By Chris Dostie, NEFBA president
Dear members,
As I’m writing this letter, it is the middle of August. By the time this is printed and you read it, some important and amazing events will have taken place.
The Clay Builders Council will have held its Charity Golf Tournament, the Sales and Marketing Council will have sponsored a Power Breakfast with a workshop led by John Palumbo, and the St. Johns Builders Council will have held its Parade of Homes banquet and opened the doors to the model homes built by NEFBA members in St. Johns County.
Even as we look back on the third quarter and celebrate its many successes, we are looking forward to some of the biggest events on our annual calendar.
It has been such a privilege for me to watch our new office complex come up from its foundation to completion. At the groundbreaking last October, our keynote speaker, Daniel Davis, and our then-President Lee Arsenault spoke about NEFBA’s legacy and about its leap into the future.
The building and furnishings are certainly designed to meet the needs of our members, our staff and the community for a variety of events, classes, workshops and meetings. The convenient location, the ample parking and the ability to bring many of our featured events in-house are not only more efficient, they are looking to the future – NEFBA’s role in leading the industry to our next 75 years.
We will open our doors at the new address next month and hold our first Beast Feast there on Oct. 18. The annual Beast Feast is one of our best attended events. Not only is the food the best barbecue in town, members can meet lawmakers, city officials, building department heads and other decision-makers to exchange ideas and talk about issues related to their businesses.
On Oct. 23, we will use our new expanded event space to host an event that has become the hallmark of builder and associate interaction. Meet the Builder invites all our associate members to present their services, products and representatives to the builders all under one roof. We believe the new facility and location will attract even more builders as we stress the advantages of “members doing business with members.”
Looking a little further in the future, be sure to put the Annual Gala at 7 p.m., Nov. 2, on your calendars now. I may say this a lot, but truly the gala is not to be missed. It is our major fundraising event, with a portion of the proceeds going to Builders Care, and it’s our time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished individually and as an association. It reflects the spirit of our members, a spirit that combines cooperation and ambition and sets us apart, adding another volume to our history of building a legacy.
Thank you all for contributing time, financial support and expertise to your association. You are the face of NEFBA, and together we are the family portrait of one awesome association.
Sincerely,
Chris Dostie
Dostie Homes