Jeff Click
OSHBA President
If we should bump into each other any time soon and you find me in a particularly good mood, it's due in part to the fact that it's Fall. I *love* Fall. I think it started in my High School and College days, when I mowed lawns during the Summer to fund my off-season activities. By the time September rolled around every year, I hated Summer so much that I think it just reinforced my fondness for Fall and turned it into a love for it. Since then, I've always enjoyed the turning of the trees, the cooler, sweater-wearing temps, football, the "extra hour of sleep", and the impending Holiday Season to follow.
But that won't be the only reason you'll likely find me in a good mood. October has been my busiest month this year as OSHBA President, and it was packed full of great news and positive developments at both the NAHB and OSHBA levels. The month started with a bangliterallywith our most highly-attended annual BuildPAC Sporting Clay Tournament at Silver Leaf in Guthrie. It was a day of great fellowship, firing weapons, and raising money for our political advocacy.
The next week was a trip to Colorado Springs, CO for NAHB Fall Board, which kicked me right into Fall-loving mode. Trees were turning, snow was topping the peaks, and the overall outlook for OK and housing in general was positive. Soon after was the OSHBA Fall Committee and Board Meetings, hosted by our friends at the Tulsa HBA.
There were two significant highlights of that event that you'll want to know about as it relates to the value of your membership in OSHBA. First, the Board voted in approval of a new Health Benefit Program that will be made available to all members and even your employees, if you choose to offer it. While it's not an insurance policy, it's a low-cost, highly-valued program that is sure to be worth considering with the current health care debacle across the country. We'll be rolling out the program just as soon as the details are finalized, so be on the lookout.
The other highlight involves our Certified Professional Builder program. If you're a builder and have ever asked, "What's in the CPB program for me to make it worthwhile?" I can answer that now with one simple character: $. Our friends at HUB International (Formerly CFR Insurance), which is our OSHBA State-Endorsed Insurer, have arranged for a 5% discount on General Liability insurance for CPB participants who qualify. I don't know about you, but I like to keep more of the money I work hard to earn. This is just one more way we're making that possible through OSHBA. If you're not a CPB, I highly encourage you to become one immediately to get your certification clock ticking so that you can qualify for this discount as soon as possible! More details to come.
Lastly, I want to mention our now-former Vice President / Treasurer, Todd Booze. Former, you say? Yes, former. That's because he is now officially President-Elect Todd Booze. We'll be installing him as President on January 10th, 2014 at the COHBA Campus in OKC. While he may disagree, he won't be the "most important" person there that night, though. That's because Governor Mary Fallin will be our guest of honor and keynote speaker! You'll want to clear your schedule a little earlier than usual that night, as we'll be hosting a private BuildPAC event for her in the President's Library at COHBA just before the doors open for the other attendees. Be on the lookout for more details!
That's it for this month. Happy Fall, y'all!
