The 2009 International Builders’ Show will be held January 20-23, 2009, Tuesday – Friday, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 
BuildersShow.com

The 65th Annual Convention and Exposition will feature more than 1,700 exhibitors providing the latest and most innovative home building products and services. IBS also offers more than 250 educational sessions led by industry experts and notable business entrepreneurs. 
Members who register and make their hotel reservations quickly will have a better chance of getting a room in their state’s assigned hotel. Staying in the same hotel with fellow state or local association members facilitates networking opportunities and fosters camaraderie.

First-Time Attendees Get Big Discounts
NAHB members attending the Show for the first time pay only $100 for Full Registration. The offer also applies to new members and all members’ employees! The savings can be significant and can truly help in your efforts to recruit new members! To be eligible for the discounted First Time Full Registration fee, membership must be current and this must be the first time that the individual registers for IBS as a member.

New For the 2009 IBS
Great news – we’ve lowered the cost to see the exhibits! Four day, exhibits registration is now $50 for members if they register by November 7th! 
There is a fee this year for spouses who register for exhibits only, but with the lower registration price your members and their spouses are still paying less than last year. Also, spouses of full registrants continue to receive complimentary full registration.  Also new this year, registered attendees can purchase tickets to individual IBS education sessions. Individual tickets are $50 and registrants can purchase packages of four tickets and get one free or seven tickets and get three free!

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From the Executive Officer
Karyn Beaty

Have you considered, lately, how to apply the skills you are learning or improving – through your involvement in the RCHBA – at your own place of business?
For example, the Member Services committee focuses on recruitment and retention of members. First, the committee asks questions and listens to what our members needs are, then they scrutinize the HBA’s features and benefits to determine if we’re meeting members’ needs.  Finally, they develop dialog and arguments to persuade someone to join or renew their membership. Do you have customers or customer leads? Do you have a plan to 1) discover their needs, and 2) develop new ideas to meet those needs? Are these skills you already have, or could you benefit by learning or improving these skills?
How about leadership skills ? Perhaps by improving your leadership skills you could improve your opportunity for advancement in your company. Maybe these same skills (planning, organization, accountability, implementation – to name just a few) would teach you how to differentiate yourself as a leader in your field. Regardless of your skill level, it’s easy to begin. Get your feet wet by choosing and joining a committee, or if you’re on one already, volunteer to chair or co-chair an event, then the committee itself. Volunteer to serve on the Board of Directors. There are seats for both builder and associate, alike, and every year half of the 12 seats are elected (three builders, three associates).
Life experiences are every bit as much an asset as formal education. A person learns and develops many of the same important skills through their hobbies and community service interests – whether they realize it or not. Don’t tell me that someone who works with ball teams or Scouts hasn’t learned such skills as team building, motivation, diplomacy, mediation or creative problem solving! 
The decision you made, to join the Home Builders Association, was a good one. Maybe you initially joined to get a better rate on your Worker’s Comp insurance. Maybe it was to increase your visibility in the community through networking. You may even have joined to take advantage of the many educational opportunities we offer. But don’t underestimate your talents. If you’re interested in improving your skills and abilities, we have the perfect place for you! Just pick up the phone and call me or Carolyn, at 890-8224.
Jump in! The water’s not too deep!

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Welcome New Members