August/September 2015 Ι VOLUME 72

FINAL Message from the President

Hello Again, Here we are Already in September!! We are coming to the end of another Summer (although @ 88 Degrees today, it doesn’t feel like the end of Summer)! I am also coming to the end of my turn as President of the Fond du Lac & Dodge County Home Builders. As I started this term a year ago, I said I was sooo happy to be your new President. Now, as I end I want to say how “Proud” I am to have been your President. What a great bunch of people this Or-ganization is. Any time you need help, support, advice, someone is there for you. The year was not without its challenges, but we survived them all – in style. We lost Congressman Petri, as a long time tenant, and friend. We gained WEAC as a tenant. (during a tumultuous Election cycle). We moved our Offices to the “Garage”, and ended up with a beautiful space. (Thank you to all the people who made that happen, -- see the Thank you list included in this Newsletter. Thank you especially, to Tom Leu, and Ralph and Jackie Gulig, who became second Family to Amanda and Kathy, spending all their days, and most of their nights for several months at the office, managing the re-modeling project to the end. Also Thank you to Amanda & Kathy, for first… shar-ing offices with WEAC upstairs, and then…. living through the Reconstruction of the Garage downstairs. They were real troopers, managing to get their work done in total chaos, thank you again to them). We found ourselves Selling the Building, and becoming tenants ourselves. (Thank you to all those Contractors and Suppliers, so many years ago, who built this beautiful building. This allowed us to have options through some serious finan-cial difficulties. And your foresight and the quality of construction of this Build-ing, have given us the ability to move

forward for another many years. Thank you to all). We had a successful Home Show (SHE), despite the nasty weather, and on Sun-day, another horrible, Officer funeral for our city. (Thank you to Amanda & Kathy, and a super committed SHE committee, who have been coordinating this for years. Kudos!) We had a great Spring/Summer Parade, well attended, despite the challenges of the many community activities we com-pete with in May & June. (Thank you to Amanda for taking on the Plan Book De-sign & Layout. What a talent!! A huge job. A super expense savings. Thank you again, Amanda) We started doing Noon “Munchies” – Meetings for networking & gaining all kinds of Information on the Benefits Available from our Organization. (HBA, WBA, & NAHB). (This idea was totally generated from the Membership committee & Thank you to Amanda & the Membership Team – al-ways looking for new ways to enhance value in Membership in the Home Build-ers Association). We had a great Golf Outing – Both in terms of all the fun that was had, and of the Money that was raised and donated to the High School Golf Teams. What a great Community supported event, and a chance to meet and mingle with some great young athletes. (Thank you to Amanda and the Golf Committee. Won-derfully organized, our largest Member-ship attended event. A testament to its success. Great job!!) We are preparing for a great Fall Parade. (Thank you again to Amanda for design-ing the Plan Book, but also thank you to all the Builders who support the Organi-zation by entering homes in the Parade. We know the extra Stress and Planning it takes to get a Parade Home finished per-fectly for the Parade. Thank you for Sup-porting us, and thank you to the Suppli-ers, Subs and Vendors, who offer dis-counts to entice the Home Owners into

Barbara Knickel, Guaranty Title Services

allowing their Homes to be in the Parade. We appreciate all of you.) As we end our Fiscal year, we are looking forward to one more event that we are trying to Organize. This is the last year for a long time that the NAHB International Build-ers Show will be held in Las Vegas. It can only be held in Las Vegas and Orlando, as those are the only venues large enough. It is being held on January 19 – 21, 2016. We are trying to get a group to-gether to go, and have some fun. Discounts are being offered for early registration. So if you have any interest, give Amanda a call, and find out what’s up. I want to thank the Board for their Professionalism, calm, insight and wisdom through what was a very difficult decision year for our Asso-ciation. Their ability to deliberate and weigh both sides of the issues thoroughly, gave me comfort knowing we really could explore all options. Thank you, Thank you. In Closing, I want to thank Aman-da & Kathy for just keeping “the Wheels on the Bus” – moving from one Project to another in the Blink of a Text or a Phone Call. Keep up the good work. Thank you, Ladies. And with that, it is time to “Pass the Gavel”. Please join us on Sep-tember 16th @ South Hills for the 2015 Installation of our new Presi-dent, David Washkoviak of Rob-erts Homes, and David Boelter as Vice President and Jackie Gulig as Treasurer. We will welcome and install our new Board Members and the continuing Board Mem-bers. Please join us for a relaxing evening.

Thank you Again, Barbara Ann Knickel

Hello there,

On Tuesday, September 22nd we are launching an exclusive event in your area called

Houzz University.

