Dates to Remember
Dates have been set for several upcoming events.  Please mark your calendars and watch your email for registration information.  Also, if you are interested in volunteering to help or in being an event sponsor, please contact the chairperson for that event.

June 13^th is the next General Membership Dinner Meeting being held at King Pin Bowling Center, West Bend (Matt McCabe Chairperson)

July 6, 7, 10, 13 & 14^th are the dates for the 2013 Tour of Homes.  The committee is making plans now so watch your email for updates as they are released. (Matt McCabe Chairperson)

August 17 - 18^th is the Clay Shoot at Wildwing's Sportsman's Club  (Dirk Wildt Chairperson)

Association Bylaws
The board of directors is also working to revise our association bylaws in an effort to bring them into harmony with our current name and how we currently operate.  A special meeting was held specifically for the purpose of review.  It is planned to have the association attorney review the bylaws with the proposed amendments so that a draft can be created, reviewed and offered to the membership for approval.

Scholarship Fund
The scholarship is an important function of the WCBA.  It is intended to support and encourage students who wish to enter the building trades.  At our last board meeting, a scholarship committee was created with Caroline Wilkes as Chairperson.  The board also approved allocation of $2,000 for the scholarship committee.  These funds were raised specifically for this purpose at last year's clay shoot.  The scholarship committee is exploring a partnership with Moraine Park Technical College.  Watch for details from the Scholarship Committee as the program develops.

Officers Elected
Each year the board of directors must choose from among themselves who shall serve as officers of the WCBA for the remainder of that year.  At the last board meeting, officers were formally selected and are as follows: Dirk Wildt (Cobblestone Builders), President; Matt McCabe (Wisconsin Building Supply), Vice President; Jason Miller (West Bend Fence / A-1 Pools), Treasurer; Caroline Wilkes (Wilkes Plumbing), Secretary.  These officers shall serve as such for the remainder of the year.

On April 3^rd, the Washington County Builders Association continued its commitment to providing educational opportunities to its membership and to non-member enthusiasts, as well. On a cold Wednesday morning, trade professionals including siding installers, re-modelers, home builders and commercial contractors, gathered at Cabela's for a morning session starting at 9 a.m. Attendees enjoyed a 3-1/2-hour seminar presented by Linda Heipp of Hallmark Building Supply followed by a delicious lunch served in the Cabela Cafe. Linda's presentation, called "The DuPont Weatherization Certified Installer Seminar", provided instruction for the proper installation methods for the complete DuPont product line. In the end, all attendees emerged as Certified Installers for the DuPont weatherization system.

The benefits of the DuPont Certification status are wide-ranging, including greater warranty availability, cost advantages on materials, and future work opportunities through manufacturer-based references and lead generating. Most importantly, being a certified installer will set these businesses apart from their competitors in a unique and exclusive way.

In addition to attaining their Certification status through DuPont, all attendees t

hat day also received four UDC points toward fulfillment of their contractor qualifier requirements with the State of Wisconsin. Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Wisconsin Building Supply, the entire event (including lunch!) was provided at no charge to the attendees!

The next WCBA education event is scheduled for November of 2013. The November session will offer the Lead Safe Renovator Refresher course as presented by the Milwaukee Lead/Asbestos Information Center. This class will offer an opportunity for those who have already received their lead-safe certification to maintain their credentials through the continuing education that is required within thirty-six months of the initial certification date. This event will be held at Cabela's once again. Watch for specific date and time information in future WCBA newsletters and e-mail invitations.

We have crossed the 80 membership mark in the WCBA.

The WCBA welcomes the newest members to the organization: Continental Surveying Services Inc; Custom Service Hardware Inc; Frankfurth & Assoc. Landscaping Contracting Inc; Nyhof Custom Gutter & Aluminum Inc.

Renewal by Andersen; Thompson Painting LLC; WB Broadcasting

Williams Heating Service Inc.; Wirth Landscaping Services

I'm sending out a challenge to all members in the WCBA to help us get to 100 members in 2013. If you're a member talk to someone you think might want to join. The benefits of a bigger membership are starting to show with our information education seminars, networking. We all have a part in the big picture, we all have something to contribute, and participating is one way to start.

I am happy to inform you about an exciting new member benefit that has been recently added, packed with value and beneficial to your business.  Every month we are going to offer a 20 minute live radio show on WBKV am 1470 that showcases a different Washington County Builders Association members business.

How can I get to be on the radio promoting my business?  It's easy, a drawing will be held at the general membership meeting and to enter all you have to do is purchase a ticket or tickets for the price of $5 each or 6 for $20, then at the end of the meeting we will draw a name for the winner.  The Washington County Builders Association Member Showcase radio show will air every month on the 3^rd Thursday of the month at 9:10am.

Of course we do have a couple of simple rules,

1. Only members in attendance of the general membership meeting can qualify to purchase a ticket or tickets
2. If you have already won a spot on the radio you will be disqualified from future shows for a period of 6 consecutive months beginning from the time your spot aired 

Overall this is a great way for you to get your business name out to potential clients.  So if you want to promote your company and get new customers I urge you to come to the general membership meetings, meet with fellow members, do a little networking and maybe you could be the next one on the radio!