DOE Home Energy Score Opportunities for ASHI Members

ASHI is a partner organization in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score initiative scheduled to launch in the second quarter of 2012. HomeScore assessments consist of evaluating and completing the DOE’s online form, which can be done as part of a standard home inspection or as a stand-alone assessment, providing a potential source of income for qualified ASHI inspectors.

ASHI will be lining up:

1. ASHI members who are BPI- or RESNET HERS-certified to perform the HomeScore assessments. If interested, contact Mike Rostescu at miker@ashi.org to add your name to the list.

2. One contractor to perform the required follow-up quality control assessments nationwide (on 5 percent of all original HomeScore assessments). ASHI will issue an RFP to locate the contractor. An ASHI member is preferred. If interested, please contact Bill Lewis at bill@ashi.org.

Continuing Education Audit Concludes on a High Note

Congratulations to all who were chosen randomly to participate in this year’s audit of continuing education hours. All responded and passed. No one was placed on administrative suspension.

Gold Standard Banners: Borrow, Buy or Rent

Perfect for real estate and consumer shows or for any opportunity to promote ASHI, these new banners are now available to chapters for only the shipping costs. Members also may rent a banner for shipping costs and a small fee.  

To reserve a banner, download and return the form from the Downloads section of the Members-Only website.

In addition to the ASHI banners, customized versions will be available. Email Russell Daniels at russelld@ashi.org to learn more. 

E-Learning Podcasts Available

Each of the 40 recordings from InspectionWorldPhoenix covers a two-hour session and all are available on the ASHI e-Learning Catalog under the Podcast category. The podcasts cover inspection-related topics ranging from beginning-level to advanced-technical and include several general business management sessions.

Podcasts cost $20 each for ASHI members ($30 non-member) and IW Phoenix attendees receive a 20 percent discount.The entire e-Learning Catalog is available on ASHI’s home page. Check it often for additional home inspection-related educational opportunities. Questions? Contact Michele George, micheleg@ashi.org.

Elections

Officers
The following ACIs were selected to serve on the Officers Nominating Committee:

Lisa Alajajian-Giroux
Jay Z. Balin
Jack Feldmann
Steve McNamee
Robert A. Peterson
Jerry Santangini
Scott Swickard

The immediate Past-president Kurt Salomon serves as chair.

The committee is accepting nominations for the Society officer positions of president-elect, vice president, secretary and treasurer for 2013.

Any ASHI Certified Inspector in good standing may be nominated to any office. Self-nominations are permitted, and all nominees must agree to serve if elected.

ASHI Nominating and Election Guidelines require that all nominations include a completed Matrix for Evaluating Nominees. The official matrix is available on HomeInspector.org in the Documents section of the Members-Only Extranet. The matrix also can be obtained by contacting ASHI headquarters, HQ@ashi.org.

As matrices are received at headquarters, the staff will verify that all nominees have agreed to serve and have submitted the necessary background information, including a response to all matrix questions. Headquarters will verify the nominees’ status as ASHI Certified Inspectors in good standing. Nominations will close Aug. 15, 2012, and the matrices will be distributed to the members of the Nominating Committee.

Nominating Committee Purpose: The objective of the Nominating Committee is to identify and name candidates who meet ASHI’s leadership requirements for the offices of president-elect, vice president, secretary and treasurer. All contents, discussions and documents from the meetings and their results are strictly confidential.

Petitions: After the Nomination Committee names its candidates, a petition of 10 percent of ASHI Certified Inspectors in good standing can cause the name of a qualified ASHI Certified Inspector to be added to the ballot for a specific office. Petitions must be presented on a special form available only from ASHI headquarters and require the name (printed) and the signature of each petitioner, as well as the office in which the petitioner would serve, if elected.

The form must be received by mail or fax at headquarters at least 10 days prior to the distribution of the ballots. Staff will verify the validity of the petition prior to placing the name of a candidate for office on the ballot. Ballots will be mailed to ASHI Certified Inspectors by Oct. 31, 2012, and the election will close Dec. 5, 2012.

