Message From the Board Chair

One thing that will always be constant in the construction industry is change. My first few months as this year's Board Chair already have been true to that theory in the form of bittersweet changes to our Board roster.

The terms of two Board members who have been active participants in the policies and operations that affect all of us were completed during the summer. Mark A. Thurman, a Lake Forest resident and one of our Governor-appointed contractor members, served on both the Legislative and Executive Committees where we've seen new laws and regulations established to protect licensees from underground economy activities. Big Bear Lake resident Jim Miller, one of our Governor-appointed public members, has been a dedicated participant who served two terms during which he was Board Chair and Vice Chair, served on several committees, and provided insights from his expertise both as a contractor and building official. We thank both of these members for their time and countless professional contributions.

One update from our previous newsletter: Sacramento Board Member Matt Kelly will remain on the Board for the foreseeable future. We will continue to benefit from Matt's many contributions until a successor to his position is named.

We welcomed two new appointees during the September Board meeting: Governor-appointed Kevin J. Albanese, a construction industry executive and attorney from San Jose; and Linda Clifford, a Sacramento resident and also a Governor-appointee, who has been both a licensee and a chief financial officer in the construction industry during most of her career. We also welcome Governor-appointee Nancy Springer, a Butte County building official from Browns Valley, who was named to the board a few days ago.

Positive changes that are under way this fiscal year include improved design and ease-of-use for CSLB's website. Staff already is working on a simpler, more streamlined experience for visitors to www.cslb.ca.gov. We're seeing steady increases of interactive communication between CSLB and the public on our Facebook and Twitter social media sites. And, although a longer-term project, CSLB looks forward to an upgraded computer system in the next two to three years, which should help applicants and licensees.

The best way to keep tabs of all CSLB changes throughout the year—news, bulletins, newsletters, and meetings—is by signing up for automatic Email Alerts, a button that is available in the left column of every website page.

Like a majority of you, I am a small business owner who has been weathering the recent recession. I am encouraged, however, by the positive indicators in housing starts, property value statistics, and an increase in CSLB license applications, and I look forward to improved economic conditions for our construction industry in the year to come.