During this interactive, hands-on presentation, Houzz experts will work with you side-by-

side to help you create a compelling, complete professional profile on Houzz that will at-

tract new clients and promote your brand.

By the end of this workshop you will have a profile that includes the following:

a well written description of your business that answers key questions prospective cli-

ents will have about you. (Bring your electronic company description you already have

with you).

Photos of your work that are uploaded and categorized correctly so that they are more

likely to appear in search results when homeowners are looking for projects like yours.

(Bring your electronic photos with you!)

requests for reviews of your work from past clients and colleagues so that prospective

clients can hear from others about the high quality of your work.

In this workshop we will also teach you how to use Ideabooks to effectively communicate

with your clients to shorten and improve the design process.

To ensure that each attendee has ample support from the Houzz experts on hand, this

unique event has limited availability. Sign up today to reserve your spot!

Regards,

Stephanie Bai

Industry Marketing

Join Us for Houzz University in Fond Du Lac!

HOUZZ IS COMING TO FOND DU LAC!

Tuesday, September 22

2:00pm to 4:30pm

Roberts Homes & Real Estate

1315 S. Main Street, Fond du Lac

COST: FREE FOR MEMBERS

$20 - Non-Members

Bring your laptop!

Register by calling Amanda @ 922.9067

or email Amanda

@HomeBuildersFdlDodge.com

Space is limited.

Register early to guarantee your spot!

ParadeOfHomesFdl.com

We are proud to report that we have 9 entries for this year’s Fall Parade of Homes (eight homes, one

other project)! Thank you to all of the participating builders, we will have quite an event this Fall!

GET IN ON THE EXCITEMENT! Although the deadline to advertise has passed, you can still place

an ad if you act by September 9! Please email Amanda for more information.

RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW!

Have you seen the new look of the

Wisconsin Builders Association? Be sure

to email Amanda to request the logos for

the National Association of Home

Builders, Wisconsin Builders Association

and our local Association. Your affiliation

as a member shows instant credibility and

professionalism to your clients!

A GOLF SUCCESS! THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our 29th Annual Golf Outing on Friday, July 31 at Whispering Springs. We

had 100 golfers, and a *perfect* day for the event! We appreciate everyone who attended, donated an auction item and/or

took a sponsorship. A BIG THANK YOU to our committee for all of their hard work and effort in assisting with the event.

Please mark your calendar for next year, Friday, July 22 at Whispering Springs for our 30th Annual Golf Outing!

29th Annual Golf Outing

THANK YOU to each and every one of you who helped in some way create our new lower-level office space. We

really are enjoying our new home! We could not have completed this project without the generosity of many. A

plaque is being created to honor those who contributed and will hang in the entry way of our new office. Here are a

couple of images of our new space! If you are interested in checking it out, please stop by or if you would like to

stop before the Installation dinner, please let Amanda know so we can be sure someone is here to give you a tour.

OUR NEW SPACE!

ASSOCIATION AWESOMENESS

Summer came, and summer is gone. Wow, that went quick! Time flies when you are having fun and that’s exactly what has been happening here at the Home Builders Association!

Membership Muncheons As you know, this summer we tried something different and ran a series of free luncheons that focused on mem-bership, with the opportunity to do a

little net-working at the same time. What we found, is that many members did not ful-ly under-stand the

value of their membership. To help correct this, we invited representatives from the Wisconsin Builders Associa-tion and the National Association of Home Builders to join us for lunch. I felt that the luncheons were incredibly powerful, and I thank each of you who took the time to attend. We heard many compliments regarding a “lunch” meeting and you will find that we have added more of them to our schedule of events. If you have an idea for a presentation/meeting topic you would like to see discussed, please do not hes-itate to reach out to me, I would love to hear it!

THANK YOU I want to thank Luedtke Lumber and Menards for inviting me to participate in your recent contractor appreciation events. This was a fantastic opportuni-ty for me to connect with those in our industry, who are not currently mem-bers of our Home Builders Association. If any of you are hosting an event or doing any type of activity that would

allow for me to network with potential members, I would greatly appreciate an invitation!

GREEN AND GOLD So, I am going to be honest. I have never been to a Packer Game. But I know that tickets are expensive and that in the state of Wisconsin we have some crazy, die-hard football fans! With that said, I am incredibly excited about the incentive our Association is offering over the next few weeks to grow our membership. Basically, every single one of you has a 1/10 chance to win 2 GREEN BAY PACKER TICKETS just for inviting a business to join our Asso-ciation and of course, having them join. That’s it. Not only do you have the chance to win Packer tickets, you help grow the network of possibilities and opportunities not only for yourself, but for our entire organization. We have great strength in numbers and recruiting just one member, will make a very BIG difference! Please let me know what I can do to help.

