Keynote – Jason Jennings - “Think BIG, Act Small,”
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Jason Jennings has spent his career founding and leading successful businesses and helping other companies to achieve their full economic potential. In 2001, his book It’s Not the Big That Eat the Small It’s the Fast That Eat the Slow rocketed on to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers lists. Jason followed that with Less is More, a look at the successful operations of the world’s most productive companies. His latest book, Think BIG Act Small, profiles the leadership of a select group: the only 10 companies in the world boasting 10 consecutive years of revenue and profit growth exceeding 10 percent. These companies “nailed the fundamentals,” as Jennings says. They also share characteristics and values that home builders can model.

J. Walker Smith – “Consumers Are in Control…And  They Mean Business”
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President of Yankelovich Inc., a marketing consultancy specializing in consumer lifestyle trends and database marketing solutions, Walker is co-author of “Rocking the Ages: The Yankelovich Report on Generational Marketing,” and “Coming to Concurrence: Addressable Attitudes and the New Model for Marketing Productivity.” Walker posits that consumers are no longer content to consume: they want to collaborate and create. How can you deal with home buyers who want to invent the options from which  they can choose? Smith provides a view of the marketplace ahead and will discuss tools and marketing systems essential to success.

Industry Update – James Haughey
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James Haughey is director of Economics at Reed Construction Data, provider of the RS Means construction project cost data. With more than 30 years experience as a business economist, and more than 20 of those spent monitoring the building and construction industry, Jim is perfectly positioned to tell us what is really happening in the housing market. His update will help you look ahead to and prepare for what is likely on the horizon.

National Housing Quality Award Panel 
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Winners of the National Housing Quality Award offer specifics on the processes they have implemented that caught the judges’ eyes. Some of the best builders in the country detail how to improve the very core of your business with processes that are field tested and proven to work to the benefit of your bottom line.

Breakout Sessions

• Supply Chain Panel —
   
  View David Hunihan Presentation
  
  View Glenn Singer Presentation
  
  View David Hanrahan Presentation

  Bill Lurz, Senior Business Editor of Professional Builder and Housing Giants, will moderate, bringing to the table David Hunihan, steward of Fidelity Homes, based out of Venice, Florida,  Glenn Singer, CEO of the Littleton, Colorado-based buying cooperative Builder Partnerships, and David Hanrahan, Co-CEO of Clearwater,  Florida-based Arthur Rutenberg Homes.  These experts will tackle the supply chain issue from the homebuilder’s,  manufacturer’s and the distributor’s point of view, explore new ways small builders manage costs and examine what co-operative buying may —or may not— add to the builders’ price-bargaining position on materials and products. Better price control, improved service, and easier delivery all affect your bottom line as well as your customer satisfaction ratings. Learn how to work the chain to your advantage. 
  
  

  David Hunihan

  Glenn Singer

  David Hanrahan

  
  

• New Technology Panel —

View Noelle Tarabulski Presentation

View Craig Schweikart Presentation

Keeping up with what’s new in business technology is confusing and expensive. Mark Jarasek, Senior Editor E-Media for Professional Builder  and Custom Builder moderates a panel featuring Noelle Tarabulski, founder and president of Builder Consulting Group;  Christopher Luter, Director of Information Technologies for Veridian Homes, Madison, WI; and Craig Schweikart, Vice President, Builder 360, Constellation HomeBuilder Systems Inc. in Redmond, WA . These  can catch you up to speed on the latest software innovations as well as what works and what doesn’t, to give you a much-needed edge in today’s intensely-competitive marketplace.



Noelle Tarabulski

Christopher Luter

Craig Schweikart




• Green Building Panel—

View Michael Dickens Presentation

View Jim Gleeson Presentation

View David Milner Presentation

It’s the most dynamic topic in home building today, but who is doing it well and making it work? Felicia Oliver, Senior Editor of Professional Builder and Custom Builder has invited Michael Dickens, Partner/CEO, IBACOS and BuildIQ; Jim Gleeson, principal of Jim Gleeson/Design Integration; and David Milner, Vice President of Field Operations, Haven Properties of Alpharetta, GA, to discuss how they build green, sell green, and make green.

