Inside PCBC

PCBC 2012: Powered by Connections

2011-11-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

PCBC 2012 is June 27-28 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

PCBC 2011 - the beginning of next

2011-02-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

Registration and housing open March 8th.

PCBC 2011

2010-10-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

It's Fall. We are selling booths, accepting program proposals and discussing our registration options.

It's Fall. Halloween is just around the corner. Not much longer until Thanksgiving.

It's Fall. We have retired our polo shirts for the year. We have rediscovered our sweaters and jackets. It's starting to rain. The leaves are falling.

It's Fall. Time for the World Series! The Giants have never won a World Series in San Francisco. The Texas Rangers have never been to a World Series. This one feels different, almost magical.

It's Fall. A great time of the year. As a life long Giants fan...Go Giants!

PCBC 2010 - Hybrid Core Home

2010-04-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

New to PCBC 2010

A full size concept house on the PCBC Exhibit Floor showing an innovative, new building process called the Hybrid Core Home. This process offers the best of both worlds: “off-site” control and “on-site” craftsmanship. The core of the home is a stick-constructed structure built in a precise, tightly controlled indoor environment protected from the weather. It is then carefully moved to the site and finished to the highest quality standards. The savings are revolutionary, overall project time is significantly cut and the home is green to the core.

Learn more

PCBC 2010 - Energy Retrofit Series

2010-04-15T15:42:00.000-07:00

Energy Retrofit Series

Friday, June 11, 2010
Moscone Center

Energy efficient retrofitting can reduce home energy use by up to 40 percent per home, increase real estate values and help create jobs. There are now many local, State and Federal programs that provide marketing, incentives and financing to homeowners and training and certification to contractors. Learn how to use these programs to your advantage and examine how you can translate existing building techniques, technologies and business skills to enhance and expand your current business model.

10:00–10:45am
Energy Retrofitting
- An Overview of Programs, Incentives and Financing
Retrofitting existing housing can slash consumer energy expenditures and increase real estate values, but lack of information and capital can stymie homeowners’ good intentions. Rebates to lower the costs, a mechanism to alleviate high up-front borrowing costs and a simplified retrofit process will help stimulate the market. The federal Home Star program, the Investor-owned Utilities’ programs, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funded programs throughout California provide consumer rebates and quality control. Improved tools for financing and repayment through existing billing mechanisms will improve opportunities for capturing retrofit work.

Guaranteed you will learn:
• Basics of the federal “Cash for Caulkers” Home Star Program and California retrofit programs that will engage the retrofit market
• Available financing choices including Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs

11:00–11:45am
Recovery through Energy Retrofit – Training and Certification
Energy efficient retrofitting can reduce home energy use by up to 40 percent per home, reduce home energy bills, lower associated greenhouse gas emissions and put Americans back to work. But despite the benefits, barriers exist including the lack of skilled workers to expand efficiency retrofit programs. A large reserve of ready labor in need of moderate retraining and proper certification can be repurposed to enter the retrofit market. Special attention needs to be paid to combustion safety training as well as lead paint training. Community-based training programs, the nationwide Building Performance Institute and NAHB’s Home Builders Institute (HBI), HERS providers, and utilities are all providing retrofit training and certification.

Guaranteed you will learn:
• Requirements/training/certification needed to perform the work for the various programs
• Resources and providers of training

12:00–12:45pm
From Production Housing to Full-service Building Performance Contractor
Most current retrofit businesses serve only a small niche – windows, HVAC, insulation. Few businesses actually understand whole-business systems and the science and techniques behind comprehensive energy efficiency improvements. Who better than production builders to translate existing building techniques, technologies and business skills to enhance and expand their current business model? The public sector is jump starting new energy efficiency markets, but the private sector will develop improved business and finance models. The country currently retrofits about 200,000 homes a year, spread across publicly subsidized programs such as low-income weatherization and private homes. The challenge of the Obama administration is to retrofit one million buildings per year! Do you have what it takes to go down the retrofit road?

Guaranteed you will learn:
• How production builders have translated work in new construction to the retrofit market

Participate in the learning opportunities at the Exhibitorium with your PCBC Exhibits Pass.

Learn more about PCBC Exhibits

PCBC 2010 - Prepare for a Rebound

2010-04-15T15:19:00.000-07:00

Multifamily Trends Conference Preview: Prepare for a Rebound

Now in its ninth year, PCBC's Multifamily Trends Conference, developed in partnership with Marcus & Millichap for 2010, is dedicated entirely to providing attendees with the insight and knowledge needed to navigate the multifamily development and investment market. After speaking with Hessam Nadji, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of Research Services for Marcus & Millichap, a theme for this year’s conference became clear: 2010 is a staging year and Multifamily Trends will prepare you for the rebound.

According to Nadji, the worst of the downturn in the multifamily market is over and is now in a stabilization period, giving way to a year in which property owners and multifamily developers can examine their portfolios and determine what to buy and sell, and where and what to build. He cited reports from the first quarter of the year showing more stable occupancy rates and decreases in the steep discounts offered to renters in order to retain them as tenants. He also cited a return of investors to the market as property owners are beginning to see multiple offers, a signal of stabilized product.

