Custom Builder Symposium Now in Atlanta

The 2005 Custom Builder Symposium, originally scheduled to be held in New Orleans in November, has been moved to Atlanta.

The symposium will take place on the same dates — Nov. 11-13 — at the Sheraton Atlanta.

Featuring industry-specific education and networking opportunities, the symposium gives custom home builders, remodelers, architects, developers and other industry professionals an opportunity to quickly ramp up the essentials of managing and growing their building businesses.

In light of Hurricane Katrina, two features have been added to the event:

• There will be a roundtable discusson on what custom builders need to do to survive a disaster. Industry experts and disaster survivors will participate.
• NAHB economist Michael Carliner will discuss the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina on the building industry.

The symposium will also include 17 educational sessions with the following topics:

• Contracts
• Business succession planning
• Scheduling
• Building a brand
• Green building
• The builder/architect relationship
• Dealing with challenging customers
• Negotiating
• Growing your business
• Controlling profits

In addition, pre-symposium Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) and Graduate Master Builder (GMB) designation courses will be offered at no additional charge.

Attendees also can attend several advanced, two-day educational sessions and a roundtable discussion with industry veterans to swap business tips and best practices.

Learn From Disney 

Rodney Miller, of Walt Disney World, will discuss, "What your passion can do for you." Prior to joining Walt Disney World, Miller was an executive facilitator for companies including Westinghouse, AT&T, Sears, PepsiCo. and NASA.

Important Registration Information

• Symposium Reservations — Reservations for those who have already registered for the symposium online, by fax or mail have automatically been transerred to Atlanta.
• Room Reservations — For those who made reservations at the New Orleans Sheraton for the event, those reservations have been transferred to the Sheraton Atlanta.
• New Registrations — Early-bird registration has been extended. Register before Oct. 21 and save $50. Go to www.nahb.org/custom to register online or for more information, or call 800-368-5242 x8338.