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SEPTEMBER 2016 ECONOMIC UPDATES Resources, seminars and more to keep you informed p. 19 HOUSING STARTS Your resource for locally relevant economic data p. 10, 13 EDUCATION Changes to the housing industry effects more than just builders p. 8, 14 EVENTS Stay Current with our Current Events p. 2, 15 SOUTHWEST MONTANA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 1716 West Main Street, Suite 8-G, Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 585-8181 www.swmbia.org Find us on Facebook! What a Parade!

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Page 1: What a Parade! - SWMBIA · What a Parade! 3 DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER CONTENTS ... provider of appliance parts, service and repair, we are certified with over 40 major appliance brands

SEPTEMBER 2016

ECONOMIC UPDATES Resources, seminars and more to keep you informed p. 19

HOUSING STARTS Your resource for locally relevant economic data p. 10, 13

EDUCATION Changes to the housing industry effects more than just builders p. 8, 14

EVENTS Stay Current with our Current Events p. 2, 15

SOUTHWEST MONTANA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION 1716 West Main Street, Suite 8-G, Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 585-8181 www.swmbia.org

Find us on Facebook!

What a Parade!

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3 DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER

CONTENTS NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2016

4 PRESIDENT’S LETTER Chairman Brian Popiel shares his thoughts on current association happenings and relevant industry issues.

5 SPIKE CLUB The true champions of NAHB! Check out our current member spike ranking and see how you stack up with your

fellow members!

5 MEMBERSHIP UPDATES View Renewing & New members.

16, 12 EDUCATION Information about upcoming education opportunities

12 GRIP SAFETY Get the latest on safety from MBIA Safety Specialists!

P. 13

13 HOUSING STARTS See what is happening here in Bozeman!

We want YOU on the radio! Each Monday, SWMBIA is on KMMS 1450AM from

7:30am-8am. This is a great opportunity to briefly share your business and services, your thoughts on issues

facing the industry and much, much more. Call the Office at 585-8181 to be on the radio!

Let‘s hear a hurrah for our Parade of Homes Builders!

Bridger Peak Construction

Constructive Solutions, Inc. CT Construction

Don Schmidt Contracting LLC Fishcamp Custom LLC Higher Standard Homes

Keith Fraser Construction (2 entries) Kirchhoff Construction

Norton Ranch Home Pioneer Crossing

Trimbach Builders LLC ZM Construction

September 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 2016 The Best of What’s New!

UPCOMING EVENTS September 27 4pm Executive Committee Meeting

September 28 5:30pm-7:30pm ―Construction Connection‖ Social at The Element Hotel, 35 East Mendenhall

October 6 4pm Board of Directors Meeting

October 12 Membership Dinner & Board of Directors Elec-tions, Sweet Chili Asian Bistro

November 16 Spike Appreciation Event & Member Dinner, 14North Restaurant

December 14 Holiday Celebration at The Baxter Hotel

January 18 Membership Meeting & Dinner, Riverside Country Club

WANTED

Members interested in participating in the leadership & governance of the

Association!

We are seeking Board of Directors! Board meets once a month ♥ two year terms

CALL THE SWMBIA OFFICE FOR MORE DETAILS!

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4 DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

UPDATE

Associate Member

Appreciation

Don‘t just talk the talk. You‘ve got to walk the walk. I‘m sure that saying has applied to each of us at least once and probably several times, in our lives. In this busy world, even with the best of intentions, we sometimes do not fully demonstrate our integrity by committing our words to actions. September is Associate Ap-preciation Month. When we say we appreciate our associate members or that we do business with members, are we just talking the talk? Do we call an associate member first when we need a bid for a service or product that‘s essential to the home-building process? Are our associate member subcontractors and suppli-ers at the front of our rolodexes? Do we refer other members, co-workers and friends to our associate mem-bers? If we honestly reflect on the number of opportunities we have to partner with associate members on the job and the number of times we actually do, I‘m afraid our apprecia-tion is a little lacking. Associate members are the backbone of our association. They have strengthened our association

and industry in countless ways, such as their participation in our annual Home Expo, contributions to the Pa-rade of Homes, and their gifts to the association such as education mate-rials and equipment. Associate members are vital to the success of our individual businesses as well. They have the technical know-how, craftsmanship and information that we need to utilize the materials and services best suited to our needs. And the sheer number of members they represent in the association gives us greater political clout and a more positive presence in the community; two things that builders depend on to continue building the American dream. Am I asking you to say thanks to our associate members for all their contributions? Yes. Am I asking you to show your appreciation by doing business with associates? Absolutely! Let your actions speak louder than words, and watch what we can accomplish—together!

