BIA/SC 50+ Housing Council Awards Education Scholarship

Joe Digrado of Danielian Associates, Architects in Irvine
Named 2010 Recipient

Contacts:
Susan Sirota
Market-THINK, LLC
949.725.0600
ssirota@market-think.net

Patti Nearhoff
BIASC
949.553.9500
pnearhoff@biasc.org

IRVINE, California — The 50+ Housing Council Board, a special interest council of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, announced at its August breakfast meeting that Joe Digrado of Danielian Associates, Architects in Irvine, is recipient of the its 2010 Education Scholarship.

“The Education Scholarship, a new program for the Council this year, supports housing professionals in their quest for continued education,” said Andy Bowden, president of the 50+ Housing Council Board and Principal of Land Concern Landscape Architecture and Planning in Santa Ana, CA. “The board is pleased to award the $750 scholarship to such a worthy candidate as Joe Digrado.”

Digrado recently completed all three NAHB required courses for the Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation, which gives housing professionals the essential knowledge, tools and skills to succeed in the fastest-growing segment of the housing industry.  Coursework covers design, understanding the customer, Fair Housing law and more.  BIA/SC is sponsoring the NAHB courses in partnership with UCI Extension.  Digrado was selected based upon his professional goals, demonstration of personal commitment, value of the courses to his career advancement, and likelihood of contribution to the seniors housing industry.  The three two-day course series begins again October 1, 2010.  Those interested in more information can visit www.extension.uci.edu or call 949.824.5414 to register.

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About 50+ Housing Council
Celebrating its 20^th anniversary, 50+ Housing Council provides networking, education and partnering prospects for Southern California professionals involved in every aspect of building housing specifically for persons aged 50+ − active adult, “age-targeted,” senior condos, 55+ apartments, CCRC’s, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s care and more. For more information, visit www.50PlusHC.com.

BIA/SC 50+ Housing Council Announces Winners for 2010 SAGE Awards

Contacts:
Susan Sirota
Market-THINK, LLC
949.725.0600
ssirota@market-think.net

Patti Nearhoff
Building Industry Association Southern California
(949) 553-9500
pnearhoff@biasc.org

16^th Annual Competition Recognizes People, Projects and Programs That Enhance the Quality of Life for Southern California Residents Aged 50+

IRVINE, California — The 50+ Housing Council, a special interest council of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, today announced its winners for the annual SAGE Awards.  The SAGE awards recognize individuals, projects and programs that have made outstanding contributions to enhance the quality of life of Southern California residents aged 50+. 

Celebrating its 16^th year, this housing industry-recognized awards program has four categories of submissions: Person of the Year, Program of the Year, Project of the Year, and an “On the Boards” category.   The Council received a record-breaking number of entries this year. The winners are:

Person of the Year, Annie Gerard. CRE, CAASH, Principal with Apt Market Research.  Annie Gerard was honored in recognition of her commitment, compassion and professional contributions to the senior housing industry, including her 20 years of service on the 50+ Housing Council Board of Directors.  Ms. Gerard has specialized in market research on seniors housing since 1985, conducting more than 400 market studies for leading developers, lenders and municipal agencies in California and the southwest.  She has written and lectured on senior housing trends for 25 years; helped formulate the demand methodology set forth in the California “Market Study Guidelines” for affordable senior projects; and conducted extensive quantitative and consumer research and post-occupancy analyses. The company she co-founded in 2004 has built the largest senior apartment database in the country. 

The 50+ Housing Council has named the Council on Aging-Orange County as Program of the Year.  They are a nonprofit corporation charged with serving older and dependent adults and their families throughout Orange County. The Council on Aging advocates for the health, well-being, and legal rights of adults needing or receiving services. Their mission is mission is to promote adult empowerment, prevent abuse and advocate for the rights and dignity of those experiencing health and aging challenges. Whether ensuring quality of life in licensed care facilities, providing support for independent living, counseling impartially on health plan benefits, protecting against financial elder abuse, or providing a friendly visitor to isolated and lonely individuals, the Council is dedicated to helping individuals maintain their safety, dignity, health and independence.

This year there are four winners for the SAGE Award for Project of the Year. This award recognizes one or more innovative residential developments targeted to the 50+ market that can serve as a model for other housing developments. They are The Plaza at Sierra (Related California – affordable community); San Sebastian (Behringer Harvard and Standard Pacific – mixed income community); Valencia Terrace (Kisco Senior Living - CCRC); and Vintage Burbank (Vintage Senior Living – assisted living community).

The “On the Boards” SAGE award showcases 50+ residential communities still in the design stage.  SAGE judges selected Long Beach Senior Artists Colony by Meta Housing Corporation.

In conjunction with the council’s 20^th year anniversary, Del Webb will be presented with a special “Legacy” award honoring their outstanding record of achievement as a leader in “active adult” housing.

Nominee submittal packages were reviewed and scored by a panel of six judges comprised of past SAGE winners, past presidents of the 50+ Housing Council and others selected for their expertise in the field of 50+ housing.  The award program attracted a record number of entries this year, culminating a year of unprecedented growth in 50+ Housing Council meeting attendance as well as gains in membership and sponsorship unmatched by many building industry-related groups.  The upsurge of activity in the “50+ housing” arena reflects the building industry’s growing awareness of the importance and vibrancy of this market segment as Baby Boomers advance in years.    

