BBN Brevard Business News BBN Brevard Business News Brevard

BrevardBrevard BusinessBusiness BBNBBN NewsNews Vol.Vol. 3920 No. 16 FebruaryJanuary 8, 2021 7, 2002 $1.00 A Weekly Space$1.00 Coast Business Magazine with PublishingA Weekly Roots Space in Coast America Publication since 1839 BrevardHoliday Builders Job sees Link home demand key continuing in 2021; HBCA Builder of Year resourceBy Ken Datzman connecting Bruce Assam and Richard “Rich” Brown are not economists by education, but they have a sense of how firmsbusiness activity and consumerand spending job are faring inseekers many cities and counties around the Sunshine State. Assam is chief executive officer of Holiday accessBuilders, to America’sa Job Bank and other Bystatewide Ken Datzman single–family homebuilder based inemployment Melbourne, Web sites, videos, career and Brown is regional president over all the marketsguidebooks for and an in–depth collection of theThe 38–year–old visibility ofcompany. the Brevard Job Link periodicals, including “The Wall Street got aTheir big boost general in 2001.contractor firm is building homesJournal.” all over Florida,The continuing from Brevard contraction to the Panhandle in the and South.The centers also have computers economy,Assam aandlthough Brown a rebound travel to is the expected various communitiesequipped with word–processing software, inand 2002, get focusedan up–close a much look brighterat the economy light on in eachfax market.machines, copiers, laser printers, and theAnd importance they like what of the they organization are seeing. and There is atelephones continuing with long–distance access. A itsdemand mission for in new the county.homes in a supply–strained market.videoconference system is available, TheThat four demand full–service, is being one–stop driven by career low mortgagewhich interest may be used for conducting centersrates, slim in Brevard inventory — of from existing Palm houses, Bay to and demographicinterviews. Titusvilletailwinds —which handled are leading significantl to residentialy constructionEmployers, said South, can provide increasedgains, especially traffic, ineven lower catering population to peopl densitye markets,the Job Link of with its openings free of whowhich have there never are manyhad a needin Florida. to tap this charge either online, by fax or phone, resource“We have before. seven new Florida communities visitcoming one of the centers “or they can ask online,“It’s beenand several a great of year those in arethat in we Brevard, have whichfor a isrepresentative to come and see beenexciting,” able tosaid get Brown. services “And out we to peopl have severale morethem new at their place of business. We communities in the Panhandle. We are pretty much quicker and more efficiently than ever would like to see every single job order in building statewide with the exception of the Tampa and before,”Jacksonville said Lindamarkets; South, I feel executive very positive for ourBrevard County to be in the Job Link directorhomebuilding of the organization.prospects in 2021.” She added, “I system, so that we can rapidly match think“More a lot peoplemore people from around have come the nation to are gravitatingskill sets. And to if we don’t have the match understandFlorida, and theas a value value of homebuilder the rich re- we are benefitingwe’ll use the information to create sourcesfrom that that migration,” are available added in Assam. the Brevard “Florida haseducation always and training opportunities that Jobbeen Link a destination. centers, not Now, only more from than a job– ever, peopleare are responsive to the need.” seeker’sseeking standpointout less densely but also populated from the cities in whichBrevard to work Job Link is funded through employer’sand raise a standpoint. family. We” are seeing that in our buyerthe Brevard Development Workforce BBNBBN photo photo — —Adrienne Adrienne B. B. Roth Roth demographic.These information–packed Florida is going to centers be a winner inBoard that Inc. in Rockledge. It also has been Bruce Assam, right, is CEO of Melbourne–basedThe four full–service Holiday one–stop Builders career Inc., ancenters employee–owned of Brevard Job Linkcompany are seeing with aincreased workforce traffic. of 261 Linda people. South, Rich regard.” offer a variety of services to job seekers, successful in winningBrown iscompetitive regional president grants over all executiveof Holiday director, Builders’ saidmarkets. her organization The company is wasa rich named resource the for2020 both Builder the job of seeker the Year as well by the as theHo meemployer. Builders businessesFlorida’s and Office the ofunemployed. Economic and For Demographic Research and Contractors Association of Brevard.Michael It builds Anderson homes is associatein 18 cities director. throughout They Florida are at and the Coastal Melbourne Alabama. site in HolidayPerimeter Builders, Center. which in 2019 instance,recently released there are the job latest referrals, data Interneton the number ofPlease people see Brevardintroduced Job ‘HB Link, Value page Homes,’ 18 had a strong year in 2020. Overall, the company posted 1,800 home sales. moving to Florida. The report says 387,479 people moved to the Sunshine State between April 1, 2019, and April 1, the people who are looking to purchase our homes. Overall, current job–market environment to land a position. 