KBB - February/March 2015 - 39

KBIS SPECIAL SECTION

KBIS Rocked!
Jon Gruden

Let the Show Begin!
Former NFL head coach and shadow
dancing troupe set the stage for a
successful event
Opening ceremonies began with a boom when Jon Gruden, ESPN
analyst and former NFL head coach, energized the audience with such
advice as:"Continue to have a contingency plan to prepare for adversity
and failure.""Keep raising your standards. Keep raising your expectations.
Excellence is required." "Presentation and preparation go hand in hand.
Present your plans with authority and style."
Gruden works alongside commentator Mike Tirico on Monday Night

Catapult

Football. He does regular ﬁlm study for MNF and conducts the QB Camp
interviews at his ofﬁce in Tampa, Florida. He was a successful NFL head

After Gruden ﬁred up the audience, the shadow-dancing troupe

coach for 11 seasons with a career record of 100-85, leading his teams

Catapult transformed their bodies into seemingly impossible images

to ﬁve division titles. He was 38 years old when he won the championship,

relevant to our industry. Created in 2008 by Adam Battlestein, Catapult

making him the youngest head coach to capture the title.

competed in season 8 of "America's Got Talent."

SOTI Address: Embrace
Change, Fear Status Quo

Kevin Murphy

Kevin Murphy, COO of Ferguson Enterprises, had good news for KBIS
attendees at his State of the Industry Address on day two during KBIS.
He began by quoting the 2012 KBIS speaker, Michael Werner. "Our
future is starting to look very bright," said Werner."In fact, I project that your
2015 speaker will say the words: 'The state of our industry is excellent.'"

growth. Meanwhile, labor force participation, unemployment rates and

With the theme,"Embrace Change; Fear Status Quo" in mind, Murphy

student debt restrain industry growth. As the job market grows,the demand

emphasized that in the current market, change is the new normal.

for second homes will grow, and the changes in multigenerational

Unemployment has been on a steady decline, recorded at 5.8 percent

housing will also drive homeowners to search for new properties.

this past November, and consumer conﬁdence has been on the rise, with

The bad news for the industry is the way today's consumer works. With

68 percent of consumers stating that now is a good time to buy at house.

technology, consumers are more empowered and informed, which must

Homebuilders have been seeing growth in particular, with the

change the way businesses function. Consumers expect information

percentage of ﬁrst-time homebuyers rising to 33 percent in 2014. In 2004,

immediately and demand a personalized experience, the integration of

43.6 percent of homeowners were under the age of 35, compared to 36

technology into that experience and transparency from a business.

percent of homeowners in 2014. This indicates that while investing in a

In Murphy's take-away points, he advised business owners to offer

home is on the rise, it has a ways to go - though not as far as recent years.

solutions, not products. The only way to do that is to know your customers

"It's an exciting time in our industry," said Murphy."But it's not a time to
sit still and let success come to us."
Four main factors drive the housing market: a demand for second
homes, immigration, the replacement of existing homes and household

and treat them with an experience.
"Strong

employee

development

programs,

a

multi-channel

experience and embracing the changing expectations of customers are
today's key opportunities for innovative businesses," he said.

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