ASHI’s Annual Reports for 2013

by Bill Jacques March 1, 2014

ASHI Annual Reports for 2013
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
by Bill Jacques, 2013 ASHI president

 

It was a good year for ASHI. My time as your president has just come and gone too quickly. The ASHI Board of Directors has had a busy and challenging year. The housing market has improved so our inspectors have been a little more in demand than in past years. We are hopeful 2014 will be an even better year for each of our members and for ASHI. The ASHI Board continues to focus on providing membership value and looking strategically into the future. Major accomplishments this year include the following: Membership—Our membership has increased for the 1st time in over five years due to the efforts of the Membership and Public Relations Committee, with great support from the ASHI Staff.

Financial: Our financials have finished in the black for the first time in over five years due to the excellent work by our Treasurer, Mike Stephens along with the ASHI Staff led by Belienda Schultz.

The ASHI School: The ASHI School (TAS) under the direction of Jack McGraw, with help from Steve Reilley, has contributed to ASHI financially by adding 175 ASHI school graduates as members and over $100,000.00 in non-dues revenue to ASHI. The future for the ASHI School looks bright, with 2014 figures looking better than 2013.

Chapter Feedback Session: In October, the Leadership Training Conference (LTC) under Chairman Ken Harrington took a different approach than in previous years. It focused on helping our chapters succeed. At LTC, chapter presidents worked in a facilitated feedback session designed to identify ASHI’s and the chapters’ greatest challenges and opportunities for improving membership value at the local level.

Standard of Practice: The Standards Committee under the watchful eye of Chairman Bruce Barker reworked the ASHI Standard of Practice. The Board and the membership have approved the changes that will go into effect in March 2014.

Lobbying in D.C.: On a federal level, our lobbyist kept ASHI’s name in front of those who influence housing and real estate legislation. Randy Pence has been invaluable in getting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as some congressmen, to modify its existing housing counseling programs to include robust counseling on home inspections, the benefits they offer, when and how to obtain them and more. This was a major accomplishment for ASHI. Our InspectPac efforts continue to show results and the IW 2014 event in Nashville was a great success due to the efforts of Chairman Don Lovering and the ASHI staff. ASHI is part of a coalition of a group of business leaders concerned about patent trolling and some legislation has been introduced-still in committee-that will address patent trolling.

Public Relations: On the public-relations front, our agency, PCI, handled numerous requests for interviews. As president, I contributed articles to many publications, which also were discussed on radio & TV stations. PCI does a great job of getting the ASHI name out to the media and consumers.

I would like to personally thank our staff, under the leadership of ASHI Executive Director Frank Lesh, for a fantastic job. InspectionWorld 2014 in Nashville, TN was a tremendous success and Michele George has worked very hard to keep IW in the forefront of educational opportunities for home inspectors. Dave Kogan also worked hard to bring new endorsed programs and opportunities to enhance our members’ businesses.

As you can see, it has been a busy and successful year. I fully expect that 2014, under ASHI President Bill Loden, will be even more productive.

Thank you for allowing me the pleasure of being ASHI’s President. It truly has been a real honor and a lifetime of memories.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT
by Michael J. Stephens, 2013 ASHI TREASURER

ASHI’s Finances are in Good Order
We just finished an audit review by the CPA firm Wolf & Company and their statements were presented at the annual business meeting during InspectWorld in Nashville. ASHI showed a modest gain this fiscal year and continues to promote fiscal responsibility. The Board of Directors approved a balanced budget for FY 2014, allowing for a surplus to maintain a rainy day reserve fund. The ASHI School had a very good 2013 and each successful graduate was given a one year’s ASHI membership to get them started in the profession. This has been a great way to introduce these new associate members to the Gold Standard of home inspection organizations.
Our strategic plan is geared for membership growth, member benefits, promoting alternate streams of revenue for members and maintaining our gold standard of excellence. Next year, I will join our Chapter Relations Committee and the Speaker of the COR in assisting our chapters and making each one fiscally strong and vibrant.
As we emerge from the remnants of the housing slowdown, ASHI is stronger thanks most to you, ASHI inspectors who have weathered the storm and will now reap the benefits of ASHI membership. I have to acknowledge the assistance I have received from our excellent headquarters staff, in particular to our accounting manager, Belienda Schultz, and the cooperation our executive director, Frank Lesh.
I have been honored to serve as the ASHI treasurer for this past year and look forward to the next year.


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