On a Personal Note I couldn’t be happier to send my two boys back to school last week, com-ing home to a clean house and some food

A Message from your Executive Officer

left in the refrigerator is a re-markable thing! It’s hard to be-lieve one is in 4th grade and the other in 7th grade! This summer we added a new addition to our family, Milo, a yorkie. It was a little adjustment but he has certainly added some great joy to our family. I hope you all had a fabulous summer with your families and I hope to see you on September 16 at South Hills for our Installation Event!

Amanda Kemmel Executive Officer

Remembering our

fellow member, Jim

Kuitert (Holiday

Automotive), who

passed away on

June 17 after a battle

with cancer.

Sending our deepest

condolences to his

family, Holiday

Automotive and all

who knew him.

July Don & Claudia Whitty Rick & Teri Bloohm

Jerry & Bonnie Benzel Dennis & Renee Buechel

Mike & Chris Schmitz

August Dabe & Julie Boelter Ron & Laurie Cutter

Joel & Pam Fleischman

September Bob & Deanna Kahl Dale & Holly Rose

Darryl & Sharon Reetz Jim & Lisa Woller

Roland & Janet Pinno Mel & Shirley Streeter

July Don Whitty Ric Bloohm

Mike Meilahn Mitch Kahl

Jerry Benzel Dennis Buechel

Neal Nett Amanda Kemmel

August Bob Berryman Sharon Reetz

Dave Cook Steve Guelig

George Hettenhaus Jim Woller Lyle Nett

Terry Davis Mark Van Buren

September Dan Steffes

Melanie Holdorf Jane Nett

Pam Marcoe Steve Wirtz

Kevin Aubrey

Have you ever attended NAHB’s International Builder’s Show? The NAHB International Builders' Show® (IBS) is the

largest annual light construction show in the world, every year attracting 50,000 visitors from more than 100 countries.

IBS brings together the industry’s most important global manufacturers and suppliers and showcases the latest prod-

ucts, materials and technologies involved in all types of buildings – including wood, concrete, stone and brick. See

more than 400,000 net square feet of exhibits and 1,300 manufacturers and suppliers of the latest and most in-

demand products and services. In addition to the must-see products and exhibits, IBS also offers the most up-to-date

and innovative education the industry has to offer. The 2016 show features 120+ sessions in 8 tracks, taught by re-

nowned building industry experts from across the country. With topics ranging from sales and marketing to construc-

tion and codes, there is literally something for everyone. You can also go in-depth with pre-show courses that can

count toward an industry designation, or hands-on with demos and education on the show floor. You won’t find a more

impressive collection of knowledge and new ideas for improving your business anywhere else.

Members of our Home Builders Association receive a generous discount to attend IBS. If you register in September,

your full registration cost is just $275! Prices will go up on October 1, so don’t wait! PLUS, in September you can

bring your spouse for FREE! You can register online at www.BuildersShow.com/September. Please let Amanda

know if you need any assistance in scheduling your flight or reserving your hotel. We are watching flight prices closely

and right now and they are quite reasonable at this time. We hope to see you at IBS 2016!

Take Action to Leave the Legacy You Desire August is What Will Be Your Legacy Month. If you knew this, you have an unusual knowledge of obscure celebra-tions. But even if you weren’t aware of this “month,” you can see that the idea behind it — the importance of leaving a legacy — is an important one. What should you do to help ensure you’ll leave the type of legacy you desire? To begin with, identify those people whom you’d like to directly benefit from your legacy. What can you leave behind to your children, grandchildren, other family members or even close friends? Then, think about those chari-table organizations you support — can you leave something behind to them? Once you have decided what your lega-cy should look like, you can take steps to implement your ideas. Here are a few suggestions: Draw up your will. A will is probably the most essential legacy-related docu-ment. Essentially, you need a will to ensure that your assets and personal belongings will be distributed accord-ing to your wishes. If you die intestate (without a will), your belongings will be distributed to your “heirs” as defined by state laws — and these distributions may not be at all what you had in mind. Consider a living trust. Depending on your situation, you may need to go fur-ther than a will when creating the es-tate plans that help define your legacy. For example, you might want to create a living trust, which can allow your as-sets to go directly to your heirs, avoid-ing the public, time-consuming and potentially expensive process of pro-bate. A living trust offers other bene-fits, too, so you may want to consult with a legal professional to learn more about this estate-planning tool. Plan for your charitable gifts. To leave the legacy you have envisioned, you might want to do more than provide your loved ones with needed financial

