Material MattersMember NewsIndustry News/InformationRikka BrandonHire PowerBuilding Gurus
Monthly News from BLD Connection
Issue 8 | May 2024
Northwestern Lumber Association and Mid-America Lumbermens Association are now BLD Connection. Material Matters is our monthly newsletter. Its focus is on valuable industry news and important member updates. Watch for Material Matters in your inbox the first Monday of each month.
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BLD Connection News
Federated Insurance® Chairman Announcement
Federated Insurance® Chairman Jeffrey E. Fetters Announces Retirement; Nicholas R. Lower to be Appointed Company’s Next Chairman
Long-time Chairman of the Federated Insurance Companies, Jeffrey E. Fetters, announced his planned retirement at the end of 2024 during the 120th Annual Policyholders Meeting held in Owatonna on April 16, 2024. Fetters has served as Chairman since 2012 and been with the organization for nearly 45 years.
Exclusive Discount Opportunity with Layman’s Lumber Guide
The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) announced that it has partnered with Layman’s Lumber Guide to offer an exclusive member only discount for their market forecasts. Members receive a 2-month free trial. After the trial, a 20% discount on ALL annual paid in full memberships will be offered.
Connection Conference and BizCon Dates & Locations Announced
Time to add new dates to your calendar for the next BLD Connection Conferences and BizCons! Watch www.bldconnection.org for registration updates.
December 11, 2024 Embassy Suites La Vista, NE
January 14, 2025 Glacier Canyon Conference Center Wisconsin Dells, WI
January 28 & 29, 2025 Rivers Edge Convention Center St Cloud, MN
February 18 & 19, 2025 The Meadows Events & Conference Center Altoona, IA
FTC Bans Non-Compete Agreements
On Tuesday, April 23, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 3-2 to ban non-compete agreements that restrict employees from working for competitors or starting a competing business after they leave a job. The non-compete ban will become effective 120 days after the final rule is published in the Federal Register.
Under the final rule, existing non-compete agreements for the vast majority of workers will no longer be enforceable except for senior executives.
Securing a Successful Job Offer: Strategies for Effective Offer Extensions
Rikka Brandon, Building Gurus
It’s Finally Time
You’ve done your interviews, you’ve done your due diligence, and you’re ready to extend an offer. Now all that’s left is getting to “Yes!”
Here are some things to keep in mind.
Having the Money Conversations Because you’ve been talking about money since the beginning of the process, you know what the candidate is expecting. You also know that you can afford it.
At a time when the industry can’t seem to find anything to talk about other than supply issues, it’s kind of nice to know that some things don’t change.
Rob is one of them. Every dealer says their builders are conservative, but the owner of Cro-Magnon Construction is truly a throwback to a bygone era. First of all, Rob is a spec builder, a niche that is practically an oxymoron in the Northeast.
We have a manager who is very good at her job, but she has issues controlling her anger. Multiple employees have complained that she exploded at them over minor issues. Can we require this manager to take an anger management course?