Top 10 Reasons to Do Business

with Associate Members:

1. They support membership at the

local, state and national levels.

2. They volunteer time, talent and

treasure to help the association

accomplish its goals.

3. They recruit their colleagues and

business contacts to become

members.

4. They serve on committees and

councils gaining valuable networking

opportunity while helping to advance

the association‘s mission.

5. By doing so, you increase the value

proposition for all membership in

SWMBIA.

6. They are strong supporters of local

and state PACS and Build-PAC.

7. They are a major contributor to the

success of Association Events

t h r o u g h s p o n s o r s h i p a n d

participation.

8. As industry partners, they are a

valuable resource for business and

management tips.

9. They are heavily invested in our

Builder business success: You win,

they win!

10. Why wouldn‘t you do business with a

Member?

BRIAN POPIEL ARETE BUILDERS/ RESOURCE SITE SERVICES

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 5

SPIKES By recruiting, involving and retaining members, SPIKES strengthen and build our Association.

Statesmen (500-1000) Tim Dean 534 Spikes

Super Spike (250-500) Eugene Graf IV 259 Spikes

Royal Spike (150-249) Byron Anderson 213 Spikes John Miller 211 Spikes Dennis Cattin 184 Spikes Clair W. Daines 181 Spikes David Andreassi 160 Spikes Jim Syth 158 Spikes Anders Lewendal 153 Spikes

Red Spike (100-149) Kevin Click 138 Spikes Bill Fiedler 126 Spikes Greg Vidmar 120 Spikes Rob Evans 117 Spikes Eric Roset 113 Spikes David Graham 105 Spikes Richard Smith 105 Spikes Beth Zeman 104 Spikes Eugene Graf III 104 Spikes

Green Spike (50-99) Chuck Graden 96 Spikes Nathan Albrecht 94 Spikes J.D. Engle 92 Spikes Loren Olsen 77 Spikes Frank Armknecht 64 Spikes Guy Graham 59 Spikes Steve Armknecht 57 Spikes Ken Vidar 52 Spikes Adrian Vaughn 50 Spikes

Life Spike (25-49) Jon Moullet 48 Spikes Keith Fraser 48 Spikes Sally Hickey 40 Spikes Ron Hinds 37 Spikes Mike Thompson 30 Spikes Dean Derby 28 Spikes

Blue Spikes (6-24) Leif Sundeen 20 Spikes Ken Eiden 16 Spikes Jeri Norris 11 Spikes Darryl Seymour 10 Spikes Tim Rote 8 Spikes Erica Renslow 8 Spikes Brian Popiel 8 Spikes

RENEWING MEMBERS BUILDERS: *Buffalo Restoration High Caliber Homes, LLC Norton Ranch Homes, LLC *R & H Homes Schlauch-Bottcher Construction Von Construction *Yellowstone Custom Country Homes ASSOCIATES:

Air Controls American Land Title Company has been serving the title insurance & escrow closing needs of the real estate community for nearly 45 years. We have always been locally owned and strive to give back to the community that has supported us for so long. BC Plumbing & Heating Bozeman Broker Group Burning Stoves & Stuff Carpet Mill Outlet Concrete Accessories & Rentals, Inc. is ready to provide you with the equipment, supplies and knowledge you need to tackle any con-crete construction project. Call us at 406-585-3364 or come see us at 398 Graves Trail at Four Corners. Conlin‘s Furniture Door Tech FLIR Surveillance, Inc. (Scientific Materials Corp) Futura Kitchen Cabinetry, Inc. Gateway Village LLC/Baxter Main LLC Great Western Insulation Hayes Drilling House of Clean Jones Painting *Kaufmann‘s Overhead Door Manhattan Bank Meken Equity Management Inc. DBA Centennial Village Northwest Drywall & Roofing Supply, Inc. *Phillips Hardwood Floors RE/MAX Realty Group has a dedicated team of 19 real estate profes-sionals to help buyers and sellers maximize their real estate invest-ments and/or help them find their Montana dream property. Visit our website at remaxbozeman.com or come see us in person at 1933 N. 22nd Avenue. Rocky Mountain Electric State Farm Insurance – Dan Rust AFFILIATES: ERA Landmark Real Estate – Sharon Tudor Isler TWO Generations Serving ALL Generations – Sharon Tudor Isler and Brian Tudor. We take pride in our client care – both sellers and buyers. So thankful we can live and work in this beautiful place!! Call us first! ERA Landmark Real Estate – 556-5048. Stockman Bank – Ryan Ballenger Re/Max Realty Group — Leslie Miller *Indicates contributor to Issues Fund

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6 WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

