Education Program
Revamped education sessions tailored to all professional levels will ensure that you leave the Symposium with solutions and strategies you can apply to your business immediately, whether you’re an owner, high-level manager or just starting out in the custom biz. Get the latest developments in technology, learn how to capitalize on the burgeoning demand for green building and get top design education straight from the NAHB/BALA Design Institute’s curriculum.
The Symposium’s expert speakers, roundtable sessions and pre-conference courses will sharpen your expertise while the home tour and networking events will connect you to new ideas and builders and suppliers from around the country.
Keynote and General Sessions
Saturday, October 25, 7:30 AM - 8:45 AM - Keynote Session
A New World & New Challenges --What’s a Small Builder to Do?
Al Trellis, Home Builders Network
In an increasingly difficult regulatory and business environment, the ability of the small home builder to survive, let alone thrive, has become more and more tenuous. Smaller custom home builders, as we know them today, may be on the verge of extinction. To survive they must evolve into new, stronger, more proficient businesses—with many of the same resources and capabilities as their larger competitors, but without the overhead and inertia associated with bigger organizations. So how does a small business accomplish this seemingly impossible duality—strength and resources without huge volume and overhead? Trellis will give his insights into how custom builders must change their vision, their business practices and even their core philosophies in order to assure their ongoing success.
Sunday, October 26, 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM - Breakfast General Session
Awakening the Fire from Within
Paul Montelongo, Paul Montelongo International
Awaken and reignite the fire within your career as a builder. Discover how to outperform yourself and how to be a more effective leader. Learn the key elements of getting what you want in this business and in life. This inspirational message will re-energize you and your career. Paul Montelongo is an international authority on sales motivation and personal morale. As an author, syndicated columnist, and entrepreneur, he presents programs to organizations of all sizes. He brings his entrepreneurial experience and a no-nonsense approach to his programs with plenty of anecdotes, real world stories combined with a humorous twist to all his presentations. Paul has 31 years of experience, is a housing industry insider and specializes in business and personal development programs.
Sunday, October 26, 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM - Luncheon General Session
Loyalty Is Love: How to Hold Clients Close For Life
Beverly Koehn, Beverly Koehn & Associates
It’s no secret that we abuse our customers so much, it’s crazy. We’ve become so focused on the final product that we tend to forget about the people who actually buy and live in our homes. In her presentation, Koehn provides real-life strategies and research to help builders and industry associates build rock-solid relationships with their customers by: coaching employees on how to serve customers from the heart, not from a manual or checklist; understanding the psychology of customer buying and satisfaction patterns; learning how to protect your business from toxic client relationships; and developing techniques for winning referrals for the life of your business. Learn how you too can instill love throughout your company through integrity, trust and helping employees continually learn how to keep customers’ hearts engaged. These connections ultimately feed the heart of every business. A Texas native, Beverly Koehn started her career 25 years ago selling homes onsite for builders. As her career progressed, she moved into customer care management and training. Today, Koehn helps clients enhance the total customer experience.
Concurrent Sessions Saturday, October 25 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Recession-Proofing Your Building Business
Thomas Stephani, CGB, CAPS, GMB, CGP, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM
Custom Construction Concepts, Inc.
A downturn in the housing market can be a disaster for even the best-run businesses. This program will explore and discuss recession-proofing your business through diversification strategies and opportunities.
Green (Techniques) That Save Green (Dollars)
Janet Mellema, PhD, AIA, CSI, LEED-AP, Weather Intelligence Design
Learn how innovative technologies can improve project economics during construction and post-construction consumer savings. Wall construction, hybrid cooling and metal roofing case studies demonstrate performance and financial success.
The Custom Builder and Home Technology
Frank White, StayTuned
This course is designed to help attendees develop a comfort level with home technology, dispel fears/ myths, learn basic home technology options, and provide practical solutions answering: how to do it, where can I find it, and how can I use it.
Design Drivers – Value Engineering without Compromising
Jerry Gloss, Knudson Gloss Architects
Karen Kassik, Lucia, Kassik & Monday, Inc.
How do builders get the most for their design dollar? In this session we’ll listen to the experts explain how to determine where and how to add design dollars to your home without breaking the bank.
