“Enlarging The Image for Builders”
Bob Davis develops LIBI strategy plan for the future.

By Denis Sheahan

After about nine months, LIBI president Bob Davis is beginning to see a strategy for builders coming together.
Up until Davis and his immediate predecessor, Mike Dubb, a strategic plan for the associate was almost non-existent. Depending on who was president of LIBI, the association often operated at the whim and the personal agenda of the builder who rode the succession ladder to the top.
But since Davis succeeded Dubb, both builders have worked long and hard to come up with a set of guidelines that would carry forth the objectives of the Institute and its 600 members regardless of who was president.
“President to president had his own agenda,” explains Davis in his model home site on William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. “With this strategic plan in place, our course of action will be clear for years.”
Speaking softly, the unassuming 59-year-old builder is genuinely pleased that such a strategic plan could be developed during his stewardship of LIBI. He cites several items that he expects will have a lasting impact on the membership.

1. Improving the governance of LIBI and updating the bylaws.
2. Providing associate members more power in the nomination process.
3. Having better relations in the care of committee.
4. Increase the resources of LIBI, namely more EXPOs and Parades of Homes.

Referring to the latter item, Davis believes the EXPO in Riverhead last spring “wasn’t that successful.” However, he adds, “the Parade of Homes was successful and it was a plus.”
Enjoying “pluses” instead of “minuses” has been an elusive factor in the psyche of the builders for years. The good work, especially in “giving back” to the community has been widely cheered with the most notable being the HELPS House project last winter. On the other hand, shoddy building practices by some builders cut into the image of the builders. “We definitely want to enlarge our image,” Davis notes. “We want to identify ourselves. Who we are and what we stand for.”

The most striking example of promoting LIBI’s Parade of Homes occurred when a lottery prize of $10,000 was awarded to a Commack family for buying a house and closing on it within the prescribed time period.
The lottery winners, Jack and Lynn DiGiovanni, purchased a condo at the Highlands in Port Jefferson from Park Ridge Organization. The $10,000 check was presented to the DiGiovannis at Park Ridge’s offices on August 21.
Dubious at first, the DiGiovannis and their son, Mike, were overwhelmed by winning such a prize.
“the check will go a long way towards easing the burden of moving from Commack to Port Jefferson,” said Jack DiGiovanni who works in New York City for ACS Financial Securities Services. His wife Lynn is a retired teacher.
At the ceremony, Davis said he was pleased that LIBI could provide the type of reward on behalf of the organization. Also present was Bob Wieboldt, the executive of LIBI, and a representative of Park Ridge, Gary Schneider, the controller.

Davis added that the grand prize was created as an incentive to home buyers to visit 11 furnished models of LIBI members.“The models typify the American dream of new home ownership, he said, “we are pleased the DiGiovanni family can share this dream.” Building on image is one more important aspect of the strategic plan, according to Davis. For example, LIBI will sponsor a highway sign westbound on the Long Island Expressway at Exit 62. Although it would seem to be a small item, it has an expense attached to it. Next year, the strategic plan includes budgeting for a Parade of Homes and possibly another EXPO but plans are incomplete. The Parade would likely take place in the Three Village are of Suffolk, according to Davis.

The need for a strategic plan became known during the presidency of Mike Dubb when Buzz Schwenk resigned and was succeeded by Bob Wieboldt. With the rapid changes taking place at the very top of LIBI, It became apparent that policies and plans were needed to overcome fractious and contentious parties.
Davis cites the associate membership as an example. “With almost two-thirds of the LIBI membership, they do a lot for the builders,” says Davis, acknowledging LIBI is primarily a builder association.

Admittedly, one of the sore spots between builders and associates is the amount of business that crosses between the groups. Although studies and survey relating to the topic are scarce, non-LIBI suppliers often work for LIBi builders. Quite firmly, however, Davis believes in helping associate cause along. “Where a builder can do business with an associate, he should try to,” the president declared. “The associates do a lot for us and do a lot for the organization,” he said. “They sponsor a lot of things and they give legal advice. We should not take them for granted.”

The high visibility afforded a LIBI president can bring out the best in a builder and he often reaps awards. In Davis’s case he seems to accept the step modestly. “Being president provides a little more credibility to my costumers.” Davis offers. He adds that it’s been a good experience understanding the inner workings of such things as politics, especially in Brookhaven Township where his office is located. “We have really made inroads with Brookhaven. Its leaders, especially Supervisor Grucci, have been very supportive. Grucci has been a big help. He’s a businessman and he understands and it’s helped.”

A builder of about a dozen homes a year, Davis is acutely aware of Brookhaven’s bureaucracy. Since the early 1970s, Davis had built homes starting with Shelter Technology under a farmer’s home loan program.
The program still exists, admits Davis, but “I will not do it.”

On the other hand, Davis is extremely active with the SONYMA program for first time home buyers that allows young people to own their home based on price and salary ranges. His career saw him move into Structural Technology, an outgrowth of Shelter Technology that had been based largely on the farmer’s home loan program. Houses in the Shirley area were selling for $21,990. “People were buying them and walking away.” He recalls. “It got out of hand.”

In 1994, Davis started his own company and he still works the Shirley area. “I know it like the back of my hand, “ he adds. Davis understands extremely well the building business, especially having witnessed the ups and downs of boom-bust periods such as the early 1970s and the early 1990s when he was forced to work outside the industry for periods of time to support a family. Now, however, he is apparently satisfied building in the affordable range market where there seems to be a steady flow of young people who seek him out.

As for LIBI, the next three months should see the completion of the strategic plan, but were he to be given an “extraordinary power” he would like to see a lot more harmony with-in the membership.
“Deep down, the associates were treated like step-children, but under Mike Dubb and myself they are feeling now that they are an important part of the membership,” Davis says.

As for his own agenda over the next few months, Davis says he would like to see a stabilized office and staff and a procedure for budget control. “I’d like to leave an organized LIBI for the next guy,” Davis hopes.

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