Campaigning: According to the Policy and Procedures Manual, campaigning positively by or about any candidate is permissible as long as no ASHI assets are used. Staff, Nominating Committee and Election Committee members shall not participate in campaigning. Nominees or petition candidates for an officer or Board of Director position may purchase mailing labels or lists of qualified voting members’ contact information from headquarters at cost. Negative campaigning (against candidates or nominees) is not permitted. The Election Committee should preview campaign statements or materials in advance if there is any uncertainty about the appropriateness of their contents.

Ballots will be counted the first week in December and election results will be published in the January 2013 issue of the ASHI Reporter.

Comments and questions about the nomination process are welcomed. Please contact ASHI headquarters at HQ@ashi.org.

Directors
The following council representatives were selected to serve on the Directors Nominating Committee:

Ken Harrington
Richard Hart
Tony Smith
Kevin E. Westendorff

Skip Walker was appointed to chair the committee.

Nominations are being accepted for five new, non-officer Board members and one alternate for 2013. Nominees shall be ASHI Certified Inspectors in good standing who have served a minimum of one year on the Council of Representatives, the term beginning no later than Oct. 1, 2011. Nominees must be on the council during the election process, up until the time the ballots are counted. If elected, the council member must step off the council and the chapter will be allowed to fill the vacancy.

The Directors Nominating Committee will submit names of possible candidates, and any COR member may submit his/her name or any names as nominees. All candidates must agree to serve and provide background information, as required on a matrix that is available from HQ. Nominations close Aug. 15, 2012, and the Directors Nominating Committee selects a slate in September. Ballots then are mailed to Council representatives on Oct. 31, 2012.

If you have questions, please contact Jeff Arnold at HQ, jeffa@ashi.org.

Be Social with ASHI

Become a Facebook fan, get LinkedIn and tweet with ASHI. All social media can be accessed from ASHI’s home page at www.ashi.org. Join in discussions with other ASHI inspectors on LinkedIn, re-tweet ASHI’s tweets and share ASHI Facebook links on your own Facebook page.

View & Download Photos from InspectionWorld Phoenix at No Charge

The professional photos from this year’s InspectionWorld (IW) conference in Phoenix are available to download for free from www.inspectionworld.org.

Save the Date for InspectionWorld Las Vegas
It’s not too early to put the date on your calendar for IW Las Vegas. The conference will take place January 13-16, 2013, and will be held at Bally’s Las Vegas. See you there.

ASHI Staff: Belienda Schultz

Prior to joining the ASHI team, Belienda was the office manager/kitchen and bathroom designer for her family’s business, Quality Cabinet Doors, Inc., in Arizona. She literally grew up in the construction business learning not only how to build a cabinet, but to balance the books. Shortly after joining the ASHI team in 2009 as the financial assistant, she was promoted to her current position of accounting manager and human resources. In this position, she works closely with the Executive Director, Finance Committee and auditors on all ASHI and AEI financial and personnel matters. Belienda is a happy wife to Mark Schultz and proud mother of Elijah (4) and Gianna (1). She enjoys hiking, cooking, cleaning and enjoying life through the eyes of her children.

ASHI Event Calendar

• July 28, 2012,
ASHI Board Meeting,
Rosemont, Ill.
• Oct. 18-19, 2012,
Leadership Training Conference,
Rosemont, Ill.
• Oct. 20, 2012,
ASHI Board Meeting,
Rosemont, Ill.
• Jan. 13-16, 2013,
InspectionWorld,
Las Vegas, Nev.

Current ASHI Membership
ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,335
Associates/Logo: 113
Associates: 1,307
Retired Members: 99
Affiliates: 67
Total: 4,922

ASHI Mission Statement
To set and promote standards for property inspections and to provide the educational programs needed to achieve excellence in the profession.