Award winners will be honored the evening of the SAGE Awards event, to be held on November 4, 2010 at The Turnip Rose, Grand Newport Plaza in Costa Mesa, CA. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. For more information about this event, visit www.50PlusHC.com. To register, call (949) 553-9500 or email pnearhoff@biasc.org.        

BIA/Southern California and BIA/San Diego Collaboration brings Size, Strength and Exciting New Changes to the Building Industry Fall Trade Show

Contact:
Jill Cagle
Building Industry Association of Southern California/Orange County Chapter
(949) 553-9500 

IRVINE, California - Despite the tough economic climate, this year’s Building Industry Show “BIS” aims to get the housing industry bouncing back by totally reinventing the BIS Show experience. The two largest homebuilding associations in CA, BIA Southern California and BIA San Diego have joined forces to collaborate on BIS, making it the largest regional tradeshow of its kind.

This year a redesigned exhibit floor plan will be offering attendees and exhibitors a new and exciting tradeshow experience with several new activity hubs throughout the show floor. One of the new hubs will be the Green Pavilion, which will feature an architecturally designed theater dedicated to informative seminars on new green codes, innovative green building solutions and products. With a second hub added as a Design Pavilion offering attendees new insight from leading Architects, Interior Designers and Landscape Architects. For all those needing their daily caffeine fix, Starbucks is now going to be available on the showroom floor providing yet another opportunity to connect with attendees and exhibitors all on the show floor.

BIASC Chief Executive Officer, Richard Lambros comments, “I am excited about all the new changes we have made this year at BIS. We really did our homework on what our exhibitors and attendees are looking for in a tradeshow and I promise this year’s show will be a totally new and a different experience than previous years. I encourage anyone involved with the building industry to attend.”

The 2010 BIS Tradeshow will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center on November 18 & 19. Special hotel rates are available at the Long Beach Hyatt Regency. For the latest updates, exhibitor information and online registration please visit www.bisbounce.com.

BIASC partners with JWilliamsStaffing, Inc. to put industry back to work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Melissa Auten
Building Industry Association of Southern California
(949) 553-9500

IRVINE, California – In seeking to put the homebuilding industry back to work, the Building Industry Association of Southern California (BIASC) has partnered with JWilliamsStaffing, Inc., to provide its under-employed members with valuable and personalized career coaching and placement opportunities.  This partnership will be one of many ways the BIA's "Put Our Homebuilding Industry Back to Work" initiative will benefit the homebuilding industry.   JWilliamsStaffing, a trusted and professional real estate staffing agency, has been an active BIA member for years and in this challenging market has been a major supporter of BIA efforts to help unemployed BIA members stay within the building industry.  In the past JWilliams Staffing’s efforts have included providing BIA members with access to temporary or full-time talent and to assist under-employed members with resume critique, interviewing tips, guidance, and custom search and placement opportunities.

Now, through this new partnership the BIA and JWilliams Staffing are taking their relationship one step further.  In addition to the critical support services that they have been providing.   JWilliams Staffing now provides career placement expertise to the BIASC "Career Center", the Association’s online employment service.   Rich Lambros, CEO of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, said, "Today, our industry has so many well-qualified, experienced, talented, and passionate personnel readily available and truly committed to helping our industry recover and grow.   Yet, never before has the BIA had the ability to assist our members with the benefit of providing placement opportunities for all of our under-employed members.   We are privileged to recommend exceptional career and staffing services from a reliable partner like JWilliamsStaffing, Inc."

JoAnne Williams, Founder and CEO of JWilliamsStaffing said, "Proudly, we can help put our homebuilding industry back to work by providing BIA members with effective staffing management options, and offering them the flexibility to hire and expand responsibly."

Lambros further added, "In addition to the personal attention JWilliamsStaffing provides our members, this agency is recognized as one of the leading staffing firms and therefore can connect our members with potential part-time or full-time job opportunities within the homebuilding industry family.  Our partnership with JWilliamsStaffing is a win-win for both the under-employed associates as well as our BIA members companies looking to hire."

As a committed partner, JWilliamsStaffing, Inc. is generously donating a percentage of all gross revenue from the BIA career placement opportunities to the BIASC Political Action Committee (PAC), advocacy programs and grassroots mobilization efforts.  All of which support, protect and advance the homebuilding industry in Southern California. 

The Building Industry Association of Southern California is a nonprofit trade association representing more than 1,350 member companies with 100,000 employees.  Their mission is to promote and protect the industry to ensure its members' success in providing homes for all Southern Californians.  BIASC is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the California Building Industry Association (CBIA).

Servicing over 12 major regions throughout California, Nevada and Arizona, JWilliamsStaffing provides short-term, temporary, temp-to-hire or full-time placement personnel for the real estate industry.  With over 1,000 highly-qualified candidate resources, JWilliamsStaffing has an expanded and full range of professional services including: general office, administration and accounting; new homes sales and marketing; apartment leasing; property management, service technicians and porters; residential auction companies; escrow and mortgage professionals; asset management assistants; bilingual personnel; and special events.

For more information regarding the BIASC, call (949) 553-9500 or visit careers.biasc.org.  To contact JWilliamsStaffing, Inc., call (949) 250-1923 or visit www.jwilliamsstaffing.com/biasc.