BIASC’s 2016 Building Industry Show Focuses on Education and Culminates by Thanking its Leadership and Members

Riverside, CA, November 19, 2016 --(PR.com)-- The Building Industry Show (BIS), which was on Wednesday, November 9 and Thursday November 10 at the Riverside Convention Center by the Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc. (BIASC), “Started the Conversation” by turning its focus towards education.

More than 1,500 attendees came to this year’s show not just to mingle with builders, catch up with professionals in the building industry, and discuss new job prospects, but to also participate in the show’s new format that sought to engage attendees with informative discussions.

This year the show evolved to do more than provide a place for building industry professionals to catch up with colleagues and discuss new job prospects. BIS included insightful Pop-Up Education presentations that covered a range of topics from discussions of how mobile apps are transforming home building; what you need to know about solar: code requirements to future trends; advanced framing techniques; minimizing costs & increasing efficiency; CEU workshops; to design trends for 2017 among other topics.

The goal was to get BIASC members potential answers to these issues such as the skilled labor shortage that BIS addressed during its first ever Skilled Labor Brain Trust, which connected the employers with the educators of potential employees. The Skilled Labor Brain Trust panel discussion was one of the many rich programs that were included in the price of the show floor pass.

Program organizers, the instructors that train the future skilled labor workforce, and the Building Industry Panelist made up of Thomas Steele, HCI; Tanner Schamber, Schamber Electric; and Bruce Wick, OSHA, were all a part of the education-driven discussion panel.

The topics discussed by the dynamic panel during the event included the current and future needs of employers in the industry, the current training programs, and how to connect graduates with employment.

The Building Industry Show Floor culminated Thursday evening with an award ceremony to honor and recognize BIASC’s hard working leadership and dedicated members.

BIASC wishes to extend another congratulations to the following winners which were announced at the 2016 Installation and Award Ceremony Thursday evening after the Building Industry Show Floor closed.

Volunteer of the Year, Greater Sales and Marketing Council: Melissa Auten, Fisher & Paykel
Volunteer of the Year, Union Contractors Council: Rick Parker, Conco Cement
Volunteer of the Year, BIASC LA Ventura Chapter: Taleen Mason, Geocon West, Inc.
Volunteer of the Year, BIASC Orange County Chapter: Alan Boudreau, Boudreau Pipeline
Volunteer of the Year, BIASC Baldy View Chapter: Ryan Combe, Lennar Homes
Volunteer of the Year, BIASC Riverside Chapter: Charles Hunt, Primera
Volunteer of the Year, BILD Foundation: Mary Lynn Coffee, Nossaman LLP
Volunteer of the Year, 55+ Housing Council: Linda Howard, Linda Howard Interior Designs
Individual Achievement Award, Local Government Affairs: Scott Ouellette, Williams Homes
Individual Achievement Award, Community Involvement: John Lavendar, Lennar
Lifetime Service Award: Jonathan Weldy, Meridian Land Development Company
2016 Builder of the Year: Tom Grable, TRI Pointe Homes
President’s Award: Norm Witt, Cook Hill Properties and Valerie Hardman, Outdoor Dimensions
BIASC would also like to congratulate the newly installed 2017 BIASC Governing Board who were also announced during the 2016 Installation and Award Ceremony Thursday evening after the Building Industry Show Floor closed.
BIASC President: Peter Vanek, Meritage Homes
BIASC Vice President: Tom Grable, TRI Pointe Homes
BIASC Vice President: Mike Gartlan, KB Home
BIASC Secretary/Treasurer: Alan Boudreau, Boudreau Pipeline Corp.
Immediate Past President: Michael Battaglia, CalAtlantic Homes

Builders at Large:
Greg McWilliams, FivePoint
Howard Press, Watt Communities
Bob Yoder, Shea Homes
Erren O’Leary, Lewis Management Corp.
Mark Torres, Lennar
Paul Hernandez, Irvine Company
Jonathan Weldy, Meridian Land Development
Dave Bartlett, Brookfield Homes

Associates at Large:
Charles Gale, Metropolitan Water District
Harry Crowell, AmTrust Surety
Randy Richards, Reliable Wholesale Lumber
Chapter Immediate Past Presidents:
Ali Sahabi, Optimum Group (Baldy View Chapter)
Glen Longarini, KB Home (Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter)
Jim Yates, Rancho Mission Viejo (Orange County Chapter)
Leonard Miller, Richmond American Homes (Riverside Chapter)
Representative to Councils: Valerie Hardman, Outdoor Dimensions
Representative to CBIA: Wes Keusder, Keusder Homes
BIASC CEO: Mike Balsamo

About the Building Industry Association of Southern California, Inc.:
BIASC is a cohesive nonprofit trade association organized into chapters and councils that represents the building industry throughout the counties of Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino. Members of BIASC are active in all aspects of the building, including land development; homebuilding, multi-family and commercial development as well as infrastructure; our membership includes architects, engineers, planners, contractors, suppliers, property owners, subcontractors and associated professionals throughout Southern California.

BIASC is a full-service organization providing legislative advocacy, educational programming, labor relations, networking and community relations. The association objective is to promote a positive business environment for the building industry. http://www.biasc.org/