September is Associate Appreciation Month at PBA, a time to recognize our associate members and show our great respect for their contribution to our association. I looked up the definition of associate and after weeding through the internet I found a definition I really liked. “An Associate is someone who is closely connected to another person as a companion, friend or business partner.” I liked this definition because it rises above a mere business partner and includes companion and friend. While we join PBA as businesspeople seeking to advance our industry, business, or career, we choose those we associate with and often become lifelong friends.
Our Associates come in many types and sizes, from subcontractors who share the mud with us, to suppliers who keep the products coming to keep the jobs moving, to realtors, lawyers and bankers who provide the expertise we don’t have to move us forward from purchase to sale. Each is a vital partner in the final product.
Subcontractors, these individuals are our daily companions, producing their portion of the final product then moving on to help another. They start on day one clearing the ground and prepping the excavation, turning the work over to another until the last shingle and cabinet is perfect. Few people have the time or experience to do it all, so we are ever thankful to our subcontractors.
Next, we think of our suppliers, they provide the products and services we need to complete not just one job but many. Whether they supply construction material, concrete, lumber, or laminate. Or some portion of the larger picture, such as advertising, tools, or equipment. We can’t forget what they do and why they do it, not just for income but to help build a better tomorrow.
Finally, we can’t forget our white-collar friends. They design what we build, provide us with our customers, the mortgages those customers need, and the legal expertise to prevent a simple misunderstanding from ending our dreams. Just as no one can do it all or know it all, we can’t forget those whose job it is to bring the new ideas, products, and training we all need to stay ahead of the Wolf (Shapiro?) at our door.
It’s clear PBA and all construction would be impossible without our associates. We owe them a debt we can never repay. Because builders are often type A pushers and workers, we may forget all of the things we don’t do, that our associates have to do. Be they great or small, Associates have value they add to our lives and homes, and for this we should all be truly grateful.
Tom McCosby
2024 PBA President