions by Nick Sherman:
Government Affairs: testimony provided at public hearings regarding the new Maine State building code, with a particular emphasis on our opposition to mandatory sprinklers; on-going monitoring and response to proposed legislation that would affect our industry

Communications: emphasizing the industry professionalism and leadership within our association membership; PR efforts: Builder Benchmarks, Code of Ethics, brochure, website, press releases, email newsletter, Facebook posts, etc.

Membership: upcoming recruitment drive in November, featuring teams, prizes, free food, etc.; last year’s drive increased the MHBA’s membership by approximately 20%

Benefits: introduction of MHBA’s Continuing Education program (with the ultimate goal of Maine Manufactured Housing Board accreditation required for all licensees); website = customer referrals; PR = positive press for our industry .

MHBA Future Directions by Nick Sherman:

Continuation of on-going efforts (see above)
Exploration of collaborative efforts between the MHBA and HBRA (e.g. Continuing Education, Government Affairs, membership meetings, etc.)
Increased professionalism w/in our industry via MHBA membership, Continuing Education, home inspections, etc.
Exploration of New Home Appraisal Database (as an alternative to MLS, which primarily contains data for existing homes) to help derive higher home values for new construction.

New Workers Comp Rules & Regulations by Blake Fryer/Varney Agency:
Portability of Independent Contractor Pre-Determination Forms
Very lively discussion among attendees regarding the extreme variations of insurance service and rates between different providers. Strong testimonials for Blake’s knowledge of modular industry and service to members.

Informal discussion of modular industry trends, peer-to-peer insights and ideas, and an opportunity for networking among attendees.

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