See the Pix

MHISC Chapter Golf Tournaments, Christmas Parties and Fundraisers

One of the strengths of the Manufactured Housing Institute of SC is our strong chapter system. The association has five chapter across the state; Beaufort, Charleston, Midlands, Pee Dee and Upstate.

Chapter members are often competitors. But members build unity by banding together to support worthwhile causes. And chapter Christmas events, like all chapter meetings, are a great way to get to know other professionals in the manufactured and modular home industries.

Follow the link to see the photos: www.mhisc.com
Just click on the Facebook logo on the top right of the page.
Then you can scroll down to see the photographs I've posted the last few weeks.

MHISC Chapter Holiday Events

Allen and I are off to the Charleston Chapter Soiree in a few minutes. I look forward to finding out what a soiree is -- Mark

December 16th - Charleston Chapter Soiree
Gilligan's in Goose Creek 6:30 PM
TurkeyShoot, White Elephant Gift Exchange and
Lowcountry Orphan Relief
For more details contact: Melissa Petersen 843-552-3600
or Sherran Wingler 843-556-1641

December 18th - Pee Dee Chapter Christmas Party
BBQ at Clayton Homes of Florence
1619 East Palmetto Street; Florence 29506
For more details contact: Ronnie Boyce 843-664-8400
or Al Randall 843-617-3779

New Committee Focuses on Land-lease Communities

There will be a day when South Carolina's manufactured home community managers will look back with appreciation at the work done by these MHISC Members:

Marti Dickson, Sheila Jurgensmeyer, Joe Esposito, Carol Marsh, Shirley Shamlin and Sherran Wingler

These six leaders are the founding members of MHISC's New Community Managers Committee. At the group's organizational meeting the committee got to work, identifying the key factors that the association can tackle to help our land-lease communities to thrive. The Committee looked at factors like finance and image. Their plan is to pick a project each year that will make a real difference in the properity and future of our "parks."

The group will finish their feasibility study and, in December, pick a project and lay out a game plan. Their emphasis is on real-world practical improvements that be made at the state association level.

MHISC is Growing

Three new MHISC members this week: Equity Homes, Hat-Fields, and Hawks Nest. Our industry WILL thrive again the way the association is doing! And a new group: MHISC's Community Managers Committee meets Friday to map a plan to help our state's MH communities. Thanks to Marti Dickson, Joe Esposito, Sheila Jergensmeyer, Carol Marsh, Bob Peebles, Shirley Shamblin and Sherran Wingler.

Recognize any of these names?

MHISC's committees play an important role in the association and in the manufactured home industry. Here are MHISC leaders appointed to committee posts for the 2090-2010 association year

MHISC DEALER ROUNDTABLE
Richard Bagwell, Larry Emauelson, Mitch Gault, Mitch Howard
Trey Ledbetter, Tony Massarelli, Barry MacDowell, Sid Moore
Art Newton, Van Wells

SC MODULAR STEERING COMMITTEE
Henry Drury, Larry Emanuelson, Bobby Hounsell, Dennis Jones,
Joe Manis, Michael McLean, Marion Moore, Art Newton,
Ramon Sanchez-VinasChip Smith, Hiller Spann, Mark Winstead


IMAGE AND PROFESSIONALISM COMMITTEE
Allison Blankenship, Tim Cavanaugh, Sherman Currin, Ben Flores
Mike “Happy” Jackson, Sheila Jurgensmeyer, David Kinney, Dale Lackey
Melissa Petersen, Sheila Roelleke, Brian Rowland, Kim Sibley,
Joey Wildes

MHISC MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Alison Blankenship, Sherman Currin, Brian Donnelly, Ben Flores
Sam Gamble, David Kinney, Marie Layfield, Rob Nunn
Robert Rizzetta, Mike Smith, Joey Wildes

MHISC LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
Dale May, Steve Merrick, Ray Paulk, Melissa Petersen
John Polk, Mike Stone, Mike Smith, Ira Usry
Joe Walden

We THINK that everybody who volunteered has been placed in their first or second choice committee. If you were accidentially omited from the lists above, please contact mdillard@mhisc.com.

