Written by Michael Harris, BIASD Director of Membership

On Thursday, February 16th, nearly 250 attendees packed the Del Mar Hilton for the first BIA general membership Breakfast of 2012.  This was the largest crowd BIA San Diego has drawn for a breakfast event in the last few years, and their was a collective sense of optimism about the direction of the industry.   The event subject, “Get more involved to get the most out of BIA,” clearly resonated with a crowd eager to get more business going by becoming more involved with BIA.

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Diverse Product Line Helps Keep

Company Around for 50 Years

Manufacturing:  Maker of 2,200 Items is a ‘1-Stop Shop for Builders’

By Mike Allen/San Diego Business Journal

It’s tough to be a manufacturer these days, but Linear LLC seems to have a winning formula.

“It has to do with our diverse product link, circling the wagons, and taking care of our customers,” said Gary Baker, vice president of marketing for the Carlsbad-based maker of electronic products that recently marked its 50th year in business.

Linear, a unit of Providence, R.I.-based Nortek Inc. makes about 2200 products today, compared with just a handful when it started out in 1961 as a manufacturer of remote control devices for residential garage doors.

Through innovation and acquisition of other businesses, Linear has expanded its line to such things as home and commercial access control systems, central vacuum systems, home audiovisual systems, speakers and personal emergency reporting systems.

“We’ve really become a one-stop shop for builders and remodelers who are putting a lot of new technology into homes, “said Mike O’Neal, Linear’s president, who joined the company in the spring of 2011.  “As the recession hit, people began putting more money into upgrading their existing homes and we have a variety of products they can use.” (more…)

A memorial service honoring the life of Horace will be held on:

Saturday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m.
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
890 Balour Drive
Encinitas CA 92024
Map and directions

The family suggests contributions in lieu of flowers to either the City of Hope or UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

View Horace’s obituary in the San Diego Union~Tribune.

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our friend, great leader and industry giant Horace Hogan II, a veteran California homebuilder and San Diego Building Industry Association leader.  Hogan died Monday after a lengthy battle with cancer.

“Horace was a pillar of our tight-knit industry community and even more importantly, an extraordinary generous human being,” said Guy Asaro, Chairman of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County. “  His legacy is vast, and his efforts helped lead our industry through good times and bad.  All of us who knew and worked with him will miss him sorely, especially his infectious spirit-lifting signature laughter.”

At his death, Hogan was a principal with LandArc Group, a private land development company of planned residential and mixed-use communities based in Carlsbad.  He previously was president and chief executive officer for Brehm Communities in San Diego, and before that was division president for Ryland Homes, a cofounder of Pacific Gateway Homes in Aliso Viejo, and was vice president of the Mission Viejo Company.  In all, he had more than 30 years of executive leadership experience in the homebuilding industry. (more…)

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Guy Asaro, 2012 Building Industry Association (BIA) of San Diego County Chairman, delivers his Chairman’s Message at the 2012 Installation Celebration on January 21, 2012 at the Omni Hotel in downtown San Diego. Immediately preceding the speech Guy Asaro was formally installed into the office of 2012 BIA Chairman by his father Frank L. Asaro, a prominent San Diego estate attorney and, for over a decade, former BIA General Council.

BIA Installation Speech
January 21, 2011

Wow, what a wonderful celebration we are having this evening. Dad, thank you for your kind words.

Tonight’s event is all about vision….. and I had the privilege of growing up in a house with a man of great vision. Dad, you had the vision to be the first in our family to leave the tuna fishing community…to go to college and then law school… and the vision to become part of this industry. I hope, as I stand here today, that you can see what an inspiration you and mom have always been to me and to the rest of our family. (more…)

Cornerstone Communities

Next month, Cornerstone Communities will unveil Veranza at The Summit Eastlake, a new neighborhood of 111 two-story triplex homes in Chula Vista.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 11th and come view three decorated models showcasing exciting interiors by Blackbird Interiors and outdoor living by Terra Firma Landscape.  Veranza offers an ideal combination of style, value, energy efficiency, and a preferred address.

Summit Recreation Center at Veranza

Distinguished by Spanish, Santa Barbara and Craftsman architecture, the Veranza residences will range from approximately 1,259 to 1,656 square feet, including three bedrooms and two and one-half baths plus a side-by-side, two-car attached garage. The largest home will also encompass a versatile loft, and kitchens in two plans will feature a gourmet island for meal preparation and serving. Prices are expected to start in the mid $200,000s. (more…)

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 4 at Daybreak Church, 6515 Ambrosia Lane, Carlsbad.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders or World Vision. 

View the U-T San Diego’s article about Curt.

 It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Curt Noland, our friend and great industry supporter.  Curt died at home last night at the age of 55, surrounded by his family.  He leaves behind many close friends to whom he was an inspiration both in their personal and business lives.  Curt managed HomeFed’s real estate assets as vice president and senior development officer of the Carlsbad-based residential real estate development company.   He was deeply passionate about everything he undertook. 

At BIA, Curt was a prominent member of its President’s Council, which acts as an advisory panel to the Board of Directors.  In that capacity Curt provided the industry with years of invaluable insights.   He will be sorely missed by his many friends.  While his life was cut short unexpectedly, he made a great impact on many lives and on our industry for which we shall remain extremely grateful.  We extend our deepest sympathies to the Noland family.

Guy Asaro, Chairman, BIA of San Diego County

BIASD President and C.E.O., Borre Winckel, was recently recognized by the San Diego Daily Transcript as a ’2012 Top Influential’.  Click here to read the full article or view the full list of ’2012 Top Influentials’ on the Daily Transcript’s website.