“This is an interesting period for the multifamily market as we appear to be stabilizing from the worst crisis in occupancy faster than anyone had anticipated,” said Nadji. “This will be a staging year and allow property owners and developers a chance to set up for what we see will be the strongest recovery in history from 2011 to 2016.”

PCBC’s Multifamily Trends Conference, he said, will provide companies with the knowledge and insight needed to prepare for that recovery.

“By 2011, we should be well under way with a recovery in the new cycle, so it was important for us to develop content around this planning cycle to help prepare companies for the rebound,” said Nadji. “We’ve really tried to position the conference to address the components of investment strategy and try to pinpoint how strong the recovery will be to show the audience that it’s now safe to shift from a defensive position into an offensive one.”

Among the sessions developed for the conference will be an entire segment dedicated to a local market drill-down on apartment supply and demand forecasts. Half of the session will be dedicated to the Northern California/Pacific Northwest region, while the other half will tackle the Southern California/Southwest region, both offering insight into when and where the strongest rental market recoveries will take place.

Another session will dissect capital markets and apartment investment strategy by looking at financing options currently available and what to expect in the future, both in the short- and long-term. The session will also cover the viability of Fannie and Freddie in the wake of continued political pressure to reign in deficits, and will also address how all of these factors will affect construction financing in the near future.

Nadji said that the panels will consist of the most renowned and seasoned industry experts, which he dubbed “The Wisdom Panel”, who will be able to put perspective on the topics being discussed. He said that property owners should walk away with a sense of how to improve operations, what to buy and sell, and whether or not to add to their portfolios, while multifamily developers should get a specific sense of timing, location, and the type of product they should build.

“We’ve worked hard to design the conference to be a gathering of practitioners as opposed to theorists,” said Nadji. “We want to add value by having practitioners share their knowledge and experience with other practitioners, and that’s really what PCBC’s Multifamily Trends is all about.”

PCBC’s Multifamily Trends Conference will take place Wednesday, June 9, at PCBC 2010.

View Conference Agenda & Speakers

PCBC 2010- What Are We Working On?

2010-03-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

The theme for PCBC 2010 is Reframe the Dream. Within the theme we have a supporting idea which is "Better is the new bigger". This idea of focusing on being better rather than bigger is what we're working on for PCBC 2010.

Examples of how "Better is the new bigger" include:

PCBC Executive Conference - In the past we have had over sixty breakout sessions and no overall group sessions. We are now focused on creating a more intimate conference experience by offering a combination of both. Group sessions will layout the ideas, challenges and discussion-points to everyone that will be discussed and developed throughout the day. At the end of the day everyone will get back together in a large group for the closing group session.

PCBC Exhibits - The basic model of exhibitor selling and attendee buying is outdated. Attendees want to discuss, debate and learn about the latest products offerings and solutions. We are challenging our exhibitors to bring more designers/developers and less sales/marketing to PCBC to fulfill this need. Through improved learning centers and new pavilions everyone can experience PCBC in a new way.

Social Media - What's your budget for PR? What's your budget for customer studies? Do you have one? Do you hear your customers? Social media is relevant to everyone because it allows us to have meaningful conversations with one another without investing thousands of dollars. Our Winning in a Web 2.0 World Social Media Workshop on Tuesday, June 8th will address these issues and many more.

Learn more about The Show at http://www.pcbc.com/theshow/TheShow.html

PCBC 2010 Registration is Open

2010-02-22T15:46:00.000-08:00

PCBC Registration & Hotel Reservations are now open!
Some of the new things for PCBC 2010:

Education
Capital Markets Forum
Social Media Workshop
PCBC Sales Superstars

Schedule at a Glance

Exhibit Floor
Education Programs
Green Standards Pavilion
Guided Tours

Hotels
View Hotel List

All information is available on our
web site.

PCBC 2010 - Registration Opens February 22

2010-02-08T15:19:00.000-08:00

Registration & hotels for PCBC 2010 open up on Monday, February 22nd.
Some of the new things we're working on are:

Education
Capital Markets Forum
Social Media Workshop
PCBC Sales Superstars

Exhibit Floor
Education Programs
Green Standards Pavilion
Guided Tours

All information will be available on our
web site on February 22nd.

PCBC 2010 - Seth Godin's Linchpin?

2010-01-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

Here's my review of Seth Godin's new book "Linchpin" (posted originally on Amazon).

I have noticed a lot of people are writing very long reviews. That's fine, but unnecessary. This book is about choice. Do you want to make a difference or do you want to follow. Most jobs require followers - follow the rules, the dress code, the map, and AT BEST you'll retire with an uneventful career. Or do you want to make a difference and become a linchpin or indispensable? Are you interested in changing your work into a rewarding and enjoyable passion.

Do you want to lead? Do you want to make a difference? Do you want your job to become your passion? Do you want to take the road less travelled? If yes, then read this book. You'll learn about "fear" and how it works. You'll learn to how to use this "fear" to grow. You'll learn it's fine to fail. You'll learn it's good to stick your neck out and stand out.

Not interested in standing out? Are you happy with following others? Don't read this book! It will scare you.

In the end, make a difference at work not because you should, but because it's in you. Drive your passion, don't just drive to work.