Thank you to these leaders who are donating their time to serve in these leadership position.

In the works: a powerful, revamped MHISC Political Committee.

New MHISC Committee Appointments Announced

MHISC's committees play an important role in the association. Our Chair, Trey Ledbetter, has appointed committee members for the 2009-2010 association year.

As you'll note the members are a Who's Who of the manufactured home industry in SC.
Listed below are members of the Dealer Roundtable, SC Modular Steering Committee and the MHISC Membership Committee.

Some of the committees filled up quickly this year, but I think we have assigned everyone who expressed an interest to at least their first or second choice assignment. If we accidentally missed you, please let me know by emailing mdillard@mhisc.com or calling me at (803) 771-9046.

MHISC Dealer Roundtable

Richard Bagwell
Larry Emauelson
Mitch Gault
Mitch Howard
Trey Ledbetter
Tony Massarelli
Barry MacDowell
Sid Moore
Art Newton
Van Wells

SC Modular Steering Committee

Larry Emanuelson
Bobby Hounsell
Dennis Jones
Joe Manis
Michael McLean
Marion Moore
Art Newton
Ramon Sanchez-Vinas
Chip Smith
Hiller Spann
Mark Winstead

MHISC Membership Committee

Alison Blankenship
Sherman Currin
Brian Donnelly
Ben Flores
Sam Gamble
David Kinney
Marie Layfield
Rob Nunn
Robert Rizzetta
Mike Smith
Joey Wildes

On the next posting: MHISC’s Image and Professionalism, Political Committee and Leadership Council.

Pee Dee Chapter Meeting

The Pee Dee Chapter meets Thursday night, August 27 at 6:30 at Nik's Home Cooking Cafe
3027 East Palmetto Street. (803) 412-0460.
Programs: FHA Loans - Brenda Anderson. Foundation Systems - Larry Parker,
$5 - a bargain price for a greet meeting.

Menu: Appetizers: Spring rolls and shrimp cocktain. Ribs and Chicken.

Nik's is also known as The Brass Lantern. Don't ask; it's a Florence thing.

Upstate Meeting Focuses on How to Increase Sales by Offering High-efficiency Homes

MHISC Upstate Chapter members got tips on how to increase sales with Energy Star homes at Tuesday night's meeting. Members were surprised to learn that several retail centers in the Upstate are ordering nothing but Energy Star Homes.

Charlie Burkett, as usual, won the door prize.

Johnny Hunnicutt, QA manager for Schult's Rockwell plant, explained the nuts and bolts for qualifying customers for over $1000 in tax incentives for buying an Energy Star Home.

Chapter Meetings this Month

All of MHISC's five chapters are meeting this month. Next up is the Charleston Chapter. They're meeting Wednesday August 19 at 6:30 PM. That's at Gilligans, 219 St. James Avenue in Goose Creek.

The Beaufort and Midlands Chapter met this week. Congratulations to Chapter Presidents Rick Green and Mark Eberflus for putting on great meetings.

You can always check for upcoming meetings at mhisc.com.

MHISC is appointing committee members. Interested?

Much of the important work of MHISC is carried out by seven key committees.
The association is in the process of appointing members this week and next.

If you haven't been in contact with MHISC (responded to a survey, etc.) about being on a committee, just email us at mdillard@mhisc.com to get information on any of these groups. Most committees consist of 12 members and serve a one-year term.

Community Managers Committee
Dealer Roundtable
Image and Professionalism Committee
Leadership Council
Membership Committee
Modular Steering Committee
Political Committee

More Convention Photos From MHISC

Here are more photos from the MHISC Convention on Hilton Head. It's great that so many people in the industry support the association and our events they way they do.

