December 2015 Celebration of Hope Awards Gala & Silent Auction December 5, 2015 The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s More Photos Inside
in 2015 Elite Sponsor: Platinum Sponsors: Gold Sponsor: 2 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
HBRA Board of Directors 2015-16 Officers President Sr. Vice-President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Immediate Past President Peter Battaglio Max Bender Steve Berko Ken DeLeo Gary Fanali John Hertz Alex Shook Michael Wood Joanne Carroll Jerry Effren Peter Fusaro Andrew La Sala Jr. John Murren Michael Palumbo Nick Yanicelli Peter Gaboriault Bear Paw Builders Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc. Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders Michael Church William Pitt Sotheby’s Kim DiMatteo The DiMatteo Group Maureen Hanley-Bellitto United Bank 2015-16 Directors Hocon Gas Bender Supply FourSquare Build & Design Doherty & DeLeo City Carting Hertz Construction Pella Commercial Wood Builders Life Directors JMC Resources The Greyrock Companies Preferred Builders Cannondale Building & Design Murren-Kane Construction ERI Building & Design Susquehanna Enterprises HBRA Staff Gina Calabro Executive Officer Deanna Hiller Executive Assistant HBRA of Fairfield County 2228 Black Rock Turnpike Suite 307 Fairfield, CT 06825 203-335-7008 hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com www. buildfairfieldcounty.com Want to advertise? Contact the office for more information and rates. Page: 4 5 19-20 21-23 11 13 16 17 18 Page: 6-10 12 14-15 Celebration of Hope Gala - Oh What a Night! Members in the News Builder News: Drones Could Make Your Business Soar 3D-Printed House and Car to Be Displayed at IBS New Home Sales Rebound Profits: The emerging motive for builders and developers to embrace green building Regular Features Executive Officers Message Upcoming Events Upcoming Training Member Benefits Updates Sponsors/Advertisers 2 Please visit our Sponsors Interstate Lumber Ring’s End 2016 Directory Advertising - Deadline Soon! Hocon Gas United Bank On the Cover: Celebration of Hope Gala Bottom right corner: l-r: Campbell Kinsman, Steve Berko, Andrew La Sala, Jr. Photos Courtesy of Sandro Photography December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 3 Inside this issue...
A Message from the Executive Officer Dear HBRA Members, December started off with a bang! The Celebration of Hope Gala was held on December 5th at The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s. It was a spectacular event with over 280 in attendance. It was a night full of awards, good food and dancing. If you missed it, (and even if you were there) see pages 6 - 10. for a recap and photos of the night. You can still make a donation to Building Hope by visiting the website, www.buildinghopefoundation.org and clicking on DONATIONS. The 2016 Membership Directory is underway. If you have placed an ad in the directory - A BIG THANK YOU! It’s a great advertising vehicle and helps support our association! This directory will be available to consumers at the 2016 HBRA of Fairfield County Home Show at Chelsea Piers on February 13 & 14th. If you have any questions or would like to place an ad, please contact the office at 203-335-7008. If you will be attending IBS in Las Vegas, I’ll see you there! One of our own is receiving a NAHB award - Stephen C. Gidley, CAPS. CGB, CGP, CGR, GMB will receive NAHB’s 2015 Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) Designee of the Year award at the Designation Achievement Reception on Monday, January 18, 2016, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. If you see Steven pass along your congratulations! OSHA 10 is scheduled for January 14 & 15, 2016 and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of IECC Code Testing is February 25th. Both of these training sessions will be held at the Ring’s End Educational Facility in Stratford. See pages 19 and 20 for details. General Membership Meetings will start again on March 2, 2016, kicking off at County TV and Appliance in Stamford The April 6th meeting will be at Bender Supply’ new showroom in Norwalk and May 4th at Connecticut Stone in Stamford. As always, if you have any questions, please call the office or email us at hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com! Best, Gina Calabro Executive Officer 4 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December2015