Why only four stars? Because I believe perfection sucks. I always want to strive to do better. I don't want Seth to get soft and stop writing books.

Seth is a PCBC favorite. He has spoken at PCBC numerous times including 2009 on his book "Tribes".

PCBC 2010 - A wish for a great Builder Show

2010-01-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

I hope The 2010 International Builders' Show is a great. In fact, I hope it's the best show they ever have. PCBC competes with The Builder Show (IBS) in the builder tradeshow market, but we are also partners of the homebuilding industry. An industry that has been decimated and destroyed over the past four years. It's time for the industry to work together to move forward and rebuild. Rebuild smarter, smaller and greener. The opportunity is their for us. The question is do we have the guts to do the right thing or do we return to what we know best - the old way.

I'm following some social media updates of what is happening at IBS. I wasn't able to attend, but we did send most of our team. So far it appears the show is going well.

Here are some of the comments I have seen:

Nice full aisles and big brand booths. Good to see!

Hard to get around #IBS2010 today. Good crowds. Packed at Lowe's.

Traffic seems to be bit heavier today than yesterday at IBS. #IBS2010

Lots of activity in Central Hall. Andersen Windows 1 of the brands w/ strong presence & several new innovations.

It's strange...everybody @ #IBS2010 seems upbeat. Very different mood than any show I've been to in the past year.

Green is still top of mind for almost every company at #IBS2010

This is the year that we will take the home building industry BACK into the BLACK!

We knew how to sell at the top of the market, now we are going to learn to sell at the bottom of the market.

Green is no longer a niche market. Now its mainstream, so build green or be out of business

Be strategic about social media. Make sure it is connected w your marketing!

You need technology to communicate, connect and close the dot com customer.

I'm encouraged by the positive messages. Trust me, the comments from IBS 2009 were not nearly as upbeat. I have also watched videos from the show and its more of the same. It's time to right the ship. Are you in or are you out?

I hope to hear from my PCBC co-workers soon and get some feedback from them. I'm excited about all that is happening in Las Vegas this week. It's time to rebuild smarter, smaller and greener.

Thanks!

PCBC 2010 - Michael Lewis

2010-01-15T13:12:00.000-08:00

Michael Lewis is the Opening Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2010. Michael is the author of Liar’s Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball, The Blind Side, and Panic. His new book is called The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine.

The Opening Keynote will be a lunch this year instead of our traditional breakfast. We hope this allows more attendees to participate since more people are driving to the show.

Registration for PCBC 2010 will open on Monday, February 22nd.

Read more about Michael Lewis

Top 25 Christmas Songs Part 3

2010-01-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

"Top 25 Christmas Songs"

Songs 1 - 15

1. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) – Nat King Cole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYOQard11J0

2. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtb3EtjEic

3. Winter Wonderland - Johnny Mathis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JBz14mekfM

4. I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Frank Sinatra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v83gbfiKAms

5. Silent Night - Josh Groban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7s4rGsTTmA

6. Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUyuGFoiWJ0

7. Last Christmas - Wham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZhoF9Isf0o

8. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMWFwfVibO4

9. Happy XMas - Plastic Ono Band (John Lennon)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcQ0k2Pdnys

10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Vince Gill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI7G0FP0eCY

11. Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) – Gene Autry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydLZumZVwgE

12. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – Burl Ives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g99KAUCY8_o

13. Frosty The Snowman – Jimmy Durante
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pu-bVrndgY

14. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Mjb4yLMeK8

15. Jingle Bells - Brian Setzer Orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUyQdolNop0

I hope you had a great holiday season and enjoyed the music.

Top 25 Christmas Songs Part 2

2009-12-11T15:01:00.000-08:00

"Top 25 Christmas Songs" countdown this week covered songs #16-20.

I'll work on the next part of the list while enjoying some Widmer Brrr! and Deschutes Jubeale.

Songs 16-20

16. Christmas All Over Again - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CHopZgA93E

17. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Fred Astaire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jQy_ppY2bI

18. It's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiSPNaQNGOY

19. When My Heart Finds Christmas - Harry Connick, Jr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5CaLcAA7ek

20. Snow Miser/Heat Miser - The Year Without a Santa Claus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yon2YuXssvo

Enjoy and I'll announce songs #6-15 next week (follow me on twitter @PCBC_TheShow).

Prost!

Top 25 Christmas Songs

2009-12-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the holidays (and a little silliness) I decided to create a "Top 25 Christmas Songs" list.

Why you ask? Why not I say!

This list is totally random and doesn't represent the views of my employer who I suspect doesn't know what a "Ramone" is (long live Joey!). I have an idea of where we'll end up, but it kind of depends of what mood I'm in that day; for example: I plan to watch The Polar Express and Love, Actually on DVD in the next week or two so it influenced #21 & #23.

Anyway, enjoy the first five songs and I'll crack a Sierra Nevada Celebration or two and work on the rest of the list.

Songs 21-25

21. Believe (The Polar Express theme) - Josh Groban
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur9dHCZKQQU

22. Merry Christmas (I Don t Want To Fight Tonight) - The Ramones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1lfx7cxVPc

23. Christmas is all around - Billy Mack (Bill Nighy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_JRyhJiXQ8

24. Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jEnTSQStGE

25. Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney (11/30)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWuKimtUEas

Enjoy and I'll announce songs #16-20 next week (follow me on twitter @PCBC_TheShow).