Lessons Learned from the NAHB 2005 Custom Green Home of the Year
Nathan Good, Nathan Good Architect PC
Presentation of the lessons were learned from the NAHB's Custom Green Home of the Year in 2005, which included ICF walls, vegetative roof, green finish materials, and solar systems. The speaker will also include an assessment of the financial implications.
11:15 AM – 12:45 PM
Stress-Free Trade Contractor Management Systems
Carl Seville, Seville Consulting
Managing trade contractors effectively is critical to obtaining consistent, high-quality work on the job site with a minimum of stress. The key to effective management is implementing a comprehensive trade contractor management system.
Green Building - 2008 and Beyond
John Barrows, CGP, CGB, GMB, J Barrows Inc.
Builders not in front of the Green Building wave will be swept away by it. But what do the different programs mean, and how does a builder capitalize on the opportunities? This session will explore actual examples of successful green applications.
Seven Deadly Mistakes Construction Businesses Make. How to Recognize, Quantify and Avoid Them
Anthony Burruano, Burruano Group
Learn how poor fundamental financial controls, poor cash management and not understanding financial information can kill a business. This program will give you the techniques to protect your business and avoid mistakes with finances, sales, customers and employees.
Demystifying Designing a Green Home
Michael Chandler, Chandler Design Build
Good green homes start with good green designs that deliver resource-efficient homes. This session will show you how to take the mystery out of a green home. Find out what elements make up a green home, what they cost and how much customers are willing to pay for those items, include calculating the payback period that can be used in the selling process.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Survive to Fulfill Your Destiny
Stephen Hann, Hann Builders, Ltd.
Learn how to survive and thrive from the real life of a custom builder who has made all of the major mistakes you can in this business. Good business practices and numerous support systems all need to be established and maintained to weather the storm.
Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies
Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
In this session you will hear about the emerging field of green building; see some of the most exciting technologies available, and get a glimpse of the inevitable future of our buildings.
The Top 10 "Must-Have" Technology Trends for Homes
Utz Baldwin, A/Dd/a, Inc.
With home buyers rapidly increasing their expectations and their knowledge, builders must understand current technology trends. This course highlights the top ten technological industry "must haves" and their future impact on the housing market.
Lifestyle Kitchen and Baths – Designs, Materials, and Techniques that Guarantee Great Kitchens and Baths
Connie Edwards, Timberlake Cabinetry (American Woodmark Corp.)
Understanding lifestyle trends and how they affect kitchen and bathroom design. Builders will learn the latest on products and materials and what consumers ask for when designing a custom space with a designer and learn how to apply this to their homes.
Sunday, October 26
9:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Design Charrete – From Plan Book Parts to Great Design
John Thatch, Dahlin Group Architecture Planning
Kurt Donnelly, Dahlin Group Architecture Planning
We all have customers who bring plan books to our offices. The problem is the plans are usually generic and don’t take advantage of the natural amenities of the site, nor do they completely resolve the needs of your clients. During this interactive session find out first hand how a design professional takes a generic plan and customizes it to meet the particular needs of a customer.
Survive to Fulfill Your Destiny
Stephen Hann, Hann Builders, Ltd.
Learn how to survive and thrive from the real life of a custom builder who has made all of the major mistakes you can in this business. Good business practices and numerous support systems all need to be established and maintained to weather the storm.
Seven Deadly Mistakes Construction Businesses Make. How to Recognize, Quantify and Avoid Them
Anthony Burruano, Burruano Group
Learn how poor fundamental financial controls, poor cash management and not understanding financial information can kill a business. This program will give you the techniques to protect your business and avoid mistakes with finances, sales, customers and employees.
Green Building - 2008 and Beyond
John Barrows, CGP, CGB, GMB, J Barrows Inc.
Builders not in front of the Green Building wave will be swept away by it. But what do the different programs mean, and how does a builder capitalize on the opportunities? This session will explore actual examples of successful green applications.
The Custom Builder and Home Technology
Frank White, StayTuned
This course is designed to help attendees develop a comfort level with home technology, dispel fears/ myths, learn basic home technology options, and provide practical solutions answering: how to do it, where can I find it, and how can I use it.