February 3, 2016 Premier Free Builders Event Norwalk Inn, Norwalk CT 5:30pm - 9:00pm Details Coming Soon! April 6, 2016 General Membership Meeting Bender Supply Norwalk 6:00pm - 9:00pm May 4, 2016 General Membership Meeting Connecticut Stone Stamford 6:00pm - 9:00pm June 1, 2016 Annual Meeting & Dinner Trumbull Marriott 6:00pm - 10:00pm GMM events at member locations are $20 per person pre-registered and at the door. Contact the HBRA Office with any questions at hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com December2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County |5 March 2, 2016 General Membership Meeting County TV & Appliance Stamford 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Celebration of Hope Gala It was a a spectacular evening to celebrate the award winners and announce a new Communtiy service award named after one of our own. Over 280 attended the Building Hope Foundation and the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield annual gala , “A Celebration of Hope” on December 5th at the Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s in Darien. The HBRA presented awards and recognitions to association members for their excellence in their respective industry. The Building Hope Foundation presented their philanthropic awards to both association members and non-members for their outstanding commitment of donated time and resources. “We at Building Hope are truly blessed that many of our industries top professionals are dedicated to our vision for a better world. It seems only fitting that we honor their philanthropic donation of time, money and expertise to our cause,” stated Andrew La Sala, Jr., President of the Building Hope Foundation. “We were also thrilled to be honoring our invited Veterans and two other charities for the first time making this a night to remember and a true Celebration of Hope.” A new award, the Steven Berko Community Service Award, was established in part to the work of Steven Berko and his dog Dascha with the children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in the aftermath of that tragedy. There was moving tribute given by Karen King, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary on how his efforts helped these children deal with the anger and confusion of the events using his therapy dog. The first Steven Berko Community Service awardees were Campbell Kinsman, a teenager from Ridgefield who started Bear Hug, a non-profit association that sends care packages and teddy bears to children of deployed military personnel, and Joe Kaliko, The Needs Clearing House, Inc., a 501(c)3 that provides a “clearing house” service free of charge, to facilitate the identification and matching of charitable needs with resources from other charitable organizations and individuals to meet those needs. Dinner, dancing to the band “What it Is” and Silent auction capped the night. The raffle winner of the 5 day Napa Valley trip was Phil Platek of Weston - the winning ticket sold by Terence and Laurie Beaty. See the following pages for pictures of the award winners and the night’s celebration. 6 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December2015 to
Builder of the Year DeRosa Builders Remodeler of the Year A& J Romano Construction Elevator Service Company Business of the Year County TV & Appliance Supplier of the Year Michael Church - Wm Pitt Sothebys Associate of the Year Maureen Hanley-Bellitto - United Bank Woman of the Year John Hertz - Hertz Construction Member of the Year Jon Small - Marlin Electric New Member of the Year Birgit Anich - BA Staging & Interiors Volunteer of the Year President’s Award Tony Calistro John P Rowens Meritorious Service Nick Yanicelli The Campbell Family - Ring’s End HBRA Hall of Fame December2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 7
Building Care Award M&T Bank Reynolds & Rowella LLC Building Care Award Building Care Award Riverside Fence VASE Management Building Care Award Interstate Lakeland + Lumber Philanthropist of the Year Steven Berko Community Service Award Campbell Kinsman, Bear Hug, Inc. 8 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
Photos courtesy of December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 9
Celebration of Hope 10 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015 Awards Gala & Silent Auction More photos at www.buildinghopefoundation.org
