January 2017
Supported By
From the 2017 HBAGNO President, Michael LeCorgne
Michael LeCorgne, CAPS, CGA, CGP, CSP 
I am delighted to serve as your President in the upcoming year. This association means a great deal to me and my business, and I plan to continue to invest an enormous amount of time and energy to see it thrive in the new year. 

We plan to diversify our monthly membership meetings so that every other month (starting January 19th) we will meet for a nothing but networking happy hour - we're calling it Sip & Socialize. The other months will have our traditional luncheons, providing an opportunity to fit within all members' schedules. 

In addition to networking events, I am especially excited that the 501(c)(3), NOEL, has been thriving this past year and will soon be expanding into more parishes. They have had so much success with the Jefferson Parish Office of Community Development that neighboring municipalities have taken notice and have recognized the opportunity for economic development. 

Many of us board members will start out the year by visiting the International Builders Show in Orlando. This is always a great time, and we undoubtedly will come back with ideas to implement for our local chapter. Our own New Orleans Home & Garden Show in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is gearing up to have another great year of putting local suppliers and builders in touch with the home-buying public.

Remember to GET INVOLVED! You only get out of your association what you put into it, and we need the support of every member to see this association thrive in 2017. 

Mike LeCorgne, CAPS, CGA, CGP, CSP
M3P Homes, LLC
2017 Remodelers Council
Rolf Parelius, CAPS, CGR, CGP, CPD,  Viking Construction Services, Inc.
As we look forward to 2017, it is my goal to ensure that the Remodelers Council serves as a valuable asset to your businesses. For this reason, I plan to restructure the council offerings in the coming year.

Instead of having monthly or bi-monthly lunches at the HBA office, the council leadership (myself along with Vice-Chair Roy Olsen) will be striving to bring in dynamic and knowledgeable speakers for 4 Quarterly Luncheons. These luncheons will focus on topics to help your business. and sponsors will still have the opportunity to have a presence with table top sponsorships. They will be free for council members, and guests are welcome for the price of lunch.

Additionally, we will be hosting quarterly Remodelers Roundtables at the HBA office for council members only. These Roundtables will provide a safe, open forum for members to discuss issues faced in the field. It is my hope that these discussions will help provide practical solutions from our peers. 

The theme for this month's secret word is Happy New Year. The secret word for January 2017 is Mariah Carey. Call Lauren at the HBA office (504) 837-2700 and tell her this word. The first person to call with the correct word will win a $20 gift card to Martin Wine Cellar. Thanks for reading!

It is also my goal to grow our council, as the numbers have steadily declined in the past several years. All members are encouraged to bring guests to the luncheons. If a council member successfully recruits 2 new RC members in 2017, that member will receive their next year's council membership for FREE. That's right, r ecruit 2 new council members and your membership if FREE!

I look forwrad to serving as your chair in the coming year, and encourage each of you to reach out with additional suggestions on how to improve our council.
NAHB Student Chapter at Delgado Community College

HBAGNO is proud to support our local student chapter at Delgado Community College. Pictured above is the Student Chapter Faculty Advisor, Professor P. Victor Mirzai, HBAGNO Board of DIrectors member, Jo Ann Kostik, and HBAGNO President, Mike LeCorgne.
FROM LAST MONTH
Annual Holiday Breakfast

Join us for a delicious breakfast, and hear from our incoming president, Michael LeCorgne, on the future of the HBA. We will also be recognizing some of the charitable foundations our members have helped to support throughout the year.

Friday December 2 @ 8:30am
Email Philip@home-builders.org to RSVP. 


New Orleans Museum of Art,
Collins Diboll Cir, New Orleans, LA 70124

December Day of Education!
 
 

Wednesday, December 21st  
 
JEDCO Building
700 Churchill Parkway
Avondale, LA  70094 
 
Cost Per 2-hr Class:  
Members - $50 ($100 for 3)
Non-Members - $75 ($150 for 3) 
 
  
8:30-10:30:  Cloud Computing for Small Business
Speaker:  Michael Wedge

10:30-12:30:  Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Speaker:  Rolf Parelius

12:30-1:30:  Lunch - Provided by the HBA

1:30-3:30:  (tentative topic) Quickbooks for Builders
Speaker:  TBD

To RSVP, Contact: Philip Thomas @ (504) 837-2700
or
philip@home-builders.org
HBA Members Give Back to the Community!

NOEL would like to thank John Heald of One Man and a Tool Box, LLC, for donating their time to do site inspections for the Jefferson Joining Forces program.  

The Jefferson Joining Forces program remediates code violations for elderly, low-income and/or disabled home owners.  These repairs are done at no cost to the home owner, while being fully compensated to the contractor.  For more information on how you can donate your services or products to the Jefferson Joining Forces program, contact Philip Thomas @ (504) 837-2700.


A Recession Is Unlikely
Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is President of GraphsandLaughs, LLC and can be reached at elliot@graphsandlaughs.net. His daily 70 word economics and policy blog can be seen at www.econ70.com.