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Residential Case Study
Tony Crasi, Crasi, Inc.
Designing and building a one-of-a-kind custom home can be challenging for even a seasoned builder. Listen to a builder/architect talk about developing a successful working relationship, how to work through budget issues and design details, and how to work with a client.
Recession-Proofing Your Building Business
Thomas Stephani, CGB, CAPS, GMB, CGP, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM
Custom Construction Concepts, Inc.
A downturn in the housing market can be a disaster for even the best-run businesses. This program will explore and discuss recession-proofing your business through diversification strategies and opportunities.
The Top 10 "Must-Have" Technology Trends for Homes
Utz Baldwin, A/Dd/a, Inc.
With home buyers rapidly increasing their expectations and their knowledge, builders must understand current technology trends. This course highlights the top ten technological industry "must haves" and their future impact on the housing market.
Lessons Learned from the NAHB 2005 Custom Green Home of the Year
Nathan Good, Nathan Good Architect PC
Presentation of the lessons were learned from the NAHB's Custom Green Home of the Year in 2005, which included ICF walls, vegetative roof, green finish materials, and solar systems. The speaker will also include an assessment of the financial implications.
Green (Techniques) That Save Green (Dollars)
Janet Mellema, PhD, AIA, CSI, LEED-AP, Weather Intelligence Design
Learn how innovative technologies can improve project economics during construction and post-construction consumer savings. Wall construction, hybrid cooling and metal roofing case studies demonstrate performance and financial success.
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Design Drivers – Value Engineering without Compromising
Jerry Gloss, Knudson Gloss Architects
Karen Kassik, Lucia, Kassik & Monday, Inc.
How do builders get the most for their design dollar? In this session we’ll listen to the experts explain how to determine where and how to add design dollars to your home without breaking the bank.
Stress-Free Trade Contractor Management Systems
Carl Seville, Seville Consulting
Managing trade contractors effectively is critical to obtaining consistent, high-quality work on the job site with a minimum of stress. The key to effective management is implementing a comprehensive trade contractor management system.
Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies
Eric Corey Freed, organicARCHITECT
In this session you will hear about the emerging field of green building; see some of the most exciting technologies available, and get a glimpse of the inevitable future of our buildings.
Demystifying Designing a Green Home
Michael Chandler, Chandler Design Build
Good green homes start with good green designs that deliver resource-efficient homes. This session will show you how to take the mystery out of a green home. Find out what elements make up a green home, what they cost and how much customers are willing to pay for those items, include calculating the payback period that can be used in the selling process.
Pre-Show Courses
Amplify your expertise and show your commitment to excellence with NAHB courses and designations.
Green Building for Building Professionals
Wednesday, October 22 – Thursday, October 23
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Thomas Stephani, CGB, CAPS, GMB, CGP, CSP, Master CSP, CMP, MIRM
Learn how green homes may provide buyers with lower energy costs and better long-term value. This course discusses strategies for incorporating green-building principles into homes without driving up the cost of construction.
Business Accounting and Job Cost
Thursday, October 23
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: Paul Montelongo, Paul Montelongo International
This course provides the terminology and method foundation necessary to comprehend basic business reporting and job cost procedures, measurement and analysis. An introduction to the more common types of financing methods for new homes, construction loans and operating capital is also covered.
Business Management for Building Professionals
Friday, October 24
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Instructor: John Barrows, CGP, CGB, GMB
Get a solid foundation in the practices so valuable to the management of smaller businesses: planning, organizing, staffing/ directing and controlling.
BAR: Builder Assessment Review
Saturday, October 25
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
The BAR is the required first step in obtaining your Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) designation. This 135 question multiple choice assessment measures your knowledge in the five core areas of building business management: Building Technology; Business and Finance; Project Management; Sales and Marketing and Safety. Candidates do not pass or fail the BAR. The results determine your course of study.
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Whether you are new to the industry or a veteran ready to advance your career to the next level, The NAHB University of Housing can assist you in your educational pursuits. Serving as the facilitator of all NAHB educational products, including 15 national conferences and tours, The NAHB University of Housing and our sponsor, Countrywide Home Loans, National Builder Division, are committed to helping our members and the building industry "Reach Higher and Work Smarter."