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Members in the News The Home Builders Association of Connecticut recently presented its award for Best Spec Home Over $7 Million to local developer Stone Harbor Land Company. Greenwich-based Stone Harbor Land Co. has been recognized by the Home Builders Association of Connecticut for its development of a Greenwich midcountry property. Read the entire article “It’s great to receive recognition from your peers across the state,” said Stone Harbor co-founder Marc Johnson. Local builders win top prizes Greenwich topped the Connecticut Home Builders and Remodelers Association’s 22nd annual awards, with 14 properties in the town cited for excellence in craftsmanship and design. Westport was a close second with a dozen homes held up for praise based on new construction or renovations, with eight awards going for Darien projects. “We have three new homes slated to start (in) early ‘16 and a couple remodels as well,” said Anthony DeRosa, whose Greenwich-based DeRosa Builders won multiple awards on Tuesday. “I am certain the spring will also bring its usual flurry of plans and bidding which we hope will put us in the position to start a few more by the end of 2016. (The) market seems to be very strong going into next year, my fellow builders and peers are all telling us they are busy going into next year.” Some 60 projects in Fairfield County won recognition, spanning the gamut from entire homes to comparatively small projects like bathroom remodeling. Read the entire article Let the HBRA office know & we will be sure to include you in future issues! Contact us at hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com HBRA-CT Members Honored by Westchester Hudson Valley AIA Chapter HBRA members and current HOBI Award winners, Murphy Brothers Contracting were recognized by the AIA Westchester Hudson Valley as their 2015 Professional Affiliate Award winner. This award was presented at the Chapter’s annual year end celebration held at The Capitol Theatre/Garcia’s in Portchester, NY. According to the AIAWHV Chapter, the award recognizes exemplary leadership beyond their own professional efforts and accomplishments. Current chapter president, Peter Gaito, Jr. said, “Murphy Brothers leadership, insight and efforts provided represents all that is intended by this award”. Past chapter president John Fry added that "Murphy Brothers has partnered with a highly selective group of leading manufacturers and professional associations including AIA Westchester + Hudson Valley to advance sustainable practices and methodologies. Their commitment to achieve and promote quality in the built environment is unparalleled in our region.” 12 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
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Builder News Drones Could Make Your Business Soar NAHB | November 10, 2015 It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a… business development tool? An increasing number of businesses – including builders and land developers – are benefiting from the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones. Anyone can fly a drone as long as it’s for recreational purposes and meets certain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restrictions. But until recently, very few drones could legally be flown for commercial purposes. At the start of 2015, only eight companies had been granted FAA exemptions (referred to as Section 333) to allow an operator to fly the drone commercially in low-risk, controlled environments. In the last 10 months, that number has grown to more than 2,100 companies and individuals. This sudden growth is evidence that industry leaders are realizing these big-boy toys aren’t just built for fun. They also have an array of commercial applications. Those who might be most intrigued by these gliding gizmos include builders seeking an edge on the competition, land developers wanting to save time during site surveys, and inspectors seeking safer alternatives when examining hard-to-reach areas. Read the entire article 3D-Printed House and Car to Be Displayed at IBS NAHB | November 11, 2015 The evolution of 3D-printing technology is continually finding new ways to impact not only how we live, but also what we live in. Attendees at the 2016 NAHB International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas this January will get to experience what life would be like living in a 3D-printed home, which comes complete with a 3D-printed vehicle. Read the entire article Manufacturing Integrated Energy (AMIE) demonstration project, including a house and vehicle built using 3Dprinting technology. 14 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
Builder News New Home Sales Rebound By David Crowe | November 25, 2015 • Builder Magazine Census and HUD reported new homes sales for October rebounded from their unexpected low in September to a level of 495,000 on an annual basis. This is a 10.7% increase from the revised September, a 1.6% increase from the third quarter average and a 15.7% increase in year-to-date not seasonally adjusted levels from last year. Regionally, only the West experienced an insignificant decline of 0.9%. Inventory also increased 1.3% to 226,000, the highest level since March 2010. At the current sales pace, the inventory would be sold off in 5.5 months. The increase was particularly strong in homes not yet started now at their highest