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The Cream of the Crop Sit On My Board of Directors
Gary Eichhorst

I look at the friends and contacts I have made solely as a result of membership and its networking opportunities, which include Big 50 winners, Remodelor™ of the Year winners, national board members, Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) instructors and Hall of Fame members as my board of directors.

Whenever I have an issue or problem in business, I know that I can pick up the phone and get a reliable, knowledgeable answer no matter what the question. I no longer need to reinvent the wheel every time something comes up.

I have also found that the diversity of the members in this group is great. Whether they are “start-up” owners, small, medium or one of the “big boys,” we all experience the same issues and someone always has an answer that makes sense.

Designations Put Me Ahead of the Competition

The designations I have — CGR, Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), Graduate Master Builder (GMB) and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) — really set me ahead of my competition. They demonstrate to my clients that I am committed not only to delivering a superior product but running an efficient, professional organization.

It is hard to quantify what the designations have done for my bottom line, but I can attest to the fact that many of our more profitable projects were a result of our certifications, thus validating, perhaps, why we were the more qualified contractor choice even though we were higher priced. My take is that professionals and specialists command a higher price, because generally we bring a lot more to the table.

Participation Opens Doors

I have also found that membership has opened up avenues of opportunity for education and business. By being a local chairman of the Remodelors™ Council for the last two years, I have gained a lot of knowledge just by becoming involved and helping other remodelers grow their businesses.

Jud Motsenbacher told me a long time ago that the best way to learn is to teach! I guess that is why he deserved to be the first inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Gary Eichhorst is the president & CEO of Eichhorst & Company, of Spring Grove, IL.

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