Staffers Kristen Brown, Andrea Westmoreland and Allen Hutto did a great job. Many thanks to our sponsors Clayton, Champion, McCall's, Fleetwood, Horton, First Federal, Tri-State, Stylecrest, 21st Mortgage, Manis Custom Builders, Crestline, T. S. Holt Co., Blevins, US Bank and Commodore Homes.


For More Information. Congratulations to Trey Ledbetter, newly-elected MHISC Chair. For a list of MHISC's new leaders and a convention report, go to http://www.mhisc.com/.


For More Photos. For lots more photos go to the Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina Facebook page. The easiest way to get there is to go to http://www.mhisc.com/ and click on the Facebook logo at the top right of the page.

See first photo. Times are a little tight so I'm moonlighting as Hiller Spann's bodyguard.

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning at the convention is worth getting up for. Heck, just the breakfast is worth setting the alarm clock. Here's the menu: Omelet station, scrambled eggs, thick-sliced smoked bacon, home fries, streusel muffins, danish pastries, butter croissants, coffee cake, fresh fruit and seasonal berries.

Breakfast gets underway at 8:30. MHISC's annual meeting is at 9:00.

We'll have an informative panel of new lending programs including Rural Development no-money-down loans; SBA floor-planning; the new, improved Title I, and how to use the $8000 first-time homebuilder's tax credit.

Next a program on Energy Star Homes. Customers save $1000 when they buy one of these homes.

The SC Residential Modular Break-out Session will explain what different about placing homes now that two new building codes have kicked in. Plus building code officials from around the state tell you have setting a home and getting it approved can be much easier.

Spotted at the Convention

If you're at the convention this week, scroll down for details about the cool events scheduled for Friday.

Photos We'll be adding to the pix below later on in the day. Also see our Facebook page, Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina for lots more photographs.

Here's some of the people I've seen around the lobby, or the pool, or at the reception last night. (Plus a few that have registered that must have been avoiding me!) Larry and Mickey Emanuelson, the Laurents, Scott King, the Gilliams, Trey Ledbetter and Company, Randy and Cindy Altman, John and Cathy Soukup, John and Flo Polk, Mike Smith, the Blankenships, Brian and Heather Poston, Russell Perryman, Chairman Art Newton and Karen,Joe Earnhardt, Brian and Cindy Rowland, Mark Celedonia, Kenny and Susan Welch, Brian and Heather Poston, the Rizzettas, Ronnie Cudd, Kim Manis, Mac and Becky McKeithan, Mike Chavis, Greg Roland and Mandy Roland and family, Linda Toomer, Gary Blue, Annette Drachman and some guy, Tony Massarelli, Van Wells, Sherman Currin, Melissa Petersen, Sherran Wingler, Sheila Jurgensmeyer, Todd and Kim Starnes, Nathan and Angie Starnes and a happy collection of little Starnes, Mitch, Ellen and Leigha Howard, the Cavanaugh's, Flores', and Wildes', Happy, Alli and Jon Jon, Fred and Francy Thompson, Alex Montagnet, Brian and Judy Donnelly, Tony , Jan, Chandler and Madison Massarelli (have you noticed that Tony's name is a lot more Italian than Tony himself?), Rand and Clan, first-timers Don and Debbie Atkinson, Jeff and Ruth Anne Sanford (Mark hasn't been spotted yet), Chris and Laurie Jenkins, Bill Vogel now with Stylecrest, WA and Pearline, Doug and Susan. Who'd I miss and where you been hiding?

Convention Report - Thursday

Wow, we're going to have over 200 people at the MHISC convention this year. In a time when the full-fledged convention is becoming a rarity in the our industry, MHISC is putting on a traditional all-out, high-end three day event on Hilton Head.

If you're at the convention this week, check out the details for Friday's events in the next blog below.

And good news: the MHISC Board voted today to return to Hilton Head for another great three-day convention.

Are you on Facebook? Go to Manufactured Housing Institute of South Carolina to see lots of photos taken today at the MHISC Convention.