The current US economic expansion is one of the longest on record, and, come March, will become the third longest in US history, dating back to the start of record keeping in 1854.  As such, there is increasing concern that we are due for a recession. That concern has only heightened, given that the last downturn was particularly nasty.  This fear is weighing not only on household spending, but, more importantly, on corporate spending on plant and equipment, holding back GDP growth and labor productivity.  Fortunately, this concern is misplaced.  
Simply put, age is not what kills expansions.  Rather, it is an overheating economy that generally results in a recession.  When wages start rising swiftly, investment activity starts taking off, debt levels grow rapidly, asset prices become untethered to reality, commodity prices remain high, and inflation rises rapidly, the Federal Reserve invariably intervenes.  In the attempt to cool things down, all too often the Fed raises rates too quickly or too much and accidently drives us into a recession.
However, there is currently little evidence of any pre-recessionary economic exuberance.  As a matter of fact, most of the economy is still behaving as if we were recovering from the recession rather than enjoying the boom times that come at or near the peak of an economic expansion.  Growth, be it domestic or international, is subdued.  Commodity prices are, with few exceptions, at or near cyclical lows, and bank lending is probably best described as solid.  Moreover, inflation, while slowly rising, remains below the official Fed target rate of 2%.  Lastly, while the unemployment rate is just 5%, wage gains are much weaker than they have been before previous economic downturns.  This suggests that there is still slack in the labor market and that the Fed will not have to start raising rates quickly anytime soon.  
Spending by households and businesses is also not signaling a recession.  Purchases of durable goods such as cars and dishwashers averaged 7.5% of GDP in Q2 2016, well below the 8.5% average that has persisted in years preceding recessions.  Private investment spending on new home construction, business related software and equipment and so on - is equally low.  Moreover, the household debt-service ratio, or how much after tax income Americans are devoting to debt payments, is near its lowest level ever and personal savings rates are near their highest level in twenty years.  Lastly, corporate profits are once again on the rise, reducing slightly elevated stock market valuations.     
The above notwithstanding, a recession is always a possibility due to economic shocks emanating from abroad that can dramatically raise energy prices, or a war or an election that can hurt household spending and business confidence.  However, other than that, it would probably take much stronger economic growth for a prolonged period before the Fed felt compelled to raise interest rates quickly enough to meaningfully slow down the economy and, in the process, possibly bring on a recession.  
In short, the current economic expansion that started in July 2009 looks increasingly likely to become the longest economic expansion ever.  Increasing this potential is that even though wages and inflation are finally rising, the Fed has communicated its interest in seeing wages and inflation rise further as they have been too low for too long.  So, enjoy the current expansion; it may well last a lot longer!
Employee Resource
 
Louisiana Economic Development provides an employer/employee service called Louisiana Job Connection. They have reached out to the HBAGNO to be a resource for our members who are in search of employees to meet the current construction demands as much of the area is rebuilding. Below is a customize link for our association. Use this free resource if you are in need of new employees, or are a job seeker. 



In This Issue:
2017 Remodelers Council
Deglado Student Chapter
From Last Month
Calendar of Events

Also Supported By:  

 

Terrebonne Insurance Agency, Inc.

 

Compass Capital Management

 

ADP


 

Buckwalter Insurance

Group, LLC

 

The Law Office of 

Kyle Sclafani

 

Office Depot

 

HomeBuilders Self 

Insurers Fund

 

January
 Calen
dar of Events
All Events held at HBA office unless otherwise noted 
 
See details below for 
"Featured Events"

 
2) New Year's Day (observed) - Office Closed

10-12) International Builders Show in Orlando, FL

16) Home & Garden Show Board Meeting @ 4pm 

17) HBA Board of Directors Meeting @ 4pm 
 
19) Sip & Socialize Happy Hour, 4-6pm
Capri Blu, 3100 19th Street, Metairie

25-27) LHBA Meetings in Lafayette, LA
FEATURED EVENTS
10-12) International Builders Show in Orlando, FL

Click logo for details.

19) Sip & Socialize Happy Hour

No registration.
No guest speakers.
Just networking.

Thursday, January 19th
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Capri Blu, 3100 19th Street, Metairie
Job Postings
List your open jobs here!
No charge for HBA members
Quick Links & Resources

Community Jobs for Bid:



* Under Compliance, click on Employers' Workers' Compensation Coverage Verification

Did you know you can renew your membership online? 

Just login from the HBAGNO homepage to renew your membership.

NAHB Online Courses Logo
2017 Senior Officers of the Board

President, Mike LeCorgne  
Vice President, Frank Morse 
Treasurer, Michael Kraft 
Secretary, Rolf Parelius 
Immediate Past President, Floyd Simeon

2017 Board of Directors

Steve Albert 
John Arms 
Charlie Fontenelle 
David Gaspard
John Heald 
Phil Hoffman  
Kevin Katner 
Larry Kornman
Jo Ann Kostik 
Peter Lanaux
 Ben Laws 
Bruce Layburn 
Harold LeBlanc
Brian Mills
Scott Morse 
Helmut Mundt 
Randy Noel
Lynda Nugent Smith
Roy  Olse n
Wagner Rocha 
Kimberly Rooney
Dorothy Stanich
Devon Sweeney 
Zach Tyson 
Kirk Williamson 
Steve Wobbema 
Wes Wyman
 
 
HBA Staff Contacts

Jon Luther , Executive Vice President
Philip Thomas, Education Director & NOEL Program Director  philip@home-builders.org
Lauren Galliano , Director of Membership & Industry Relations    lauren@home-builders.org
Rita Bautista, Governmental Affairs Representative    rita@home-builders.org
Shane Gray , Accountant  shane@home-builders.org


Did We Miss Something?
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