Prost!

PCBC 2010 - What we can learn from Bon Jovi

2009-11-10T10:03:00.000-08:00

I lied. In my last post I mentioned I was going to follow-up with more information on social media. I will, but not this time. For this post I want to talk about what we can learn from Bon Jovi. Yes, as in Bon Jovi the rock band. Bon Jovi represents honesty to its core audience. Honesty is good. Honesty sells.

Bon Jovi was formed in 1983 and continues to sell millions of albums and pack concert halls. In 1986 they released "Slippery When Wet" which went on to sell 12 million copies in the United States and 25 million worldwide. That's a lot of albums. That's a lot of fans.

Over the years they have made slight adjustments to the music based upon the fans. The fans wanted ballads, so they wrote ballads. The fans wanted rock, so they rocked. In 2005 they did a country song called "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with country singer Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland. The song went to number one on the Country Charts and later that year they won a Grammy. The fans trusted Bon Jovi and in 2007 they released a country influenced album called "Lost Highway". The album sold well and the tour was a huge success (fifth highest grossing tour of 2008 in North America).

Today (November 10th), the band released its eleventh studio album "The Circle". The fans wanted some inspirational rock anthems to deal with the realities of the economy so the first single is "We Weren't Born to Follow" which talks about dealing with tough times. The album is currently number five on the Amazon Best Seller List and is sure to be a hit throughout this holiday season.

So, what can we learn from Bon Jovi? After 25+ years they are still doing it for their core audience. They are not trying to create another "Slippery When Wet" and sell 25 million albums. They have a fan base of millions that trust them. They trust them to release music that shows Bon Jovi is in touch with them, they care for them and they listen. Surprisingly, Jon Bon Jovi (lead singer) is only 47 years old. Unlike the Rolling Stones or other aging bands they still care about their core audience and will produce music they want to hear. Is this a sell out? I don't think so. The idea is to produce music people want to hear. It's the same thing with homebuilding or any industry or product. The ultimate goal is to reach an audience and provide them with a service, product or emotion they want. Ten passionate fans are better than 100 flakey ones.

I lied. This post wasn't going to be about social media, but it is. The first lesson in social media is about building your audience - speak from the heart, be passionate, and always be honest. In the end your audience will find you and you'll enjoy a lasting relationship. Maybe not 25+ years, but who knows.

We Weren't Born to Follow (YouTube video)

PCBC 2010 - Using Social Media

2009-11-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

What is social media and why should you care about it?

Basically, social media is the use of the web to connect with others and share ideas. The beauty of it is its unlimited potential. All you need is an internet connection and you can communicate with a few people or thousands. It's important because ideas are meant to be shared, discussed and spread. Unlike other forms of media, social media is an interaction among people with similar interests who discuss ideas without the barriers of location.

I recommend the following books to get you started:
The New Rules of Marketing & PR - David Meerman Scott
World Wide Rave - David Meerman Scott
Cruch It! - Gary Vaynerchuk
twitter means business - Julio Ojeda-Zapata
Tribes - Seth Godin

In my next few posts I will talk about twitter, Linkedin and Facebook - and why you need to be involved in social media!

PCBC 2010 - Roofs Will Be Eco-Friendly Too

2009-10-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from Fast Company.

Your Future Home's Roof Will Be Eco-Friendly Too

CBIA Tax Credit Extension Measure Passes Senate

2009-10-14T13:31:00.000-07:00

From the Governmental Affairs Department of the California Building Industry Association
October 14, 2009

CBIA Tax Credit Extension Measure Passes Senate
By a vote of 35 to 1, SB 37XXX (Ashburn), the CBIA-sponsored bill to deliver 4,200 more tax credits to buyers of new homes, was approved by the state Senate today. SB 37XXX directs the Franchise Tax Board to free up funding for the tax credit – authorized by SB 15XX (Ashburn) in February – that remains in the state program account. The surplus funding is a result of the actual cost of the tax credit being less than the original $100 million authorized for the program. SB 37XXX now moves to the Assembly, which will take up the measure early next week. Thanks to Senators Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield), Assembly Member Anna Caballero (D-Salinas), Assembly Member Jose Solorio (D-Santa Ana), Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Temecula) and Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) for their help in moving this important bill to and through the Senate.

CBIA
1215 K Street, Suite 1200
Sacramento, CA 95814
916/443-7933
916/443-1960

For facts and information on housing and homebuilding, visit
"The Voice of Housing in California" at http://www.cbia.org/.
California Homebuilders -- Committed to Quality

PCBC 2010 - Creative Staircase

2009-10-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is a very cool video. The challenge was to change behavior by making a common everyday thing fun. I think it worked.

What is something you do everyday that could be changed for the better just by making it fun?

What Would You Like To Learn?

2009-09-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

PCBC 2010 - What Would You Like To Learn?

When I'm interested in attending a conference I like to take the following approach: What do I want to learn? I prefer not to see what's available and then try to justify going to the conference around a few sessions I "might" like. If I don't see anything I want or need to learn then I will most likely not go to the conference. If I find a few "what I want to learn" sessions then the "might" sessions are nice fillers and great value-add.