since late 2008. The addition of inventory continues in the face of builders’ difficulty obtaining lots and labor. The increase in the inventory of not yet started homes is encouraging that builder are finding lots but may be waiting for a buyer before starting the home. The median sales price fell almost 6% as sales in the $200,000 to $300,000 range picked up, which is likely an indication that first time buyers are returning to the market. The sales pace is in line with NAHB’s forecast of 511,000 new home sales for 2015. The improving general economic conditions, rising employment and very affordable mortgage rates make this forecast possible. Profits: The emerging motive for builders and developers to embrace green building By Emily Peiffer | November 20, 2015 • Construction Dive The immense size and scope of the Greenbuild conference in Washington, DC, this week demonstrates the ongoing transition of the green building movement away from the fringes and into mainstream practice. The atmosphere among the more than 20,000 people at the show seemed to include both a sense of accomplishment for reaching this point, as well as a drive to keep growing and making further progress. One of the most notable changes in this year's Greenbuild event was the more pronounced presence of residential construction, from both the single family and multifamily sectors. The National Association of Home Builders ramped up its participation in the event, and the housing section of the exhibit floor saw major expansion. That stronger presence signals the residential industry's shift toward accepting and utilizing more green practices. Although commercial construction has typically led the pack in green adoption, the residential sector is starting to catch up. And the reason for that change is driven not just by a desire to produce environmentally friendly structures, but by consumer demand, higher quality results and lifecycle cost savings. Click here to read more December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 15
Supplement Your Company’s Listing in the 2016 HBRA Membership Directory Show Our County Residents What You Do! 2016 HBRA Membership Directory & Resource Guide... • Full Distribution to all HBRA Members • Distributed at the 2016 Fairfield County Home Show at Chelsea Piers, February 2016 • You Can Participate for as Little as $250 RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW! Call David Wilson at 203-327-9040 or email: directory@buildfairfieldcounty.com for more information HBRA of Fairfield County Home Show February 13 & 14, 2016 Chelsea Piers Connecticut Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm One Blachley Road, Stamford FREE PARKING • FREE ADMISSION I-95 N to Exit 9 towards US-1, left on Seaside Ave, left on US-1 S/E Main St, left on Blachley Rd • I-95 S to Exit 9 towards US-1, right on US-1 S/E Main St, left on Blachley Rd HomeShowCT.com • 855.523.5307 16 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015 2016 2228 Black Rock Turnpike Suite 307 Fairfield, CT 06824
Propane and Natural Gas Products! Connecticut’s largest family owned Propane company with over 350,000 gallons of storage, HOCON GAS has a reputation for delivering propane energy and industry expertise for more than 60 years! Pete “Propane Pete” Battaglio with over 33 years of experience Sr. Regional Sales Manager Hocon Gas, Inc. • 6 Armstrong Road Shelton, CT 06484 Office: 203.402.7800 • Fax: 203.944.0300 Cell: 203.343.2199 Email: pbattaglio@hocongas.com www.hocongas.com NORWALK 33 Rockland Rd. (800) 801-3835 (203) 853-1500 WATERBURY 20 Railroad Hill St. (800) 992-2242 (203) 754-7601 GUILFORD 736 Boston Post Rd. (877) 906-2500 (203) 458-2790 DANBURY 86 Payne Rd. (888) 977-6726 (203) 744-4000 TORRINGTON 2407 Winsted Rd. (888) 744-8686 (860) 626-0900 December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 17
Uniting to strengthen our community. At United Bank, we believe things are better when we work together. That’s why we’re proud to support the programs that enrich our neighborhoods, and share in their mission to provide more opportunities in communities we serve. SM Member FDIC Equal Housing Lender 866.959.BANK bankatunited.com 18 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
OSHA 10 Hour Construction Thursday, January 14 & Friday, January 15, 2016* 7:45am-2:00pm Rings End Educational Facility 160 Avon Street, Stratford, CT OSHA is coming to FINE you! Get ahead of them & learn what you need to know for your business and your employees. The OSHA 10hour construction training course is designed for anyone in the construction industry. Upon completion, participants will receive an OSHA construction safety and health 10-hour course completion card from the Departement of Labor. HBRA Members: $25.00 NARI Members: $25.00 Non-Members: $50.00 *Must attend both dates in order to receive OSHA card-per federal regulation. Continental Breakfast & Lunch included both days. Payment must be received by January 13th to reserve your spot. Walk-Ins will not be accepted at this course due to limited seating. Call the HBRA office at 203-335-7008 to register, or REGISTER ONLINE Sponsored by: December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 19
