NOTE: This is Part 2 of a 3-part series. You can read Part 1 here.
21 ambitious young professionals have been awarded IBS Scholarship to the 2018 NAHB International Builders’ Show® (IBS) in Orlando this coming January. Many have never attended before and all are eager to learn more about the building industry by exploring new products, network with other industry pros and attend the many education sessions available. Here are their stories.
Brandyn Deckinga, Habitat for Humanity of Kent County
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Brandyn is currently the Director of Construction for Habitat and says he came to work for them partly because of the innovation that is taking place there. “Being a cutting-edge builder requires a lot of continuing education, and IBS is one of the best places to learn about innovations in residential construction. I hope to network with other high-performance builders and suppliers to continue to innovate the homes we build every day.”
Eleanore Decos, MonGroup Properties, Inc.
Shrewsbury, New Jersey
As a marketing and social media coordinator for a real estate and development company specializing in multifamily living, Eleanore understands the importance of staying current on industry trends. “By attending IBS, I hope to gain knowledge and inspiration from the [education sessions]. I’m also excited to explore the show floor and do lots of networking.”
Anna Forsmire, Crabbe Homes
Clarksville, Tennessee
Anna started with Crabbe Homes in 2015 as an administrative assistant, but she always had the goal of becoming a project manager for the company—helping to grow the business and have happy clients. She achieved it in less than 18 months. “So far, I’ve built my knowledge base at the local level, but I have this never-ending desire to learn. I’m looking forward to attending the 2018 Builders’ Show so I can learn as much as I can from the [education sessions] and vendors.”
Krystofer Gardner, Magleby Construction
Lindon, Utah
Krystofer is a former NAHB Student Chapter member who took part in the 2014 IBS student competition; there, he got a small taste of what the show had to offer. Today, as a systems manager, his role is to seek ways to take construction to the next level. “I value the professional environment at IBS—where collaboration and education happen. I’m a Millennial with passion to engage in the construction industry, and that is exactly what I am seeking by attending IBS 2018.”
Stephanie Greco, Fairfield Homes, Inc.
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Stephanie is an interior designer for a custom builder in the Chicago area. While she’s been in the industry for 10 years, this will be her first time attending IBS. In addition to being excited to experience all of the new products that will be on display and learning from the seminars, she notes, “I am really looking forward to networking with other young professionals in the industry.”
Amberly Gutierrez, JASCO Custom Homes, LLC
Austin Texas
Amberly has been in the industry for 14 years and has owned her construction company since 2009. She first attended the Builders’ Show when it was in Las Vegas a few years ago, and notes that she learned so much from that experience. “[At IBS 2018], I hope to gain knowledge and learn what new products are on the market so I can give my customers the custom homes of their dreams.”
Sarah Harne, Dan Ryan Builders
Frederick, Maryland
Sarah has been in the building industry for seven years and is the chairperson of her local Sales & Marketing Council (SMC). She hopes to gain three things by attending IBS 2018. Knowledge: she wants to learn how to best market to the 55+ buyer. Connections: she plans to network with other SMC leaders and gain connections outside of her geographical area. Resources: she will collect resources to bring back to the local level to enhance efforts within her company and the HBA.
Part 1 of this series was published here, and Part 3 will be coming soon to the Builders’ Show blog.
Learn more about the 2018 IBS Scholarship recipients.