We recently opened up our Call for Proposals for PCBC 2010 (http://www.pcbc.com/go/cfp). Now is your chance to help us frame the conference education. What would you like to learn? A good education session allows for two-way communication between the presenter(s) and the audience. As a presenter you need to be knowledgeable on a topic of interest and present it to a group of your peers. In return you should seek and insist on audience participation. The presenter(s) should be learning and getting more out the session beyond a name in the conference brochure.

So I ask you? What would you like to learn? Please visit http://www.pcbc.com/go/cfp and let us know!

2010 Booth Sales - We're challenging the status quo

2009-08-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

2010 Booth Sales - We're challenging the status quo with a bold new concept for PCBC 2010.

More main streets, defined neighborhoods, public greens, open space, amphitheater, town hall and mixed-use space. Sounds like a great community plan. Actually, it’s a bold, new design concept for PCBC 2010.

It’s time to rethink. To challenge the status quo. For starters, the exhibit floor shouldn’t feel like a shark tank. Manufacturers and suppliers need a better and more meaningful way to participate in the discussions taking place at PCBC. The PCBC 2010 exhibit floor will be designed as a community supported by neighborhoods, which will promote innovation, networking, and education.

PCBC will be notifying all exhibitors when booth sales will begin on August 25, 2009, based on priority points. General exhibitor booth sales will begin in September (date TBD).

PCBC 2009 - One Week from The Show!

2009-06-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

And to further entice you, take a look at these newly-added events.

MODERN BY DESIGN SHOW HOME
Thursday, June 18 2:00 – 5:00pm
Enjoy a private, pre-opening tour of Metropolitan Home Magazine’s Modern by Design Show Home in exclusive Pacific Heights. This tour is open to all attendees however shuttle bus seating is limited.
Learn more

KEYNOTE SESSION: THE FUTURE OF HOME AND COMMUNITY
Thursday, June 18 8:30 – 10:00am
Changing demographics will change your business. Join J. Walker Smith, one of America’s preeminent consumer trend trackers, and John Burns, one of housing’s foremost analysts, and two leading developers who will share their insights and experiences. This just-added keynote is open to all attendees.
Learn more

COOL PRODUCTS – HOT OFF THE PRESSES
Check out winners of the Cool Products Awards – you’ll see solutions that conserve natural resources and contribute to a healthy, safer living environment.
Learn more

GOLD NUGGET AWARDS – CELEBRATES 50 WITH "IMAGINING THE FUTURE" DESIGN COMPETITION
Explore bold new concepts for next generation homes and next generation neighborhoods.
Learn more

PCBC 2009 - Ghosts of Sessions Past

2009-04-22T07:58:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months I have been highlighting PCBC's past shows on Twitter (http://twitter.com/PCBC_TheShow). Here are some of the facts I have come across while reviewing old brochures of the conference.

The first PCBC was held at the Sheraton-Palace Hotel in San Francisco on July 6-9, 1959.

PCBC 1960 sessions included "California and Western States - Present and Future" and "Adjusting to the New Money Market"

PCBC 1961 sessions included "Problem clinic for Small Builders" and "The Consumers' Side of the Story".

June 6, 1961 - PCBC attended a baseball game at Candlestick Park between the SF Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phil won 13-9.

PCBC 1962 sessions included "Land Assessment - Its Impact on Land Values" and "Low Cost Housing - It Can Be Done".

PCBC 1963 sessions included "Telephone Selling - There's Gold in them Calls" and "Trade-ins as a Selling Tool".

June 18, 1963 - PCBC attended a baseball game at Candlestick Park between the SF Giants and the Los Angeles. The Giants won 9-3.

Tickets to the June 18, 1963 baseball game at Candlestick Park between the SF Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers --- $2.50!

PCBC 1964 sessions included "Style and Efficiency are Compatible" and "Have You Reaped the Fruits of Research?".

PCBC 1965 sessions included "San Francisco Bay - To Fill or Not to Fill" and "Planned Communities For Condominiums As They Look For 1965".

May 31, 1965 - PCBC attended a baseball game at Candlestick Park between the SF Giants and St Louis. The Giants won 4-1 behind Gaylord Perry

PCBC 1966 sessions included "Automation in Construction" and "How to Design a Neighborhood".

PCBC 1967 sessions included "Opportunities for Builders - Mobile Home Parks" and "The Home of the Future".

PCBC 1968 sessions included "What's New Mr. Salesmaker" and "Safety and Security for Planned Communities".

PCBC 1969 sessions included "How Are You Going to Produce 50% More Volume in Just 3 Years?" and "Are You Selling Or Only Taking Orders?".

Over the next seven weeks I'll highlight the remaining shows on our way to PCBC 2009.

PCBC 2009 - Builder Education Series

2009-03-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

My friends at California Homebuilding Foundation (CHF) have been offering courses, seminars, and workshops since 1982. The programs are designed with a professional development emphasis to enable individuals to acquire knowledge, training and skills which can be used in the work force and to assist individuals in exploring their full potential.