resources — you may also want to pro-vide lasting support to those charitable or educational organizations whose work you admire. Toward this end, you might want to consult with your tax and legal advisors about charitable gifting strategies that can provide tax benefits, both now and in the future. Give your family the power to act on your behalf. Like everyone else, you want to be in charge of your own desti-ny. Unfortunately, however, you may someday become mentally or physical-ly incapacitated for a while. If this were to happen, you’ll want your family to be able to act on your behalf with re-gard to financial and health care deci-sions. To grant your loved ones this power, you may want to create a pow-er of attorney and a health care di-rective. Communicate your wishes. You need to communicate to your loved ones the actions you have taken regarding your will, living trust and other estate-planning documents. By explaining your wishes in advance, you may be able to help your family members avoid disputes and unpleasant surprises — and that lack of “drama” can also be a key part of your legacy. What Will Be Your Legacy Month will come and go. But by definition, your legacy will last beyond your lifetime — so make it a good one.

THE BRAND NEW

2015-2016 BOARD OF

DIRECTORS

David Washkoviak, President

David Boelter, Vice President

Jackie Gulig, Treasurer

Barbara Knickel, Immediate Past President

Builder Directors:

Dave Boelter

Tom Leu, Past President

Associate Directors:

Chris Cardinal

Greg Feucht

Tyler Gross

Kim Schmitz

David Thiel

Broc Fleischer

Andy Wapneski

Association Staff:

Amanda Kemmel, Executive Officer

Kathy Braun, Administrative Assistant/Accounting

Dan Sprader

Thank you to

Kevin Aubrey

(Aubrey Electric)

for your dedication and

service to our Board of

Directors! Kevin has served

our Association leadership

since 2003.

MEMBERS UP FOR

RENEWAL

July Faber Construction Lasting Impressions

Home Makeover

August Insurance Agency

Fond du Lac Asphalt Paving Packerland Home Improvement

September Amerhart

FloorQuest FdL Equipment Rental & Repair

Mark Cardinal Concrete Construction

Natural Stone Veneers Performance Plastering

Precision Overhead Door Wisconsin Building Supply

October

Karr Bach Builders Pro-Build

Rademann Stone & Landscape Sabel Drywall & Plastering, Inc.

THANK YOU FOR

RENEWING!

Valley Cabinet

Schenck SC

Associated Bank

Diamond Drywall

Lycon, Inc.

Dream Builders

Partners by Design &

Fine Furnishings

Floyd Drywall

AMC of Wisconsin

Hillcrest Builders

Guaranty Title

Services

Aubrey Electric

Bashaw Builders

ARC Contracting

Towne Construction

Burg Homes & Design

TK Hardwood

Floor Co.

Advanced Custom

Geothermal

Fleischmann

Excavating

Helmer Electric

Pella Windows & Doors

of Wisconsin

Paul Schaefer

Construction

Cowles-Henke-Kemmel

Insurance

CANCELLED

MEMBERS:

The following members have opted not to renew

their membership. If you do business with them, please encourage them to renew.

Membership benefits

information can be found at www.ValueOfNAHB.org.

BUERGER

BUILDERS

LEON CHURCH

BUILDERS

NEW MEMBERS

The following businesses have applied for membership and have been approved by the Board of Directors. If you should have any reason

why membership shall not be granted, please notify our office within ten days of receipt of this publication:

Berhoff Homes, LLC Goebel Builders, LLC

Bank Mutual B104.7

490 W. Rolling Meadows Dr.

Suite B

Fond du Lac, WI 54937

920.922.9067 ph

920.922.6668 fax

HomeBuildersFdLDodge.com

Info@HomeBuildersFdLDodge.com

UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday, September 16 - Installation Dinner - South Hills Country Club

Tuesday, September 22 - HOUZZ Seminar @ Roberts Homes

Wednesday, September 22 - Membership Committee Meeting, Noon

Wednesday, October 14 - Summit Automotive Networking Event

Weekends of October 16 and 23 - Fall Parade of Homes

If you are interested in submitting a proposal to invest

proceeds from the sale of our building, please contact

Amanda for the criteria developed by the Finance

Committee and Board of Directors. Proposals will be due

on September 30.

SAVE THE DATE! 2016 SUMMER PARADE OF HOMES WEEKENDS OF JUNE 3 and 12