Editor's Note: We're proud to announce that Michael R. Copp, Assistant Staff Vice President, Specialized Member Services, was recently promoted to Senior Staff Vice President of NAHB's University of Housing. Copp has worked with the 50+ Housing Council since January 2005 and also has been in charge of the National Sales and Marketing Council (NSMC) and Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM) since 2001. His promotion goes into effect as of Dec. 1, 2007. While Michael will be dearly missed by everyone involved with the 50+ Housing Council, we are thrilled that he will add great value to NAHB's education efforts through his new role with the University of Housing. Congratulations, Michael!

By Michael Copp

"I am so glad we had this time together"…

These are the words that Carol Burnett sang after each episode of her variety show, which was one of my all-time favorites. It is hard to believe that three years have passed since we began this journey to take the NAHB 50+ Housing Council to the next level of productivity and relevance for NAHB. The purpose of this letter is to thank all of you for your support and hard work as we look back at all that we have accomplished together.

The strategic decisions that we have made have led to some incredible growth. In three short years, the 50+ Housing Council’s membership has grown to 1,500, and we have increased the number of 50+ Housing Magazine subscribers as well. You have played a tremendous role in helping the 50+ Housing Council reach its potential.

Here's a snap shot of a few of the other accomplishments:

• In 2005, we embarked on a new chapter, rebranding the former Seniors Housing Council as the 50+ Housing Council and Seniors’ Housing News as 50+ Housing Magazine. Both moves were designed to reflect the dynamic, new market that was emerging.
• The 50+ Housing Council ramped up its emphasis on research. First, we catalogued past research on a new 50+ Housing Council Research Web Page. We also recently completed the Profile of the 50+ Housing Market, which includes some of the latest demographics on this burgeoning market. It’s some of the finest research I’ve seen on the boomer market. Please visit www.nahb.org/50plusresearch ... you'll be glad you did.
• Speaking of boomers, we’ve taken the Building for Boomers & Beyond: 50+ Housing Symposium^SM  to the next level. A number of the 800+ attendees on hand called last June’s conference in Denver the finest Symposium to date, and the 2008 Building for Boomers & Beyond conference in New Orleans promises to be even better. You deserve the credit … your commitment and energy are precisely what makes Building for Boomers & Beyond such an incredible event. Case in point: NSMC is launching its own Sales and Marketing Summit in 2008, modeled closely after the Symposium.
• The Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation is here, meeting an important NAHB mission to educate builders about the burgeoning active adult market. We were thrilled to induct the first grandfathered CAASH designees last February, and the first graduating class will be honored at the upcoming International Builders’ Show. Congratulations to all of you involved in the three courses who helped make the CAASH designation a reality.
• The 50+ Housing Channel was rolled out earlier this year, establishing an infrastructure for delivering our great information via the Web. Now you can access dozens of articles, the latest research and much more online — one of the many benefits for 50+ Housing Council members. If you haven't visited the Channel, check it out at www.nahb.org/50pluschannel.
• Finally, I am very proud of the Council’s membership efforts. Thanks to the efforts of our dedicated members and staff, we now have 18 local and regional councils across the country – including four new councils this year alone. You also brought in more than 100 new members on NAHB’s National Membership Day this year … now that’s something to brag about!

As I write this, I realize there are many other accomplishments that we have achieved and, frankly, the point is that none of it could be done without the professional and caring staff and the volunteer leadership who see themselves as true stewards of the 50+ Housing Council. Three years ago, you welcomed me into the fold and have made this job highly enjoyable. Without your support, none of this would have been possible.

So, thank you for all your efforts and I wish you great success in the future. I also look forward to working with many of you on University of Housing efforts to improve the great education programs that are already in place.

I am pleased that we had this time together and I look forward to supporting your efforts within the University of Housing. I hope that you will continue to favorably position 50+ Housing Council members to achieve the highest level of participation and leadership in this ever-changing marketplace and continue to build upon the intelligence community that you all represent by taking advantage of collaborations that will drive this organization to the next level of service.

With warmest regards,

Michael

Michael R. Copp 
Assistant Staff Vice President, Specialized Member Services 
National Sales and Marketing Council
Institute of Residential Marketing
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