As part of industry recovery efforts, the California Homebuilding Foundation, in partnership with CBIA, has created a series of three seminars to help industry members recover from the downturn and prepare for the future.

Session #1: Finance – What to do Now“Learn How to do Workouts from a Legal Standpoint”

Session #2: Strategies for Moving Forward

Session #3: Changing Business Practices – Repositioned for Recovery (Right sizing for the upturn)

Learn more

PCBC 2009 - Complex Business Challenges

2009-03-10T08:57:00.000-07:00

Crisis of Confidence: The U.S. Economy, the Financial System and Real Estate
In the face of an unprecedented contraction in the U.S. economy and continuing shortfalls in the availability of credit for businesses and consumers, real estate market participants face unique challenges. In addressing the key issues of the economic outlook, the potential for stabilization in the financial sector, and the likely role of public policy in stimulating a recovery, renowned real estate economist Dr. Sam Chandan, president and chief economist of Real Estate Economics LLC, will survey the obstacles and opportunities for the industry in the coming year.

The Outlook for Housing – 2009/2010 and Beyond
When will we hit bottom? What will the recovery look like? Are tax credits and low interest rates enough to spur homebuying? And what remaining roadblocks still lurk on the horizon? Acclaimed analyst Ivy Zelman will address these and other critical questions as she presents her outlook for housing markets, both near-term and in the years to come. Formerly managing director of Credit Suisse Group, Zelman has established herself as the leading industry source for homebuilding-related equity research.

Ripped From the Headlines
Four experts will analyze the headlines we’ve seen in the past year and put the latest news into context. Speaking will be Barry Gross, president of Developers Research, a real estate consulting firm based in Irvine; Jeff Burton, president of American Dream Development, based in Junction City, Kan.; Michael Corkery, staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal; and Stephen Cameron, president of Foremost Communities, an Irvine-based development firm.

The Incubator: Emerging Ideas
This session will address how market leaders are preparing to emerge in 2010 in a significant, meaningful way and what other builders can learn from them. The panel will provide an in-depth perspective from critical players in the development and sales process. Speakers include Beth Callender, principal of Greenhaus, a marketing company headquartered in San Diego; Brent Herrington, vice president of DMB Associates, a Scottsdale-based developer; and Chris Waugh, a leader of the Consumer Experience Design practice with IDEO, the global design consultancy based in Palo Alto.

These are just some of the programs offered at this years PCBC Executive Conference.

Learn More

PCBC 2009 - It's Baseball Time Again!

2009-02-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

It's baseball time again! Throughout Arizona and Florida spring training baseball games are being played again. The brilliance of spring training is that it's the ultimate starting over point. All teams are equal from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Washington Nationals. Hope springs eternal and in these challenging days it's a good feeling.

Why talk about baseball in my PCBC blog? Because the baseball gods are shining on us and the San Francisco Giants are at home during PCBC 2009. I'm a little biased, but AT&T Park is the best park in all of baseball. If you have never been to a game at AT&T Park then go enjoy a game (if you have been to a game then do it again). Besides, you might get lucky and see 2008 NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum or future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson pitch.

Here's the SF Giants schedule PCBC Week:

Friday, June 12 vs. Oakland A's at 7:15 pm
Saturday, June 13 vs. Oakland A's at 7:05 pm
Sunday, June 14 vs. Oakland A's at 1:05 pm

Monday, June 15 vs. L.A. Angels at 7:15 pm
Tuesday, June 16 vs. L.A. Angels at 7:15 pm
Wednesday, June 17 vs. L.A. Angels at 12:45 pm

Thursday, June 18 - NO GAME

Friday, June 19 vs. Texas Rangers at 7:15 pm
Saturday, June 20 vs. Texas Rangers at 6:05 pm

Me? I'm going to try and go to a game on Monday or Tuesday night... or both :)

Learn more

PCBC 2009 - Anniversary Special

2009-02-17T09:05:00.000-08:00

The PCBC® Executive Conference Anniversary Special!

Buy one PCBC® Executive Conference and receive a second one free. After completing your paid Executive Conference registration online, you will receive an access code via email for a complimentary Executive Conference registration for a second person. This special offer expires on June 1, 2009 and is not eligible for a refund or credit.

The PCBC® Executive Conference (formerly PCBC Full Conference), the main companion conference at PCBC, has been redesigned (and renamed) to deliver elevated educational content and strategies that focus on the core issues challenging today’s senior executive.

Offered over Wednesday and Thursday, the Executive Conference brings together thought leaders who are responsible for infusing innovation, creativity and bottom line results into their organizations. Drawing from a wide range of advisors, research groups, economic institutions, leading organizations and an unmatched network of industry experts, the Executive Conference presents 30 educational sessions that provide an organization-wide approach to addressing today’s fundamental and complex business challenges.

Your Executive Conference registration includes a complete audio library of all 30 sessions, the PCBC Anthology (a compilation of the best 2009 speaker articles) and a three day pass to the PCBC exhibit floor.

Other Package Deals!
Purchase PCBC Executive Conference and the Multifamily Trends Conference together and save $300. Just add both items to "Your Cart" (they will appear at full price when you select them) and you'll automatically receive your $300 discount when you check out! Get this conference package for only $890 until May 15/$1090 after May 15.

