Builders' association adds 75 members in two-day drive

PORT ANGELES – The North Peninsula Building Association added 75 new members in a two-day blitz drive in Clallam County last week.

“This is historical for the North Peninsula Building Association,” said Clair Kirkman, executive officer, on Friday after a Thursday celebration party at Coldwell Banker in Port Angeles.

Thirteen association chapters in Washington state held membership drives on Wednesday and Thursday, Kirkman said.

The Port Angeles-based chapter increased its membership by 26.6 percent, she said, for a total of 357 members.

The increase over the two-day drive “was the highest by more than 7 percent of anybody else in the state,” Kirkman said.

“We are absolutely astounded and excited,” said the association’s 2007 president, Kevin Russell of Clausen Construction LLC/Pacific Northwest Log Homes of Port Angeles.

The program was hosted by the state Building Industry Association office in Olympia.

The Oliver Group LLC in Wenatchee helped local chapters put on the membership drive.

“They are professionals in this area. They have a program that’s been very successful,” Kirkman said.

“They gave us all the ideas of how to do it, and gave us tons of encouragement and moral support.”

Dan Gase volunteered the upstairs conference room at Coldwell Banker Uptown Realty in Port Angeles for the blitz.

Twelve chapter members donated free or reduced-price goods or services to serve as incentives.

“So everyone who joined [during the two-day drive] got free or discounted services,” Kirkman said.

Awards were also offered to the seven teams and those teams’ 55 members.

Some of those awards are:

The team, “Jeni and the Dude Tones,” brought in the most new members, signing up 18. The team was comprised of Russell, Jim Strong, manager of Hadlock Building Center in Port Hadlock, who served as captain; Larry Hanna, owner of L.P. Hanna Construction, Inc. in Port Angeles, who was co-captain; Jeni Melvin of Angeles Millwork Showcase in Port Angeles; Tracy Gudgel of Zenovic & Associates, Inc. of Port Angeles and Niamh Prossor of Jace The Real Estate Company of Port Angeles and Sequim.

Hanna brought in the most new members – four – of any other individual on Wednesday.

Kim Beus of Hartnagel Building Supply of Port Angeles signed up the most on Thursday. She brought in six new members.

Hanna, Beus and Russell tied for numbers of new memberships during the two-day drive.

“We’re very happy that the NPBA is such a cross-section of the community – people whose businesses support our building efforts and who we support,” Russell said.

Members businesses include gift shops and gas stations as well as contractors, subcontractors, banks and title companies.

“If we build a home for someone, we would look for a housewarming gift, so we would use the gift shop to provide us with that gift,” Russell said.

“Obviously, we need to fuel our vehicles.

“Members enjoy doing business with members,” he said.

“Hopefully, everybody will benefit from the new associations.”

Membership in the North Olympic Building Association is $395 annually.

In addition to representing businesses, the office also offers information on licensed and bonded contractors and subcontractors.

For more information, visit the office at 3430 E. U.S. Highway 101, Suite 1, in Port Angeles; phone 360-452-8160, e-mail npba@olypen.com or check the Web site at www.npba.info/index.htm.