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Member Profile: A Super-Assertive Advocate for His Association
The latest in a series that profiles members of local NAHB Remodelers who are strengthening their local councils through networking and recruiting new members. The grassroots champions who are being highlighted in this series have collectively recruited more than 400 new members for the NAHB Remodelers to date.
 Gordon Neu
Neu Construction, Inc.
Lakewood, Wash.
As a 30-year veteran of the industry and president of his own company, Neu Construction, Inc., Gordon Neu is a firm believer in industry professionals belonging to a home builders association — in his case, the Master Builders Association of Pierce County (MBA) in Washington.
In fact, when it comes to recruiting member, he’ll recruit them anywhere and everywhere — including the county dump.
“These two guys were unloading their truck and I didn’t recognize their company name,” Neu recalls. “I walked right up and asked, ‘Are you members of the MBA?’”
When they told Neu they weren’t members, he didn’t miss a beat and explained the benefits of membership. Soon after, he had recruited two more members.
For Neu, asking strangers about membership in the MBA is as natural as breathing. “You could say I’m a little forward, but my age (nearing 70) gives me a lot of latitude.”
Old Enough to Know Better
With one full-time employee, Neu oversees the residential remodeling side of his company’s business while his son handles the commercial side. He loves what he does and has no interest in retiring.
“I occasionally still do some design, or work with my designer. I also like the interaction with clients. I admit it, I’m a control freak.”
Over the decades, he has found that one of the keys to success is selecting the right clients.
“You learn the hard way that certain clients just aren’t a good match. Not that they’re bad, necessarily, they’re just not right for you,” he says.
To be a happy and successful remodeler, “you need to be part builder, part psychologist and part marriage counselor,” he points out. “And you need to trust your gut and look for the warning signs.”
That includes turning down jobs like one recent assignment he decided against.
“It was big,” Neu explains. “The window replacements alone were more than $100,000. But one night, my stomach let me know there was a problem.”
“It dawned on me that in all my discussions with the client, I’d only been speaking with the husband and never the wife. The next day, I told them I’d become too busy to give their project the attention it deserved — and a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders,” Neu says without regret.
Committed to the Association
Neu joined MBA five years ago, got involved with its Remodelors™ Council and eventually became the council’s chair. As a member and chair, he helped the council grow significantly. Today, more than 140 people attend its meetings.
Up until five years ago, however, Neu wasn’t interested in joining the home builders association. “I was a loner and thought I didn’t need anyone,” he said.
He joined once he learned about the association’s Return on Industrial Insurance program that enables employers to receive a substantial rebate on the state’s workers comp insurance. The year he joined, “we got a check for about five grand.”
Since then, Neu has been a big believer in the many reasons for belonging to the MBA. He has also become one of the organization’s most assertive — and successful — recruiters.
 Increase Your Professional Credibility
The Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation emphasizes business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.
Remodelers who earn the CGR become members of an exclusive national program and gain recognition as industry leaders.
To learn more about the CGR designation, visit www.nahb.org/CGRinfo, or call The Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154.
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"How to Find a Professional Remodeler," available at BuilderBooks.com, promotes the professionalism of your remodeling business by offering valuable advice to your customers on the process of selecting a remodeler.
The brochure guides consumers from the dream to the reality of having their homes remodeled by skilled and trained professionals. Sections include what to look for in a professional remodeler and what questions to ask.
To view or puchase this publication online, click here, or call 800-223-2665 to order.
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