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we are the builders that house the world
around us. TAB's role is to create a healthy,
vibrant environment in which our mutual
businesses thrive. Our success directly
benefits our citizens and our economy
as a whole. We’re an industry that has
led our economy out of every previous
recession and our success directly benefits
our home buyers.
Growing by over 1,300 people a day, with
strong population growth ahead, we must
work now so that we can be assured a good
harvest. To do that we must continue to
use our clout to assure we have adequate
water supply, an effective roadway
system, a strong supply of educated
workers, and a government that works
with us to keep housing affordable and
that fights alongside us against raising the
barriers of homeownership.
This year brings an exciting opportunity
for our membership to engage with our
Senators and State Representatives as the
84
th
Texas Legislative Session begins. One
of the biggest events for our industry
is Rally Day. I encourage everyone to
participate because this is our time to
have our voices and concerns heard at the
State Capitol. Gather your local troops as
we head to Austin on March 4 for Rally
Day at the Capitol and stay for the TAB
Winter Board Meetings on March 5-6 at
the Driskill Hotel.
I want us to focus on three things during
my term as TAB President.
Just like in our businesses, we should focus
on our primary sources of revenue. And
at TAB, our primary source of revenue is
membership dues.While our state economy
is rocketing, our membership numbers
are not keeping pace with the increases in
starts. And if we ignore this, we are foolish.
We won't reinvent the wheel this year, but
it is my goal that we can lay the foundation
for future growth. This can take many
forms but what I would like to focus on
is the demonstrating of professionalism
through your membership in TAB.
Whether it is through expanding our
existing professional designation program,
education or other future occupational
requirements, I pledge to work with our
membership to grow our membership.
My second plank is inclusion. I’m excited to
see four Young Professionals joining us on
the Executive Committee. When looking
around, I see predominately a bunch of
middle aged white guys. When looking
forward, I see a rich diversity of ages, races,
and sexes combined with a strong sense of
social consciousness. I want TAB to focus on
Generation Next, and create opportunities
to mentor, encourage and train the female,
minority owned, and multi-generational
business owners of the future, and leave a
legacy of which we can all be proud.
The third goal is innovation. Apple
recently announced we are in a post-PC
environment. Everything revolves around
i-Phones, i-Pads, the cloud and beyond.
Technology reduces costs, increases
efficiencies, and improves connectivity. As
an association, we must catch up with and
embrace new mediums of networking and
educating our members. We must integrate
these new mediums into our national, state
and local memberships.
We will accomplish these things with your
leadership and involvement. Whether
you are builder, developer, remodeler,
or associate, through your tireless
service, we will continue to lead our state
and our nation.
An Exciting
Year Ahead
By Steve Sorrells
2015 TAB Senior Officers
President
Steve Sorrells,
Sorrells and Company, LLC
Waco, Texas
First Vice President
Tim Jackson,
Tim Jackson Custom Homes, Inc.
Fairview, Texas
Vice President/Secretary
Rick McGuire,
McGuire Builders, Inc.
Lubbock, Texas
Treasurer
Sue Ann Pinger,
Tilson Home Corporation
Austin, Texas
Immediate Past President
Joe Carlyle,
Carlyle Homes, Inc.
Tyler, Texas
F
irst, I hope everyone had a very joyful
holiday season and may your New
Year be successful and prosperous!
Second, I want to thank everyone that
attended our Hall of Honor and Excellence
in Leadership Dinner as well as participated
in the fall board meetings in Austin this
past November.
I can’t wait to get to work as your President
of the Texas Association of Builders! I am
humbled by the opportunity to answer the
call to service within this great association.
There's a quote from former TAB President
Jerry Carter that comes to mind as I embark
on this journey, "You can either have a seat
at the table, or you can be the entree." That
quote for whatever reason stuck with me,
and really expresses the purpose of our
association. TAB has a great track record
of advocacy, by working with our state
leaders to create an economy which the rest
of the country tries to emulate. We work
with both sides of the aisle as we strive for
solutions, using down-to-earth common
sense and consensus.
We as builders start with a noble goal –
to Create Housing for Texans. Just as our
nation’s farmers feed the entire world,
President’s Commentary