Michael Dickens

Jim Gleeson

David Milner

Benchmark Awards Gala — The most prestigious night in the home building industry features three of the most coveted awards. The National Housing Quality Award is the most distinguished recognition in quality achievement offered to home builders. The Avid Ratings Award Presented by Professional Builder identifies builders who achieved rarefied success in delivering the highest customer satisfaction. And the Professional Builder Builder of the Year Award spotlights one company annually that distinguishes from its peers. Share in celebrating the best of home building at this great event.

View Reed Construction Dashboard Presentation
The Reed Construction Dashboard is the new way builders can quickly and easily benchmark their financial performance against industry peers online. Benchmark 2007 attendees recieve free access to the Reed Construction Dashboard through 2007.
 

Keynote – Robert Kriegel – “Break It! Bringing Successful Innovation and Creativity to Your Business”
Home building is a tough business that can use some new ideas. Robert Kriegel delivers.
Kriegel’s bold, innovative strategies for keeping ahead of the changes and challenges in today’s business climate have led U.S. News & World report to call him —a leading authority on change and human performance.
A former all-American swimmer and pioneering sports psychologist, Kriegel has coached Olympic and professional athletes. He founded one of the country’s first sports psychology institutes and was recognized by The New York Times for spurring a “revolution in performance practices.”
Bob amuses and inspires audiences with his unique strategies for keeping ahead of change, outpacing the competition and rounding up the sacred cows that waste money and inhibit creativity. Engaging and energetic, his presentation will help you turn innovation into action.

John Rymer – “7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Improve Sales” 
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John Rymer is the founder of Rymer Strategies marketing specialists and a leading authority on the strategic marketing and sale of residential real estate properties. He moderates Internet-based new-home sales training sessions for subscribers to NewHomeKnowledge, and is a regular contributor to Professional Builder magazine.
Rymer acknowledges that the biggest issue facing home builders today is lack of sales. And so he’ll provide proven disciplines, techniques, and processes you can implement today that will help you increase sales. From his position on the front lines, John will reveal what is working and why, and leave you with strategies that can bring about real improvement in your company’s sales performance.

Sales Professionals Panel, moderated by John Rymer
This group of successful sales people will explain more than just what they do to deliver regular, consistent sales in tough times. They’ll tell you how they do it. Moderated by Rymer, the panelists will share with you the specifics of their close techniques, discovery process, and much more.

Avid Ratings Awards Panel discussion, moderated by Paul Cardis
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The Avid Ratings Awards recognize the best in customer satisfaction. This year’s winners delve into the best practices they employ to manage customer expectations, create devoted homeowners, and increase referrals. Every element of your business is affected by customer loyalty, and every element of your business needs processes and techniques to improve customer satisfaction.

Rick Heaston – “Make It Last: Relationship Selling”
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Rick Heaston is a regular Housing Giants columnist and the founder and president of R.A. Heaston and Co., a sales training and marketing firm specializing in programs geared to today’s customers. He is the author of the seminar training and workbook program TouchPoint Interview Selling™, which has been proven to produce more sales, happier customers and higher margins.
Relationship selling techniques such as his have been a mainstay of service sales processes for decades, but not readily adopted by home builders. In today’s market environment, coupled with an increased attention to customer loyalty programs, relationship selling works well in improving sales and keeping customers happy. Rick Heaston outlines the broad view of the program and how it works for home builders.

Builder Panel Discussion, moderated by Rick Heaston
Heaston moderates a discussion where panelists deliver the details of how sales people implement relationship selling techniques. Experienced sales people with proven track records will describe what they do to achieve success. You’ll be able to model methods and learn great best practices.

Fun Night at the Winery
Explore this working winery and sample select vintages that will delight your palate. The old-world style chateau provides a warm inviting backdrop that encourages networking and relationship building amongst colleagues and peers. At every Benchmark, Fun Night proves to be a popular and memorable conference highlight.