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of IECC Code Testing... Thursday, February 25, 2016 5:30pm-8:00pm Rings End Educational Facility 160 Avon Street, Stratford, CT William Janhonen of Home Energy Technologies will discuss the results of testing hundreds of homes throughout the state and give a “boots on the ground” analysis of what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to air sealing and duct sealing using actual tested homes. As a LEED AP, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, William is one of only 195,000 designated professionals in the United States to have achieved that status. His company, WSJ Enterprises, is a national member of the U.S. Green Building Council and a member of the Connecticut Green Building Council. He has written numerous articles on sustainable topics and has lectured at several venues including Cornell University. He has established Green education courses throughout the Connecticut Community College system, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse and Ring’s End Education Center. He is an advocate for promoting green education and is also a member of the HBRA of Fairfield County, NARI, and is a national instructor for the National Association of Home Builders. HBRA Members: $25.00 NARI Members: $25.00 Non-Members: $50.00 Light Dinner included Payment must be received by February 20th to reserve your spot. Call the HBRA office at 203-335-7008 to register, or REGISTER ONLINE Sponsored by: 20 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
Member Benefits Here are the vendors currently available to you and your employees Make the Most of Your Membership Share Savings with Your Employees at No Cost to You As an NPP member, you and your employees can access a growing portfolio of discounts. Just this year, we have launched five new vendors in our Employee Discount Program including our two newest additions, 1800 Flowers and Spy Optic. It’s easy to get your employees started. Simply forward these steps to them and they are on their way. How to Start Saving • Visit mynpp.com • Click on “Join Now,” select “Employee.” • Enter your corporate email address or your • Member ID and Passcode • Fill out the form • Start saving • Throw a party! (optional) Through NPP you now have access to DocuSign, the nation's leading provider for electronic signatures. With DocuSign, no matter where you are, you have the ability to get any business document signed in minutes. With DocuSign's platform, the user can send, receive and sign documents from any computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device. DocuSign will be available beginning Thursday, December 10, 2015. The offer is 5% money back on any new subscription.* Attached are a few items that you can share with your members regarding DocuSign: • A pre-written email message (which you can edit) announcing DocuSign. • One page overview of the DocuSign offer which you can print or distribute electronically. December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 21
Member Benefits Looking for affordable health insurance coverage? Marsh can help! Marsh, LLC (Marsh), the world’s largest global insurance broker and risk management advisor, has collaborated with NAHB to give members exclusive access to affordable health care insurance coverage through the Health Insurance Services affinity program at http://Marsh.NAHBExchange.com. Launching November 2, 2015 this secure website allows you and your family to shop for a range of benefits options—from major medical, short-term medical, and Health Savings Account plans, to income protection, critical illness, dental, vision, life insurance (including term and whole policies), and accidental death and dismemberment plans. Use decision-support tools available on the site to compare plan options and costs. Then dial a toll-free number, or click online to receive a call to the number of your choice, to talk to a licensed counselor for personalized support. The counselor will answer your questions, walk you through your options, and hold your hand through the decision-making and benefits enrollment process. All plans offered through the Individual Exchange are compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and meet the requirements of the