What's Happening Friday at the Convention

Golfers gather for a continental breakfast at the registration desk at 6:45 Friday morning. Golf registration is 6:45 - 7:15 AM at Robbers Row in Port Royal.

Here are the teams as of 7:00 tonight:

Van Wells, David Rand, Dale Lackey, Hiller Spann
Trey Ledbetter, Ken Drachman, Ben Flores, Mark Eberflus
John Polk, Ronnie Cudd, Bill Vogel, Larry Culp
Todd Hiott, Alex Montagnet, John Soukup, Kathy Soukup
Matt Yow, Mark Celedonia, Brian Rowland, Rob Nunn, Taylor Nunn
Henry Drury, Tony Massarelli, Mark Stone, Doug Marchbanks
Michael McLean, Whitney McLean, Vance McMillan, Joe Earnhardt
Alison Blankenship, Danny Blankenship, Stephen Blankenship, Tim Cavanaugh
Happy Jackson, Mike Smith, Joey Wildes, Brian Poston

Family Bingo runs from 3:00 to 4:00 in the Jasmine meeting room. Lemonade and jumbo home-style cookies. Lots of prizes; everybody wins.

Kayakers will meet in the lobby of the hotel. I've done this and it's a lot of fun! You'll enjoy some beautiful scenario, cool wildlife and see HHI from a whole new perspective.

Another great reception with a Hollywood theme Friday night from 6:00 to 7:00 in the Archer Ballroom. John Polk and todd Hiott will present awards from the morning's golf tournament. Want my guess as to which team will place first....well, Ronnie Cudd is playing tomorrow.

The menu includes: Seared tenderloin of beef, Carolina shrimp and grits, hot Colada shrimp toasted with cocoanut with a spicy apricot glaze, nine different cheeses, plus pineapple, cantaloupe, kiwi, berries, strawberries and grapes served with a honey poppyseed dressing, stone ground tortilla chips with six different salsa and cheese dips.

Thursday at the MHISC Convention

Thursday night's welcome reception starts at 6:00 PM. in the Archer Ballroom.

The Logistics. Be sure and go by registration first. You'll get your drink tickets when you check in. Registration will be open at 3:30

The Menu! Low country shrimp. Oysters on the half shell. Warm Carolina blue crab dip, sesame-poppyseed lavosh and sliced baguettes. Carolina corn fritters with orange blossom honey butter.

Imported brie en croute (baked in a puff pastry with brown sugar, cognac and pecans.)
Fresh vegetable crudite (six types of fresh vegetables.)

Crispy shrimp and vegetable spring rolls with apricot ginger sauce.

Whipped potatoes served in martini glasses with toppings.

The Staff. At the registration desk you'll likely meet: Andrea Westmoreland, our office manager. Valene Sims, who works with us PT on things like our award-winning magazines. Emalee Dillard who will have a ready supply of "PAC tickets" for volunteers who are raising money for our Political Action Committee by selling the tickets. Grand Prize $3000 to be given away Saturday night.

Running the golf tournament Friday morning will be our General Counsel Allen Hutto. Kristen Brown, MHISC's Business Development Director, will be keeping the whole show running.

See you there.

Three New Developments at MHISC

Lots going on at MHISC HQ today.

New Building Codes in Effect. Two new building code editions for modular homes kicked in today. A new version of the International Residential Code plus: SC switched to the International Energy Efficiency Code instead of the old state code.

MHISC Allowed to Enter Lawsuit over Licensing Board Powers. The SC Court of Appeals notified MHISC today that it will allow the association to enter a pending case dealing with the ability of the SC Manufactured Housing Board to license sales of used homes and new detitled homes. MHISC has filed a brief as a "Friend of the Court" in favor of the ability of the SCMHB to require licenses for people who sell manufactured homes. At stake is the ability of the state agency to keep repeat violators, and people who lose their license, out of the MH industry.

Look for the Cool 3DMail-out. The association today sent the final mail-out for the July 16 - 19 MHISC Convention on Hilton Head.

Excellent speakers have been booked for panels on New Lending Programs; Energy Efficiency Tax Breaks plus this year's Modular Break-out focuses on How to Satisfy County Wind and Seismic Set-up Requirements.

The mail-out includes everything you need to register for the convention and make hotel reservations (at the discount rate!)

Look for two new wrinkles in this year's golf tournament.

2009 -2010 Chapter Officers

All of MHISC's regional chapters have elected officers for the upcoming 2009 - 2010 chapter year.

UPSTATE CHAPTER
President - Henry Drury
Vice President - Martin Davis
Secretary - Susan Marchbanks
Treasuer - Doug Marchbanks

I wonder if Doug and Susan are related, or are their names an amazing coincidence?

CHARLESTON CHAPTER
President - Melissa Petersen
Vice President - Joanne Polston
Secretary / Treasurer - Sherran Wingler
Director - Ken Drachman

Any chapter that is managed by not one, but two, fun-loving, red-headed "Truluck Ladies" is bound to be entertaining.

MIDLANDS CHAPTER
President - Mark Eberflus
Vice President - Matt Yow
Secretary / Treasurer Tarry Wilson

I think you have to have a name that nobody can spell to be a Midlands officer.

PEE DEE CHAPTER
President - Ronnie Boyce
Vice President - Al Randall
Johnny Hanna - Secretary
Ben Stephens - Treasurer

We won't make a joke about Pee Dee Chapter, since Mr. Randall is a rather large and scary man.

BEAUFORT CHAPTER
President - Rick Green
Vice President - Mike Nichols
Secretary / Treasurer - Katrina White

I made a few quips about the officers--which illustrates a point. Our chapters are informal and fun. You'll get some useful information and meet some really nice, easy-going people.

Midlands Chapter Meeting; Heartfelt Sympathy for David Kinney

Congratulations to the 2009 - 2010 Midlands Chapter officers, elected tonight. They are Mark Eberflus-President; Matt Yow-Vice President and Tarry Wilson-Secretary Treasurer. As Chapter President, Mark will serve for another year on the MHISC State Board of Directors.

Members tonight heard from Trish Jerman, a top official with the SC Energy Office, about the new Energy Star Tax Incentive which kicks in July 1st. Trish got input from members about implementing the new law and publicizing the incentive.

We were deeply saddened to learn tonight of the untimely passing of David Kinneys wife, Sherry. I spent time with Sherry, David and their daughter Kerri-Beth at the convention last year and they were such a nice family and such good people. To lose Sherry at 51 is just a real tragedy and our prayers and thoughts go out to David and Kerri-Beth and all of their family.

Memorials may be made to the Coggins Memorial Baptist Church Building Fund, 1306 South Main St., Lexington NC 27292.

A lot of familiar faces tonight at the Midlands meeting, including members from all over the region from Aiken to Newberry. And good to see Dave Fautley, back from Florida.

Congratulations also to Tarry Wilson, who's taken a new position with Vanderbilt Mortgage.

I talked with a lot of members tonight who are planning to come to the convention including Scott Brinson, Mitch Howard, Art Newton, Matt Yow.

The members always appreciate it when the manufacturers serving South Carolina drop by the chapter meetings. It was good seeing Dale Lackey of Champion Homes and Tom Lefestey from Clayton Manufacturing tonight.

Al Randall, Jim Martin, Modular Directory, Beaufort Chapter

Al Randall - We saw several industry friends at the service in Florence today for Al Randall's mother, Adelita Randall. It's a cliche about the people in our industry being like a family, but there is a lot of truth to it.

Jim Martin - Our thoughts and prayers also go out to Jim Martin and his family with the passing of Jim's mother this week. Please let me know if you'd like information on arrangements and memorials.

