Professional Designations Offer Industry Pros the Competitive Edge

Education, whether it's time spent in the classroom or acquiring practical, hands-on training, invariably impacts an employee’s success, and their company’s bottom line. With the NAHB advanced professional degree program, building industry professionals across the nation, including you, are enhancing their business savvy, broadening their areas of expertise and increasing their

“I didn’t know what CGR meant when I chose Scott Sevon, CGR, CAPS, GMB. But, after seeing his work it means professionalism and quality to me.” – Greg and Rosemary Insolia of Inverness, IL “After getting bids from two remodelers I chose Stephen Robinson, CGR, CAPS, GMB, CGB based on his CGR. To me the CGR designation indicates he goes the extra mile.” – Kristy Abbett of Middletown, IN “Many people become CGRs to get more business. I earned the CGR designation in order to make more money. The CGR designation helped me earn and keep more money which better enabled me to grow my business and compensate my employees.” – Michael Strong, CGR of Brother Strong in Houston, TX

marketability. Currently The NAHB University of Housing offers more than a dozen professional designations designed to improve skills, provide career advancement, and recognize industry expertise and commitment to professional growth for the home building industry.

“My designations help me every single day,” said Beverly Koehn, president of Beverly Koehn & Associates, Inc. in San Antonio, Texas, and a holder of six different NAHB designations. “Number one, they keep me abreast of what’s happening in the housing industry. It changes so rapidly that it’s all you can do just to keep up with it. By being an instructor and involved with designations on a constant basis, I feel like I’m always up to date on what’s happening.”

Professional designees see the value of their designations in more ways than one. Designees reap the rewards of staying up to speed on the latest developments in business, building methods and technology, while conveying to clients the know-how and professional dedication required to earn a designation. Potential clients can use designations to help identify and choose professionals who have superior training, practical experience and in-depth knowledge of their area of need. And finding a professional designee is simply a click away, by visiting the designee directory at www.NAHB.org/designations.

Leadership development, mentoring opportunities, and access to real-world information are other benefits designees typically mention. Graduates routinely express that the opportunity to network with expert instructors and other professionals — both within their field and outside their immediate scope of expertise — is a huge plus.

How has your designation tangibly benefited your career?   The designations have kept me and our firm current with ongoing education. The continuing education refreshes us and continues to teach us to be better builders-remodelers. Doctors, surgeons must keep up their education and training and so do we.  How have you promoted designations among your peers? Your home builders association? Whenever I am able to speak to one of our non-certified members or at meetings, I do so. Each time I am asked to introduce myself I always use my certifications. This always perks interest in non certified members. When I sign in on attendance sheets I also list my certifications for all to see. Lastly when ever a member wants to know more about certifications/designations I try to mentor them and guide them into the starting of their own paths.    Scott Sevon, CGR, CAPS, GMB President, Sevvonco, Inc.

“You establish relationships with a national committee of people,” said Brad Schwartz of J.J. Swartz Co. in Decatur, Ill., a remodeling and restoration business and a CAPS and CGR designee. 

Use the designation to develop a network of contacts from across the country that you can consistently turn to as a sounding-board for challenges and ideas. Often this is an opportunity to network that brings graduates back for additional designations.

As you know, earning a professional designation from NAHB is a rigorous process, and the courses are being constantly elevated. Still, according to NAHB statistics, builders and remodelers are eager to enroll in designation programs. In the past year alone, hundreds of professionals have completed advanced courses. In many of the programs, there are twice as many people in the process of earning their designations as those who currently hold them.  

“Offering designation courses to our members is really just fulfilling the commitment we’ve made to them to — to bring them continuing educational opportunities,” said David Ellis, executive vice president of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.

Through NAHB’s University of Housing, industry professionals can earn professional designations in any one of 13 areas. For more information on specific designations, visit www.NAHB.org/designations.

"The chief thing that a designation does is give you a huge boost in self-confidence. It's an emblem that signifies that you have  completed an element of study and puts you a cut above — not just because of what you have learned, but because you have taken the initiative to improve yourself." — Mike Weiss, CGR, CGB, GMB, CAPS of Weiss RCMI in Carmel, Ind.

[ return to top ]