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Vice Chairman Candidates Give Final Campaign Messages
Following are the final messages to the NAHB membership from the two candidates for 2009 Third Vice President, Marsha Elliott and Barry Rutenberg.
 My journey to seek the office of Third Vice Chairman of NAHB began 11 months ago. Things were tough back then and have only gotten worse. I have met and spoken with many of our members and they all share one concern: How are we going to survive and how is NAHB going to help us?
How we handle today’s challenges will, in large measure, determine what tomorrow brings.
The statesman Hubert H. Humphrey once said, “If there is dissatisfaction with the status quo, good. If there is ferment, so much the better. …Then let there be ideas, and hard thought, and hard work.” I sincerely believe that despite all the uncertainty and discomfort, what stands before us is great opportunity.
I understand and share the pain of every builder, remodeler and associate member. Collectively, our voice can be heard, and I believe my consensus building leadership style is the right voice to deliver our message to Congress, lenders, media and suppliers.
And we can do more. We can bring relevant change to the way our business is conducted. We must always be open to and encourage new revenue generating measures, especially the non-dues sort, and must be prepared to make those tough decisions about cutting expenses. We must immediately seek to establish strong working relationships with the President-elect and among members of Congress. And the list goes on…
It’s going to take focus and active participation of every HBA in America if we are going to be successful. And it requires NAHB leadership to be open and responsive to all possible solutions and options that come from members.
Whether a concern is voiced by a builder in the Midwest, a remodeler in the South or an associate in the Northwest, NAHB must never forget that it exists to serve all its members.
Efforts and actions too often have a profoundly Washington-centric perspective, yet what happens inside the Beltway is not necessarily a reflection of the local or state experience. Leaders of NAHB and the association itself must remain uncompromisingly vigilant to do what is right for its members.
Throughout my nearly 30 years of involvement in local, state and national home builders associations, I have thrown myself into doing all I can to benefit the industry and its members — builder, remodeler or associate.
You have my promise that if elected as the Third Vice Chairman to NAHB, I will continue this practice. I recognize that this is not a solitary endeavor but one that needs to involve our entire organization and each and every one of our members. It is for that reason I am asking for your support in January 2009.
 In just a few days, the Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders will choose the newest member of the NAHB Senior Officer team when it elects its 2009 Third Vice Chairman. I am ready, willing and able to fill that role and I ask for your vote on Jan. 22, 2009 in Las Vegas.
"Ready" means that I have spent 35 years preparing for this job. All of my experiences — from chairing key NAHB committees to testifying before a U.S. Senate committee and the Canadian House of Commons Committee to serving 15 consecutive years on the NAHB Executive Board — have shaped me into the experienced Senior Officer that NAHB needs in these challenging times.
"Willing" means that I am highly motivated to do everything in my power to help NAHB, our members and our industry be successful. I am seeking this office for what I believe are the right reasons: my love of our association and its people, my belief in our noble purpose as an industry and the confidence that I can make a difference.
"Able" means that I have made the commitment needed to be an effective leader. I have structured my building, remodeling and land development business to function effectively during the many days I will, if elected, invest in NAHB, and I will continue to rely on a philosophy of getting things done by empowering people and building consensus.
My campaign theme is "A Serious Candidate for Serious Times," and now more than ever, NAHB needs someone with a real depth of experience — someone who has guided their business and their association through previous recessions — to lead us back to our rightful place as the engine that drives the local, state and national economies.
Just as there is change in Washington in 2009, there is change at NAHB in the years ahead. We have to work harder and smarter to meet our members' needs. No one has all the answers, but one thing is certain: leadership is what will make the difference.
I believe that's what the boards of directors of 39 state home builders associations around America were saying when they each endorsed my candidacy. I am humbled by that show of support and, if given the opportunity, will work day and night to justify the confidence the membership has shown in me.
Vote for me as your 2009 Third Vice Chairman. I am ready, willing and able.
I promise I will do my best to lift this industry up... and I won't let you down.
Thank you.
(Please visit us at BarryMeansBusiness.com.)
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