Robert Carroll | HBA Board of Directors
”If you're not a HBA of GBR member, you are fighting all of your battles alone with a single voice. Being a part of HBA of GBR means you are also a member of LHBA and NAHB. We are stronger together than by ourselves.
What company do you work for and what is your job description?
- I am the COO and Owner of Carroll Construction.
How long have you been a HBA member and why did you choose to join?
- I’ve been a member for nine years and I initially chose to join for the insurance benefits, but we have since learned much more.
What makes HBA important to you?
- Advocacy, benefits, insurance, networking and the professional association.
How has HBA aided in the way you do business?
- I have a BS in Construction Management from LSU, but most of what I know about my job has come from my interactions while holding my HBA membership. I have had opportunities to meet with my government representatives one on one in Washington, D.C. and have seen what influence we can have as an industry when we stick together as a whole. I have worked on on one with our insurance provider and can understand what key issues are when it comes to claims. Through the education opportunities afforded, I can also avoid problems on my own job. HBA is much more than a membership to me, it is a family of peers who are all working to better the construction industry for everyone.
Why do you believe it is important for other businesses to join HBA?
- If you are not a member of HBA, then you are fighting all of your battles alone with a single voice. As a member of HBA, you are also a member of LHBA and NAHB. This means that your voice is multiplied at your local level by over 1,000 members across the country. We are stronger together than by ourselves.
What is your most notable memory while being involved with HBA?
- Looking to the audience in Las Vegas during the NAHB Residential Construction Estimating Competition and seeing a group of HBA members watching and cheering me on as I ultimately took a top spot in the nation among Construction Management students. The people in the audience that day have became friends of mine. They have influenced and inspired me beyond anything I learned during my degree studies.
While being a member, what has been one thing you have learned and been able to apply to your job?
- I learned from members about an associate member, Emma Shinn’s, book on Accounting and Financial Management for Residential Construction. This has helped me to move beyond simple cash accounting and into using my books to make projections and monitor the health of my company.
What is your favorite tip for someone working in the same industry?
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions from your trade partners. Everyone has something to bring to the table even if their product is different from yours.
How have you been able to impact the community as a HBA member?
- In 2010, I was selected to build the charity home for HBA. We raised nearly $700,000 in ticket sales to aid in the construction of the new Our Lady of the Lakes Children’s Hospital.
How has evolving technology changed your industry, and how has your company adapted?
- Customer service software, vehicle safety options, and marketing options have come a long way. Although we do lots of training and field quality assurance, Facetime has been a big thing for us so we can check more jobs with our route managers on site and fix any issue as they occur. With all these options, the best way to connect with a client, employee, or potential client is still valuable face to face interaction.