law’s individual mandate (which states that most Americans must have health insurance coverage or pay a tax penalty). Open enrollment, your once a year opportunity to enroll in medical insurance coverage for 2016, begins November 1, 2015 and runs through January 31, 2016. If individuals do not enroll in coverage during the open enrollment window, they will have to wait until the fourth quarter of 2016 to enroll in medical coverage for 2017. Members, employees, and families can check out the health insurance solutions available by visiting http://Marsh.NAHBExchange.com or calling 1-855-292-8849 to speak with a licensed health insurance counselor. NAHB Welcomes the Gecko GEICO and NAHB are proud to be working together to offer exceptional insurance products and a great savings opportunity for members of NAHB. As a member of NAHB, you could qualify for an exclusive discount on GEICO auto insurance. When you consider the fact that new GEICO policyholders report average annual savings of over $500, you could be saving a lot of money. But there's more to GEICO than just great rates. GEICO policyholders receive 24/7, professional, courteous service. When it comes to claim handling, GEICO is able to settle many claims within 48 hours of being reported, and sometimes a check can even be written on the spot. That's why GEICO customers report a 97% customer satisfaction rate. As a subsidiary of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, GEICO has the stability of a company you can trust. Savings, service, and reliability? They can all be yours. Visit www.geico.com/disc/NAHB or call 800-368-2734 and mention NAHB, for a simple, no-obligation rate quote to see how much you could save with your exclusive member discount. GEICO can also help you obtain competitive rates on homeowner's, condo, motorcycle and more insurance coverage. 22 | HBRA of Fairfield County | December 2015
From all of us here at Ingersoll Automotive , we wish all of you Happy Holidays ! As a new member of the HBRA, Ingersoll Automotive would like to Introduce ourselves to you and explore ways we can support the HBRA community. We are based out of Danbury CT and feature all GM brands including Chevrolet , GMC, Buick and Cadillac, along with new and used trucks , cars and SUV's. We have recently completed a multimillion dollar renovation and have sister stores in Pawling NY and Watertown CT. As a GM Business Elite Dealer, we specialize in all vehicles for business use and all of the trades. In addition to very knowledge sales staff, our service department is world class with over thirty five service bays , five master craftsman ( most dealers only have one ), convenient service hours (Mon-Sat 7AM-6PM Tues/Wed/ Thurs until 7). Along with convenient hours, we also offer pickup and delivery, yes, we can come to you!. We service all makes and model including other manufacturer diesel trucks and vehicles. All commercial accounts get next available bay service along with a free work ready loaner with the Business Elite Program! As we wrap up 2015 , We have great news for all of you that will be taking advantage of the US government program known as the Section 179 Tax Code (http://www.gmfleet.com/tax-deductions.html). This program allows qualified businesses up to $25,000 in tax savings in 2015 for work vehicles that meet specific criteria (consult your tax expert). GM is offering special incentives for the Home Builder Associations with rebates of $ 500 and $1,000 to those that have a Fleet Account Number (call us to see if you qualify for fleet discounts!). These incentives can be used with many other incentives, like the Business Choice program with additional rebates for upfit cash. GM Financial has also moved into the commercial finance arena with many great flexible programs and credit lines with fast approval. If you are thinking about making a purchase, the best possible time is now ! Along with amazing year end deals , we are proud to announce the GM partnerships with Isuzu ( Low Cab Forward ) and Navistar for Medium duty Trucks. For details follow the links below: http://www.gmfleet.com/chevrolet/low-cab-forward-trucks.html http://www.gmfleet.com/news/gm-navistar-reach-medium-duty-conventional-cab-trucks-agreement.html From all of us here at Ingersoll Automotive , we wish you a happy and safe holidays Season , and look forward to finding great ways to support the HBRA community! Morgan Pettinato Fleet and Commercial Sales Leader morgan.pettinato@ingersollauto.com 203-942-3535 Cell / Text December 2015 | HBRA of Fairfield County | 23
Happy Holidays! Wishing You & Your Families the Merriest of Holidays and a Very Prosperous New Year! The Fairfield County HBRA Staff
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