Purchase PCBC Executive Conference and the Builder-to-Builder Green Forum together and save $200. Just add both items to "Your Cart" (they will appear at full price when you select them) and you'll automatically receive your $200 discount when you check out! Get this conference package for only $790 until May 15/$990 after May 15.

Learn More

PCBC 2009 - Executive Conference

2009-02-11T10:26:00.000-08:00

What is the PCBC® Executive Conference?

The PCBC® Executive Conference (formerly PCBC Full Conference), the main companion conference at PCBC, has been redesigned (and renamed) to deliver elevated educational content and strategies that focus on the core issues challenging today’s senior executive.

Offered over Wednesday and Thursday, the Executive Conference brings together thought leaders who are responsible for infusing innovation, creativity and bottom line results into their organizations. Drawing from a wide range of advisors, research groups, economic institutions, leading organizations and an unmatched network of industry experts, the Executive Conference presents 30 educational sessions that provide an organization-wide approach to addressing today’s fundamental and complex business challenges.

Your Executive Conference registration includes a complete audio library of all 30 sessions, the PCBC Anthology (a compilation of the best 2009 speaker articles) and a three day pass to the PCBC exhibit floor.

View the Executive Conference Agenda

PCBC 2009 - Hotel Reservations

2009-01-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hotels are now open for reservations - below are the hotels we have contracted with for PCBC 2009.

Courtyard by Marriott San Francisco Downtown
Galleria Park Hotel
Grand Hyatt San Francisco
Handlery Union Square
Hilton San Francisco
Hilton San Francisco Financial District
Hotel Milano
Hotel Monaco
Hotel Nikko
Hotel Palomar
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
InterContinental San Francisco
King George Hotel
Mosser Hotel
Omni San Francisco Hotel
Palace Hotel
Parc 55 Hotel
Prescott Hotel
San Francisco Marriott
San Francisco Marriott Union Square (Formerly Hotel 480)
Serrano Hotel
Sir Francis Drake
St. Regis San Francisco
Villa Florence Hotel
W San Francisco
Westin San Francisco Market Street
Westin St. Francis

Learn more by visiting Hotel & Travel section on our web site.

PCBC 2009 - Registration is Open

2009-01-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

PCBC 2009 Registration is now open!

Among the highlights this year:

Opening Breakfast with Fareed Zakaria

Adam Werbach - How and Why Companies are Making Sustainable Decisions

Kevin Carroll - Rediscovering Play: Bringing Fun and Passion to Your Work...And Life

Seth Godin - Closing Keynote

Schedule at a Glance

PCBC 2009 - Fareed Zakaria (Economy)

2009-01-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

CNN's Fareed Zakaria spoke with the Harvard historian Niall Ferguson about how Obama can fix the economy.

Fareed is the Opening Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009 on Wednesday, June 17.

PCBC 2009 - Fareed Zakaria (Inauguration)

2009-01-22T06:29:00.000-08:00

Fareed Zakaria analyzes President Obama's inaugural address and what it means for the American people.

Fareed is the Opening Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009 on Wednesday, June 17.

More Exhibitors Pushing PCBC 2009

2009-01-14T12:55:00.000-08:00

I asked exhibiting companies on my January 3rd blog to add PCBC 2009 to their web sites and I would mention them here. Three more exhibitors have responded:

Cosella-Dörken
The Collins Companies
RONBOW

Keep them coming!

Fareed Zakaria - Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009

2009-01-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

We're excited to announce that Fareed Zakaria will be back as the Opening Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009. Fareed spoke at PCBC 2007 and received the highest speaker rating in the history of PCBC (nearly 50 years!).

Fareed Zakaria is editor of Newsweek International and hosts an international affairs program, Fareed Zakaria GPS, on CNN. He is also author of several bestseller books including The Future of Freedom and his latest book, The Post American World.

The Opening Breakfast will be on Wednesday, June 17th.

Adam Werbach Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009

2009-01-08T15:16:00.000-08:00

Controversial sustainability expert Adam Werbach is stirring things up at PCBC 2009. The youngest-ever president of the Sierra Club at 23, and recently vilified for working with Wal-Mart to help lead their efforts in sustainability, Wermach offers a unique perspective on a sustainable business vision.

Read more about Adam from the Fast Company article Working With the Enemy

PCBC 2009 - Exhibitor Challenge!

2009-01-03T21:15:00.000-08:00

I want to thank all our exhibitors. We look forward to working with you as our industry rebounds. I especially want to thank the following exhibitors for adding our show to your web site. Let's see how many more we can add in the next few months. Please feel free to contact me.

Consol
Demilec USA
GE
Mid-America Siding Components
Mid Valley Plastering
Safety Boot Guardrail System
Soler & Palau USA
TAMKO Building Products

Happy New Year from PCBC!

2008-12-31T15:53:00.000-08:00

A little Happy New Year video from me and my six year old daughter. So long 2008... looking forward to meeting 2009.

Mike Sturdivant
12/31/08

Sneak Peek at PCBC 2009

2008-12-30T07:24:00.000-08:00

I'm finding time during the holidays to enjoy my favorite seasonal beers (Sierra Nevada Celebration, Alaskan Winter Ale and Widmer Brrr) and build the new PCBC web site (not at the same time). Here's a sneak peek at the new site.