BUILDERS: Dick Anderson Construction, Inc. Derek Didriksen 4498 Jackrabbit Lane Bozeman, MT 59718 406-586-0889 [email protected] www.daconstruction.com Founded in 1975, Dick Anderson Construction has grown from a small, pri-vate client company to a strong, debt free corporation experienced in handling multi-million dollar projects. Dick Anderson Construction was incorporated on Octo-ber 19, 1978. We are a Montana based company with our main office in Helena and offices in Great Falls, Bozeman, Mis-soula and Billings. We also have an of-fice in Sheridan, Wyoming. DAC has grown rapidly because we understand our business and we have a reputable list of satisfied clients throughout the state. Amaru Construction LLC Mark Butler PO Box 4956 Butte, MT 59702 (406) 360-9387 [email protected] amaruconstruction.webs.com

ASSOCIATES: Big Sky Sotheby‘s International Realty Catherine (Cathy) Gorman 2000 South 3rd, Ste. A Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 586-6688 [email protected] www.bigskysir.com Culligan Water Conditioning Mark Houser 15 Shawnee Way Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 586-2453 [email protected] www.culliganofbozeman.com Formescent Architects PLLC Adam Racow PO Box 1942 Bozeman, MT 59771 (406) 624-0200

[email protected]

www.formescent.com

Jonny‘s Appliance Sales & Service John Hykes, Sales Manager 129 Prospect Loop Bozeman, MT 59718 (406) 586-9575 [email protected] www.jonnysappliance.com Jonny’s Appliance Sales & Ser-

vice has been a part of the Bozeman community since 2006. As your leading provider of appliance parts, service and repair, we are certified with over 40 major appliance brands. Now our customers can take advantage of all of our technical expertise and knowhow when selecting new appliances as well. We are an exclu-sive Whirlpool Family appliance dealer carrying the quality brands of Whirlpool, Amana, Maytag and Kitchen Aid. Our experience in the appliance service indus-try has left us in a unique position to vet potential brand’s and we have concluded that the Whirlpool Corporation is the best candidate to meet our high standards of quality and reliability. When you buy Whirlpool appliances from us not only do you get preferred pricing and preferred service from our scheduling department, you benefit from 105 years of American ingenuity. Take advantage of contractor pricing, volume discounts and buy locally with Jonny’s. Modern Tile Transformations LLC Caleb George 1007 Idaho Street Unit A Belgrade, MT 59714 (406) 600-1047 Continued on page 17

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 7

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 8

Education Edge: Make Time this Fall to Learn Some Valuable New

Skills Check out these online, time-bound courses starting in October that might be just what you need to gain and maintain your edge in the marketplace:

Cash is King,

Content Marketing,

Boosting Your Website Traffic,

Creating Cell Phone Apps for Your Business,

YouTube for Business,

Facebook for Business and Marketing Using Social Media.

Learn more and sign-up at

www.nahb.org

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 9

.

Playhouse Corner

Most children dream of having a fun place to escape to in their back yard. That secret place where ‗No Girls are allowed‘ ( or No Boys! ), where Pirates hail the windy seas and where we dress up and have our friends for an afternoon tea party. But Playhouses are no longer just for childhood dreams, they are becoming a more popular trend with adults in the form of green houses and even the much coveted ‗She-Cave‘. Regardless of your gender or your age, a playhouse can be a fun and whimsical getaway close to home. The Playhouses on Parade have been a part of SWMBIA for more than 15 years. Originally a fundraiser in conjunction with Eagle Mount, the Playhouses have since grown to be recognized as an annual tradition in the Gallatin Valley and an opportunity for young and old alike to be one step closer to adding that secret hideout to their own back yard. SWMBIA is blessed with many talented and giving builders. Builder participants design and build the playhouses to be raffled off at the Spring Home Expo. Builders work with many of our generous suppliers and sub-contractors who donate materials and time to the completion of the tiny houses. In recent years we have seen mighty Pirate Ships, a Princess‘ Castle, a Covered Wagon, a Jailhouse, and many other imaginative Tiny Houses. The creativity of

our membership never disappoints. Each year, Builders are asked to commit by late summer so that the Playhouses Committee can begin the planning of the upcoming years‘ event. Playhouses must be completed by early February and are on display at the Gallatin Valley Mall for a month before moving to the annual Home Expo. Tens of thousands of tickets have been sold over the years at participating locations. The drawings are done on the last day of the Expo announcing the lucky winners of each of the little dream houses. In just the past nine years, SWMBIA‘s Playhouses On Parade have contributed more than $47,000 to Gallatin Valley charities including United Way, YMCA, Bozeman Schools Foundation, Belgrade Schools, Monforton School, Habitat for Humanity and many others. Watch your mailbox for information about the 2017 Playhouses on Parade. We are currently looking for Builders and Associates to commit to contributing playhouses for the 2017 event. Builder commitments are requested by November 1st with Playhouse renderings due January 6th. The Committee will be reviewing requests from Charita-ble Partners as well. Interested non-profits should submit their request for participation to SWMBIA by August 1st. We‘re hoping to renew the excitement in the Playhouses for 2017 and will be looking for member partners to help us. If you have questions or ideas for our committee, please contact Gina Marshall at 406-522-3293 or the SWMBIA office.