2020. It was the strongest annual increase since 2005, it lends confidence to the organization as well as to the “It was almost a year since I had given a speech,” he Whatbefore the beginning the of theSocial Great Recession. Securitybuyer. Since plan being named would CEO of Holiday mean Builders more tosaid. you “The students — there were probably more than 100 Population growth is typically the state’s primaryNothing will happenthan 10 immediatelyyears ago, Assam has ledThe the 16–memberemployee–owned panel unanimousl— were yall sitting six feet apart and wearing face masks. It Byengine Mary of Deibel economic expansion, fueling both employmentsince President companyBush isn’t to expected new heights. to He steeredapproved it through these options the Great three weekswas a agodifferent environment for me than previous talks Scrippsand income Howard growth. Service “We’re especially seeing thismake in anythe recommendationsRecession, one to of Congress the sharpest todowntowns carry out Bush’sin modern campaign pledgeI’ve given to at UCF. I’m looking out at a sea of face masks local market,” said Assam. “Space and defenseuntil industry 2003, afterAmerican the 2002 congressionalbusiness history. let younger workers divert someand of eyeballs. the In my mind, I knew I had to refocus. I didn’t jobs and other types of jobs are bringing an influx of people Assam was recently invited by a board of trustee know if they were smiling or if my jokes were working. But Here’s what to expect if Social elections. 6.2 percent payroll tax they owe on to Brevard — relocations are from all over the United member to address graduating business students at Duke I enjoyed it. It was an interesting experience.” Security is changed so that younger Basic Social Security checks would be wages to individual accounts that own States, particularly from California.” University. He flew to the campus in Raleigh, N.C., to give In 2019, Assam’s company introduced “HB Value workersOver canthe inextnvest five some years, of their the state payrol expectsl smallerto add an than calleda TED for Talk–type in current speech. law. Thesestocks types and of talks bonds. are gener- Homes,” an entry level home product designed to address taxaverage money of in303,264 private residents accounts, annually, as accordingDepending to on marketally short performance, presentations total where theWorkers speaker who informs opted and to take partthe need would for affordable housing. BREVARD BREVARD PresidentFlorida’s Office Bush’s of Social Economic Security and Demographic Com- benefits Research. from Socialeducates Security an audience plus your on a topic.choose Assam from talked the aboutfive low–risk funds, one mission proposed a few weeks ago. personal account could be higher or each for government bonds, corporate PRESORTED That equals 831 new residents every day. This will present business in general and how to navigate through the Please see Holiday Builders, page 23 opportunityCurrent retirees for companies and those like nearing Holiday Builders,lower. which bonds and a stocks–and–bonds mix, plus BUSINESS BUSINESS retirementwas named — the anyone 2020 Builder 55 or older of the today Year by the HomeThe commission plans call for extra two stock–index funds that track the US —Builders would getand Society Contractors Security Association benefits of as Brevard,tax moneya of up to $71 billion32904 a year and broader market. Workers could change POSTAGE PAID promisedprofessional under nonprofit the present trade organizationsystem. affiliatedrequire with other changes thatINC. couldNEWS, raise their choice once a year and couldn’t theWorkers Florida youngerHome Builders than 55 Association could put and theincome National or payroll taxes orBUSINESS raise theBREVARD borrow or withdraw money. STANDARD PAID moneyAssociation into aof private Home Builders.account. GOP panel retirement age for future retirees. l PLAN 1. “Free Lunch” — lets NEWS, member“We are and proud former of that Congressman honor,” said B illAssam, whoseSocial Security currently collectsPOSTAGE US workers put 2 percentage points of their STANDARD Frenzelcompany calls has the been Bush a member Commission’ of the HBCAs forenough more than payroll tax

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