New Builders Association chief
Catherine Hyland is filling well-worn work boots, having taken over for Jean Rowe as executive director of the Builders Association of the Hudson Valley. Since July, her mission is rebuilding membership that was lost during the recession.
Bob Merkl, first vice president of BAHV”™s board of directors, says membership dropped nearly 30 percent. “Many of our members stopped doing business or went out of business,” said Merkl, who owns Mr. Handyman in Walden.
Pete Nurzia, owner of Nurzia Construction in Fishkill and chairman of the board, said Hyland “has a positive attitude and encourages feedback from members that we are meeting their needs. She has a genuine respect for them that”™s hard to find and experience both in growing membership, along with a construction background. To me, it was a no brainer: Cathy has hit the ground running.”
Many current and prospective members are suffering from the harsh realities of the economic backlash. Hyland has no illusions about the challenges, but looks forward to meeting every single member and recruiting new ones.
“It”™s also an economic decision when it comes to BAHV dues,” Merkl said. “It”™s $700 for a builder member and $495 for an associate member (suppliers, subcontractors, banks). Those dues include membership in both the New York State Builders Association and the National Association of Home Builders, and it leaves us with very little wiggle room to lower our dues. But we are trying to be as creative as possible to rebuild.”
Hyland said, “The goal is to drive home the point that belonging to our organization will give the trades more clout in Albany and Washington, thanks to their strong political action committees. Our programs and perspective are unique to our industry.”
Builders are facing many challenges in this economy. They have changed the way they do business, said Tommy Honahan, superintendent on a small subdivision being built on Laura Road in Monroe where HV Biz caught up with Hyland.
“Instead of 5,000-square-foot homes, our builder, Jon Shafran, scaled back to 2,800 square feet and scaled back prices, too. He realizes the market has changed, and builders must change with it to stay in business.”
Nurzia agrees. “It”™s a totally different market today. People are looking to add a bonus room, or do some renovations, but most are staying put. For many, it”™s a struggle to re-adjust, but for those who do, they will survive.”
Hyland, former director of membership for the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce previously worked for McHugh Construction in Chicago after graduating from college and served as executive director of one of the city”™s chambers of commerce. “What”™s wonderful about the Builders Association is I am able to take those skill sets and merge them into one position.”
Members who have not had the opportunity to meet Hyland will be able to do so on Sept. 14 when the Builders Association holds its meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn in Newburgh.
“We”™ve got to stay positive,” Hyland said. “As long as we can encourage our members and help them get their names out there and grow their business, and get our state and federal PACs to advocate for us, we”™ll bounce back. It will be different, but optimistically, more robust than before because we”™ve gotten a hard lesson and hopefully learned from it.”