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WOW - What a Year!

It is hard to believe that this is my last column for our Builder Brief magazine. It has been a
pleasure and a privilege to serve as your President this year. Without a doubt, 2018 has been a
year of growth and change.
The milestones we reached would not have been possible without the dedicated men
and woman who serve on the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, Chairs of GSABA’s
Committees and Councils, and the volunteers who give countless hours to make each event
and meeting successful.
Bryan Smith I want to personally thank the Committee and Council Chairs and each member for the
President good work you have done this year. We host many high profile events during the year and we
couldn’t do it without your leadership and time commitment. These events, along with your
membership investment, fund our budget for the year so they are vital to our financial health.
One of the things I have enjoyed the most was attending the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Texas
Association of Builders (TAB) meetings. TAB hosted their winter board meetings the second week of November in Austin. The local
president’s, membership, government affairs, and code meetings were packed full of relevant topics and issues and I always come
away with invaluable information.
On March 20th, 2019, TAB will host Rally Day at the Capitol and we want you to be part of this important event. Last year, we had
over 50 members travel to Austin to call on our elected officials. We learned at the TAB meetings in November that hundreds of bills
have already been filed for the next session and some of them are not pro-housing and could harm our businesses. We need to talk
with one voice as we look at private property rights, mandated paid sick leave, appraisal caps, and more.
We have hired a luxury bus to take our members to Rally Day and the bus will leave at 8:00am Wednesday, March 20th, from the
Association parking lot and return by 8:00pm that same day. We are seeking partners to underwrite this event. Breakfast, lunch, and
dinner will be provided. The cost to attend is an affordable $15 per member. Your Government Relations Co-Chairs and GSABA staff
will schedule all meetings with our Representatives and Senators. Talking points will be circulated in advance. Together we can make a
difference and do our part to further our industry.
One of the things I am most proud of is the launch of our new health insurance program with One Digital. If you haven’t received new
and updated information on the Aetna Health Insurance plan, vision, dental, and prescription programs, please call your insurance
agent or the association for a list of insurance members who are part of the program.
We continue to strengthen our partnerships with St. Philip’s College and the University of Texas at San Antonio. I am looking forward
to working with students pursuing their one, two, and four year degrees in the construction trades. We hope to host a job fair in the
second quarter of 2019, so if you are planning to hire a summer intern, be sure to check the GSABA website in January.

Education has been a big priority of your Senior Leadership Team and we have made great strides in bringing relevant, information
packed seminars, workshops, and sales training to you. Expect several great classes in 2019, there is information in Kristi’s article in this
Builder Brief edition.
Thank you for support this year. It has meant a lot to me, Stephanie, and my staff. One of the highlights of my career has been
serving on your leadership team and I will continue to stay involved as one of your esteemed Past Presidents.

Sincerely,

6 DECEMBER 2018 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION