Don't miss the March Membership Luncheon this Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at Dixie State College Gardner Center. Buffet opens at 11:45 am.

Luncheon Speaker: 
Eric Allen of Metrostudy will present the latest market analysis of the St. George Area building industry. Rather than use permits pulled, Metrostudy's team of surveyors drive the streets of every subdivision and physically inspect every lot to compile essential accurate housing market information. Eric has a vast knowledge of this area and the direction the housing market is going.

Sponsors: Jones Paint and Glass
Jones Paint & Glass provides you with the best in windows and paint. We also have a wide variety of products for your home and office such as: mirrors, plexi-glass, decorative glass, table/desktop glass, screens, shower doors, window coverings, and storm doors. You’ll have confidence in working with us. We are a local company with 70 years of experience and a reputation for standing behind the products we manufacture and sell. Come in and talk with one of our experts. You’ll see how easily you can change just one thing, and change everything!
When You Hear the CRASH… Think of Jones Paint & Glass!  

Cost: One lunch is complimentary per SUHBA membership. Each additional lunch is $13.

RSVP/Advance Registration: Not Required

Dixie State College Parking Instructions: Please park only in the parking lot located on the corner of 700 East 300 South next to the gymnasium. Vehicles parked in any other location may receive a parking ticket.

Thank you to all the many members who worked so hard on the 2010 Parade of Homes to make it a success. We had a great turnout in the homes and distributed approximately 24,300 tickets this year!  The Parade Builders reported the traffic flow in their homes was great and very busy. Even during the week when we see a decline, many reported constant traffic. We have seen a 6% decrease in tickets distributed this year compared to last year, but we feel the Parade was successful given the current economy and the rain on the last weekend. 

Visitors came from all over including Northern Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona and several from across the nation. Many comments were received by visitors stating they liked the variety of homes that ranged from the more affordable price range in the $200s to the more expensive homes. The Parade of Homes continues to be a success because of the great variety of homes on display and the excellent decorating and landscaping. We have the most talented designers and craftsmen in the country! 

We sincerely thank everyone for their tremendous efforts in making this year's Parade of Homes a success!  This is a community event that involves hundreds and hundreds of people. The Parade of Homes promotes building and attracts many people to our area. We extend a special thank you to our sponsors for making this event possible. Thank you to our main sponsor Zions Bank for their excellent support. We appreciate Questar Gas, Boulevard Home Furnishings, Burton Lumber, KSL Television, The Spectrum and Cherry Creek Radio. Their support was instrumental in the success!

U S House Representative Jim Matheson was accompanied by SUHBA President Mike Madsen (Interstate Rock Products), SUHBA 1^st VP Kelly Stephens (SunRiver Construction), SUHBA 2^nd VP James Sullivan (S & S Homes), and some SUHBA staff on Thursday, Feb 18, on a brief tour of some of the 2010 Parade Homes.  Congressman Matheson discussed the local building industry issues with the builders and the Executive Committee Members that accompanied him.  Among the issues discussed were:  Financial Institution regulations, Cap and Trade proposals, unemployment statistics, and Green Building techniques being used locally.

Please make a note that the SUHBA offices will be closed on Thursday & Friday, February 25-26, 2010. Interior and exterior signs collected from the 2010 Parade of Homes can be picked up at the SUHBA Office starting on Monday, March 1, 2010.

SUHBA is now accepting applications for scholarships. Preference is given to families and employees of SUHBA Members seeking further education in a field related to the building industry. The deadline for applying is April 15. Funds for these scholarships are made possible from proceeds received from the annual Golf Tournament and from the Parade of Homes Builders. Click here for an application.

The City of St. George building department has received information from Questar Gas Company that there are numerous instances of illegal gas line installations occurring within the City of St George. Substandard and/or unlisted gas fittings are being used for backyard appliances such as fire pits and gas fire rings. No permits were obtained for the projects in question. ...More

PR or News Wire February 17, 2010—
Over the past several years Utah has regularly been recognized as a “best place for business”, “best managed” or “happiest” state in the nation.  Now Forbes magazine has published a ranking that may shed a new light on one of the key reasons Utah enjoys these accolades; debt or the relative lack of it!  ...More

You are cordially invited as Town & Country Bank celebrates its Grand Opening with a FREE CONCERT by Dan Truman of Diamond Rio on February 25, 2010 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Come to our new location 405 East St. George Boulevard and enjoy the ceremony, food, drawings and a tour! Lots of prizes including a Netbook computer, a flat screen TV, cash and many more prizes!!!! 435-673-1150 www.tcbankutah.com.

Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah is pleased to announce the Hinstroza Family House Dedication Ceremony on Thursday, Feb. 25th at 4:00 pm, at 574 N. Belair, Hurricane, UT 84737. Thanks to the many volunteers and donors for making this possible. For more information, please call Habitat for Humanity at 435-674-7669. 

Congratulations to Thayne Houston & Jim Coleman for celebrating 25 years with ERA Brokers. These two individuals have made outstanding contributions to ERA Brokers and to the community for 25 years. Congratulations to both of you for this important achievement!

Windermere Real Estate published their Southern Utah Housing Report: January 2010. Click here to read it.

SouthWest Federal Credit Union, in cooperation with the American Red Cross, is hosting a blood drive at their Tabernacle Branch, 333 East Tabernacle in St. George, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The goal is to collect 30 pints and members of the general public are encouraged to participate. 

Those who donate blood will be entered to win a $25 gift card and a life-size stand up Hollywood Cutout of Edward Cullen from the Twilight series. To schedule an appointment to give blood, contact Marion Panganiban at 674-6918 or email Marion.Panganiban@SouthWestFederal.com

Mark your calendars for the Utah Builders Conference which will be held on Thursday, March 25 - Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the Dixie Center. Click here for more information or to download a registration form.

Builders can receive 2011 Parade Points for attending this conference.

The Utah State Energy Program will be offering a new rebate for home and business owners that install solar energy.  That means if you install solar energy on your home or business you will get a check in the mail for thousands of dollars back! This is a brand new program funded through the Federal Stimulus bill and everyone will have questions about how it works. To help answer those questions the Utah Solar Energy Association is hosting the Utah Renewable Energy Conference 2010. This event will be held on Saturday, March 27th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and it will be located at the Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus off I-15 at 9750 South in Sandy.  Admission is $5 for an individual or $10 for a family. For more information and to register for the event visit www.utsolar.org.

Greenhouse gases have become a buzz word for all things green, but it is much more.  The engineers at University of Utah, public agencies, contractors, heavy industries, architects and urban planners are all working to reduce green house gases and the impact of using raw materials without a lot of fanfare.  Dr. Paul J. Tikalsky, Chair and Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah will discuss the many ways that design professionals, public agencies and industry are creating long-lasting methods to help change the world for generations to come. 

Come be challenged, enlightened and educated at this free lecture held on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 at 7:00 pm, at the Gardner Center, Community Room B, at Dixie State College. ...More

Small businesses owned by women and minorities that provide professional services, construction and supplies related to the transportation field can apply for a free certification. This certification is called the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification. Airport, Highway and Transit agencies across the US seek out firms certified as DBE for federally funded projects. 

If you are interested in learning about a free certification program that can help your small business find excellent contracting opportunities with State (UDOT), City (City of St. George, SLC Dept of Airports, Cedar City) and transit (UTA, Logan Cache Valley, Park City Corporation) please come to this workshop. There is no charge to attend. ...More

Using OSHA standards as a guide, this 10 hour course will provide safety information on topics directly impacting most construction companies. Two-day attendance is necessary to receive an OSHA completion card, which is a requirement on many bid submissions and job sites. It will be held on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm and Thursday, March 11th from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm,, at the WCF Building at 1453 S. Dixie Dr, Ste 100, St. George. This course is $50 for WCF policyholders and $175 for Non-WCF policyholders. Please register by calling 801-288-8103 or 800-466-2667 ext. 8103 or online at www.wcfgroup.com.

With today's changing market, it is more important than ever that building industry professionals maintain their edge. Like any other profession, a changing market can translate into fiercer competition for your business. Earning a designation from The NAHB University of Housing can be a great way to distinguish yourself - and your company. This February, resolve to take advantage of the opportunity to advance your industry knowledge and skills. ...More

Conveniently located off I-15 in Washington, the Coral Canyon Town Center has office space available for lease by SUHBA.  Three spaces are available and range in size from 1,086 to 1,227 square feet.  For more information, please contact Mari Smith at 674-1400.

SUHBA members are encouraged to submit company event announcements, open house announcements, job announcements, education announcements and press releases for inclusion in the next News You Can Use by Monday, March 8, 2010. Please email the information to news@suhba.com.