Modular Directory - Who's Who in the Modular Industry in South Carolina goes out to members tommorow, Wednesday. It's published by the SC Modular Housing Institute, MHISC's modular affiliate. The directory will be distributed electronically. If you don't get one Wednesday, just email me at mdillard@SCModularHome.com and we'll shoot you one. Who's Who will also be added to our modular website, SCModularHome.com sometime next week.

Beaufort Chapter - Had a good meeting this morning. Rick Green of Clayton Homes was elected chapter president. Mike Nickles will serve as VP and Katrina White as Secretary and Fred Bley, Treasurer. Who better to handle the money than the richest person in Beaufort County?

Manufactured Home Industry Email Directory

MHISC's Email Directory is a convenient way to get access to all the movers, shakers and players in the manufactured home industry. If you aren't in there, I guess you are neither a mover, shaker or player.

OK, seriously, if you aren't in there, please send me an email at mdillard@mhisc.com and we'll add you.

The directories were sent via email to every 2009 Member of MHISC. You can save it to your computer and / or print it out.

What I like especially is that you can click on the names in the directory and it opens up your email for you and types in the email address for you. To me that's pretty slick. Of course I still think of fax machines as cutting edge technology.

We'll also have the email directory on our website, WWW.mhisc.com; by the end of next week. You'll also find the complete 2009 MHISC Membership Directory on the website.

Just click the "Members Only" button on the left of the home page. You can email me if you need the password.

Industry Policy-makers

All of us in the industry owe a note of thanks to Ken Drachman, Sam Gamble and Tony Massarelli. These members came to the Statehouse to testify on behalf of MHISC. Their expertise and communication skills are a huge asset to our lobbying program at the Statehouse.

Y'all Remember Chris Herd.....

Y'all remember Chris Herd, who managed display centers in Greenwood and W. Columbia.


Got a Facebook message from him:


"I just moved back to Greenwood from Key West, Florida. I needed a rest."

Florence County Installation Policy Changes

Pee Dee Chapter members got some good information at Tuesday night's meeting in Florence. The county is implementing new inspection requirements for homes permitted on or before May 15.

Let me know if you'd like us to fax you a copy. That's if you'll promise to come to the next meeting in June. It's really helpful to attend the meetings so you can ask questions of the officials involved.

Kristen reports a good turn-out. In member news, we heard that Glenn Odom's daughter is expecting her first in September. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Stephen Johnston's family with the recent passing of his mother-in-law.

Golf! Get complete details on the Pee Dee Chapter's April 28th golf tournament by going to www.mhisc.com and clicking on the "Mhisc Meetings" button on the left. You can also get the scoop on MHISC's Hilton Head Convention on the same page.

The New, Improved, Expanded Midlands Chapter

The idea of a Super Chapter for the middle part of the state MHISC Midlands Chapter is working out pretty well.

At Thursday's meeting we had dealers from as far west as Aiken, up to Newberry and east to Sumter. The independents were there and the chain retailers as well.

With the trend toward fewer retail locations, members decided to combine the Aiken and Sumter Chapters with Midlands for a year or two.



Photo: Members beam in anticipation of my report on tax law.


Mark Eberflus, MHISC's Midlands Chapter President is a naturally sunny person who brings a lot of positive energy the the meetings. He put together a great agenda for Wednesday's meeting.

John Owen from MHISC Member Lender SCB&T gave members an insider's view on how retailers can increase the odds in getting their deals approved. I gave a report on how to use the First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit to draw traffic and sell homes. We're going to expand on that subject with lots of proven marketing ideas at MHISC's Convention in July.

Speaking of the convention, Mitch Howard won the door prize, a free night's stay at the Westin Resort & Spa at MHISC's annual meeting in July.

Just a personal note, our thoughts and prayers are with the Howards as Ellen goes through her cancer treatments.
Here are some photos from the meeting.




Coming up:

MHISC's Beaufort Chapter meets Tuesday the 7th and the Charleston Chapter meets the next day on the 8th.