The words 'freedom isn't free' can't be more eloquently expressed than when you see Arlington National Cemetery.
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In and around DC, dead soldiers and dead presidents are among the many monuments and reminders of the difficult, tumultuous, yet noble tale of our American Republic.
Freedom isn't free, and that includes our economic freedom, which we as members of the manufactured housing industry must fight for, daily. As in "Now."
Starting Sunday afternoon and on into Tuesday morning (2/9 to 2/11), the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) staff and sponsors have put on an insightful event for members that combined informed and insightful speakers, division meetings, issues updates and briefings, meals and networking opportunities.
A hearty pat on the back for all who helped make it happen!
Manufactured Housing Executives Committee – MHEC – Westin Arlington Gateway 2014
One Industry. Many Faces.
During the many meetings, you can't help but notice that we are an industry which literally has many faces.
When you put 100 people in a room, you are going to have a wide variety of opinions about many topics. This was certainly noticeable in the many side discussions apart from the formal meetings at the Westin Arlington hotel where the event was held.
We plan to bring you more faces and insights in the days ahead, here on MHProNews.com, but perhaps also in ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com. For now, we will just mention that builders, land-lease communities, suppliers, lenders, retailers, associations and others were all part of the mix.
Mark Weiss, Vice President for the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) was present during the Manufactured Housing Executives Committee meeting. Always good to see Mark – a cool and congenial head for MHARR – and it is helpful to have that level of interaction between the two national groups.
No one bats 1000, but Charlie Cook was among the speakers at this year's function. Cook has been called the “Picasso of election analysis,” and his Cook Report is widely read by inside the Beltway types.
More on the speakers and topics in the days ahead, but here is a tip of the photographic hat to Jen Hall, state executive director from MS, a prior chair of MHEC and a hard charging fund raiser for the MHI PAC, with Charlie Cook.
Again, look for more such photos of the people at the event will be showcased in the days ahead. We invite guest commentary from other attendees as well.
Up The Hill
The fight for economic freedom for millions of our home owners and residents is well underway. With 108 co-sponsors for HR 1779 and routinely growing, there is good momentum on the House side of Congress.
On the Senate side, the bill S 1828 dropped late in 2013, but there is bipartisan support there too.
Further, 11 U.S. Senators have written Richard Cordray at the CFPB in favor of our industry's fix efforts to protect financing and provide bright line guidance on issues.
Your Masthead scribe made 3 visits on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, February 11. What follows below is the guts of the follow up sent to Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Chairman Nathan Smith, MHI CEO Dick Jennison with cc's to MHI's Jason Boehlert, Rick Robinson and Jenny Hodge.
The below has edited out those visited, until the results of the discussions are in.
Gents,
First, good pre-Hill visit meetings, well done. But my focus in this message is to say that this year the visits I was involved in, there was already good leg work done in advance.
The legislators offices were already 'aware' of the issues, unlike prior years.
Rick's name came up a number of times, which clearly suggests he's been in touch with them. Jenny Hodge had a great handout for a meeting that Dick wanted her involved in. One office I spoke with used Jason's name, as if they too had spoken before.
My point? Nice prep work, good synergy, it made my part of the efforts easier. Keep it up!
All the Best,
Tony
The above sums up a lot. Good reports have been coming in from others who were present to make their Hill visits.
Problem or Solution?
Each person decides day by day if we are going to be part of the solution, or if we will let apathy or another excuse stop us from acting, which can make someone a de facto part of the problem. Some attack an effort, without offering a serious alternative they will lead the charge on.
Let's be solution oriented. Let's work for what's moving.
Normally your scribe is behind the camera, but this shot was so filled with symbolic meaning!
The U.S. Supreme Court is in the background, in this photo take 2.11.2014.
There is construction taking place out front. The inscription on the Supreme Court building
reads “Equal Justice Under Law.” That's what we are working to build. We are working to
level the playing field, to create equal justice for our industry and our home owners!
In meetings with offices of both major parties, the reception was good. We can do this. We are affordable quality living that is not subsidized. We have great issues both major parties can embrace!
Our manufactured home owners customers/residents need us, and we as business professionals need these reforms of the reform to get done too.
Speaking of lending…Tunica: Manufactured Home Financing Available NOW Insights!
At the upcoming 2014 Tunica Manufactured Home Show, we will showcase our industry's major lenders in a panel discussion led by the Industry's top independent finance pro, Dick Ernst.
Public officials, associations and companies big, small and in between turn to Dick Ernst. He's been in the meetings with the CFPB, with FHFA and a number of other events and key meetings in DC and from border to border.
Dominate Your Local Market! Upgrade Your Customer Base!
Learn modern marketing that drew rave reviews and a packed house in Louisville! Yours truly will present. The bottom line in this is a simplified means of creating an image campaign in your market, that helps you sell your homes. Learn how to tap into this process with low or no out of pocket costs! Sell more homes fir cash or to financeable customers.
Customer Relationship Management Panel
At Louisville we added a last minute panel that was well received by attendees who see the value if selling more homes. At Tunica, this will be a formal part of our line up! Scott Stroud and Brad Nelms will share their expertise in this field. Don't miss it, unless you want to pass on more sales to better credit worthy customers.
MH Land Lease Community owners and operators, unite!
1) Will you be buying, selling or refinancing your community/commercial property in the next year or so? Then our popular Commercial lenders panel is for YOU. Moderated by Dick Ernst of FinmarkUSA.com.
2) MHC Lesson's Learned! Get tips from your peers in the community world, and a great inactive discussion, moderated by Jenny Hodge from the National Communities Council (NCC). The NCC has become vibrate once more with David Lentz as Chair, and Jenny as their VP and Executive Director. Come see why!
See the complete seminar line up and schedule at this link here.
More Educational, Business Building and Networking Excellence!
The MHI Congress and Expo is coming in this April. Frankly, we think that the educational opportunities in Louisville and Tunica whet the apatite for the broader offerings at MHI/NCC/MHEI's flagship event held annual in Las Vegas. Learn more about the 2014 Congress and Expo or sign up at this link here.
As Nike says, “Just Do It.”
We go to these events and more every year, about 8 a year in all. Some people ask, isn't that “meeting overload Tony?” My reply is that at every meeting I come away with more than what I went in with. Other industries and professions do this, of course ours should too!
But here is the secret. Those that go, tend to grow.
Think about that statement, those that go, tend to grow.
Come to these events. Invest the time and effort. Get engaged in your state's efforts politically to protect and promote our great industry. Freedom isn't free. Business isn't free. It takes effort, time and talent. But it is worth it.
Spoiler Alert. We might lob a heated topic in this weekend, please check in again to the Masthead then. ##
L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
ManufacturedHomeLivingNews.com | MHProNews.com |
Business and Public Marketing & Ads: B2B | B2C
Websites, Contract Marketing & Sales Training, Consulting, Speaking:
MHC-MD.com | LATonyKovach.com | Office 863-213-4090
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