Michael H. Weber: Building Concrete Relationships

For Michael Weber, Residential Director of the Portland Cement Association (PCA), success comes down to two key elements – networking and partnering. And due to his tenacity for both, the NAHB Concrete Home Building Council (CHBC) has evolved.

The CHBC, sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), is responsible for the promotion of all cement-based building materials, which pleases Weber to no end. "Now we have our industry as a resource, in-house, for home builders," Weber explains. "And having NAHB recognize the importance of concrete and cement-based material in home building is a huge step."

This huge step was the result of years of Weber's networking in the NAHB, which he says he has been in active in since 1985 when he started working at Consumers Concrete. At that time, Weber was also state director of the Michigan Home Builders Association, as well a board member for the local HBA. Currently, Weber is a trustee for the National Council Housing Industry (NCHI), a group representing the suppliers to NAHB members, of which there are over 220,000.

Weber says networking is one of the most important and most often overlooked keys to success. "Networking is a way not only to share ideas and open up communication, but it's also a way to move forward in the industry," he explains. "Networking and partnering go hand-in-hand. Our promotion efforts have been successful because of partnering among associations, industry, government, and the building community."

"By my efforts at networking, I have been able to build partnerships like NAHB's CHBC," Weber adds. His networking and partnering also helped create the 2004 New American Home, built entirely from cement-based materials, which is the official show home of the International Builders' Show, co-sponsored by the NAHB.

Weber's past is much like his present. He grew up getting his hands dirty – his family owned a sand & gravel and ready-mix business in northwest Ohio. He worked at the family business before taking a job at Consumers Concrete where he spent the next 13 years, finishing his time there as the director of training and product promotion. He spent a little over a year at Johnson Poured Walls as vice president of operations before garnering his current role with PCA in 2000.

Training and education are the major objectives of Weber, who says he wants to teach builders the proper techniques and uses of cement-based products. "Builders need to learn the different systems they can use in homes, and they also need to look at (the) different systems as ways to differentiate themselves from their competition," Weber states.

"People are expecting more from builders now, and we are their resource," Weber adds. He explains that one of the many resources at his fingertips is the NAHB research center, which tracks numbers through surveys, asking builders what types of products they are using – all information which builders can benefit from.

According to Weber, different markets will find different uses for certain products. "Areas prone to wildfires may use cement-fiber siding and concrete roof tiles," he explains. "And areas prone to hurricanes will benefit from concrete wall systems. In areas where property costs are rising, basements make use of valuable property at minimal cost. CHBC's goal is to educate builders so they know all the products, so they can then decide what to use where."

Some of the many products and applications Weber sees growing are decorative concrete, segmental retaining walls, concrete pavers and the various cement-based concrete wall systems -- all areas Weber says he thinks are going to take off. "With all the wildfire issues, wood decks are being left behind and are a thing of the past in many regions," he says. "Decorative concrete patios are a great alternative."

Not only is Weber educating builders, but he's also changing the way people are living. "When there's a hurricane or tornado, homes constructed with our wall structures provide the safest environment you could ever be in," he says. "And sustainability and being green are also big issue...we offer that, we always have. These materials can be recycled and they save energy. That makes me feel good."

"We're changing the way homes are being built in this country, and that's an exciting thing," Weber explains. "One thing that motivates me is that we're changing for the better...(our) products last longer and offer outstanding benefits. I enjoy and thrive on that."

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