Happy Holidays from PCBC

2008-12-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

I recently read "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens to my six year old daughter. She laid very quiet and still each night as I did my best to read 8-10 pages. It's a great book, but 1850's English writing is a little tricky to read. After I had finished she told me her favorite part was Tiny Tim's family getting the prize turkey.

It's been about a week since we finished the book. I have been comparing the book to about a half dozen movie versions. All the films have little twists or interpretations that make them all unique. One thing does seem to be consistent and I think it's my favorite part.

It's the final words of Ebenezer Scrooge to The Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come...

"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach. Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!"

Have a very wonderful holiday and may the spirit of the season be with you throughout the year!

Seth Godin: Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009

2008-12-16T10:31:00.000-08:00

Best-selling author Seth Godin will be the Closing Keynote Speaker at PCBC 2009. His best-selling books include "Permission Marketing", "The Big Moo", "Free Prize Inside", "All Marketers Are Liars", "The Dip", and his latest book "Tribes - We Need You to Lead Us". He is also the founder and CEO of Squidoo.com and his blog http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/ is one of the most popular in the world.

Seth will be speaking at PCBC on Friday, June 19 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

$9 Billion Housing Project

2008-12-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Interesting article from Fast Company (Issue 131) about Enterprise Community Builders and how they plan to take on the credit crunch with innovative financing and a green-building initiative.
Read Article

PCBC 2009 Registration UPDATE

2008-12-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

We have decided to open registration and general housing on Wednesday, January 28 at http://www.pcbc.com. Formally I said registration would open on Thursday, January 15.

"Tribes" - Are You a Leader?

2008-12-03T16:08:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite speakers at PCBC through the years is Seth Godin. "Permission Marketing", "The Big Moo", "Free Prize Inside" and "All Marketers Are Liars" have basically become required reading materials for our staff. His newest bestseller is called "Tribes - We Need You to Lead Us".

The book is about tribes - any group of people who are connected to another, a leader and an idea. We have had tribes forever, but now with the internet the barriers of geography, cost and time have been eliminated. Blogs and social networking sites are enabling new tribes to created daily. Who are going to lead all these tribes? Seth builds the argument that anyone passionate about an idea can become a leader. You could become a tribe leader.

Good book. It's been added to our in-house required reading. Keep them coming Seth.

What are you interested in learning?

2008-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Getting to Zero Energy
Green Finance - How it Works
Parade of Homes Nets Near Zero Energy but Mega Interest
Homebuyers 2013: Relevants Shifts and Trends in the Market
Integrated Project Delivery - The New Frontier
The Incubator: Emerging Ideas.
Top Ten World Influences Headed to your Doors
State of the Union on Today’s Home Buyers: How Current Conditions Impact Consumer Buying Patterns
After the Downturn: Housing Products for Tomorrow's Cities
A Conversation, Not a Monologue: Building an Effective Homebuilder Brand Using Social Media and Online Tools
What's Next in Senior Housing: The Trends and Innovative Community Models that are Shaping the Market
Demystifying the Foreign Investor
Reimagining Public Spaces to be Purposeful Places
Edge Villages: The Problem, or a Solution?
World Changing: A New Paradigm for Community Design.

Interested in green building? How about emerging trends, community design, public spaces or buyer patterns?

Above are just a few of the sessions being evaluated by our education department and programming committee for PCBC 2009.

PCBC 2009 Registration

2008-11-17T19:26:00.000-08:00

The plan is to open registration for PCBC 2009 on Thursday, January 15 at www.pcbc.com. I will update you if this date changes. PCBC 2009 is June 17-19.

The Show Theme

2008-11-14T16:07:00.000-08:00

PCBC 2008 - Power. Forward. Sustain.
PCBC 2007 - The New Basics
PCBC 2006 - Design Means Business
PCBC 2005 - Connecting the Dots
PCBC 2004 - Cracking the Customer Code

The show theme is a big deal to us. We spend months discussing it. We talk to our advisory committees and board about it (and anyone who falls into our thought leader category). The show theme must not only be integrated in all our marketing, but it must also reflect our education offerings. From the initial discovery process through the graphical representation on-site we live and breathe the theme.

PCBC 2009 - PCBC at 50

This year is our 50th anniversary. We feel it's important to acknowledge the past, but with an eye (maybe two) on the future. It's not a celebration. It's a look back at all the industry has done since 1959 and how much more we'll do by 2059. It's actually more like a beginning. The beginning of something wonderful, forward thinking and responsible. We hope to see you at our "beginning" this June 15-17, 2009.

Welcome to Inside PCBC

2008-11-13T14:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the Inside PCBC blog!

My goal is to share with you the thinking, process and development of PCBC. I will also provide insights to the speakers, thought leaders and events that make up PCBC. Along the way we can talk about registration, exhibits, education, music, food, beer or whatever we decide.

PCBC has met with it's Exhibitor Advisory Committee (EAC), Program Committee and PCBC Board over the past month. We are well into the planning stages of PCBC 2009.

Looking forward to developing a great relationship.

Thanks!

Mike Sturdivant

PCBC