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www.montanabia.com

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 10

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EDUCATION 12

GRIP SAFETY

MBIA

Sean Lawler & Mike Rocchio GRIP Safety Specialists

Call Sean or Mike at (406) 442-4479 or visit www.montanabia.com for more information.

Nationally recognized as a

top safety program!

Assembling and Utilizing Your Safety Data Sheets - By: Mike Rocchio/

Safety Specialist

Safety data sheets (SDS’s) are a powerful tool in dealing with

chemicals in the workplace. It is easier to respond to chemical

emergencies on the job when you are armed with the information

found on these sheets. Your company must keep this information

accessible and up to date. OSHA requires companies to have

pertinent SDS’s available to all employees. Briefly, I will explain

the requirements regarding these informative tools.

First, build an inventory of all of the chemicals in your shop. This

includes any product that is used frequently such as spray paint,

glue, solvents, calk and finishes. Most importantly, list your non-

consumer products. Household cleaners and sanitizers should be on

the list. Be thorough, list all chemicals that are in your shop, work-

sites, job trailers and work trucks. Be sure to inventory everything!

Obtain an SDS for every product on your inventory. If you have an

old package of Material Safety Data Sheets, they could be out of

date or not in the newest format. This newest version is easier to

understand and gives more detail. You can obtain SDS’s directly

from a supplier or distributer or you can search on line. As you

obtain more products, get the SDS and incorporate it into your file

prior to using the product. Also add that item to your inventory list.

Your company is required to train your employees on the location

of your SDS file or folder so they can locate it in the event of an

emergency. They must also be familiar with the pictograms and

hazard statements found in the new format. It is important that all

chemicals are labeled and employees look at the labels on chemical

containers before they use a product.

An SDS not only provides information on hazard identification but

also provides contact information of the manufacturer or supplier.

An SDS identifies the hazards of the chemical and it identifies

hazardous ingredients contained in the product.

First Aid measures are spelled out for initial care of a person who

has been exposed to the chemical.

Fire-fighting measures are spelled out. Personal protective

equipment and special handling and storage measures are also

written in the SDS.

It is an employers’ responsibility to provide SDS information to all

employees and educate his employees for their safety. If your

company needs any assistance with preparing an SDS

communication program or company safety program please do not

hesitate to contact the MBIA office at (406)442-4479.

Training available by request: Forklift Operator, Excavation/Trenching,

Competent Person Scaffolding Certification, Powder Actuated Tools, Aerial Lift Certification, Hazard Communication (SDS), Back & Lifting

Safety, Defensive Driving.Skid Steer Certification, and Electrical Safety

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 13

HOUSING STARTS

If you can‘t find the Building Division‘s most recent newsletter at www.bozeman.net, never fear, SWMBIA always shares the information at www.swmbia.org and to our FaceBook page. Of course, you can also give us a call and we‘ll try to round up the info you are looking for.

www.bozeman.net

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14 DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 15

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16 ASSOCIATION

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DO BUSINESS WITH A MEMBER 17

Apex Group, Inc. 20 Big Sky Insulations 13 First Security Bank 18 First West Insurance 18 Knife River 8 Little Stinkers Septic & Portable Toilets 11, 16 Simkins Hallin Lumber Company 15 Stockman Bank 8 TMC, Inc. Sand & Gravel 9 Tractor & Equipment Co. “The Cat Rental Store” 6

QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION?

(406) 585-8181 ♦ www.swmbia.org

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2016

Chairperson / President Brian Popiel, Arete Bldrs/Resource Site Svcs First Vice Chair Andy Rowe, Alpenglow Custom Builders Second Vice Chair Darryl Seymour, Montana Title & Escrow Associate Vice Chair Mike Thompson, Kenyon Noble Lumber Treasurer Tylene Vitt, Rudd & Company Past Chairman Nathan Albrecht, Pro Builders

2016

BOARD OF DIRECTORS BUILDER BOARD MEMBERS 2 Year Term 2017 Dan Barnes 2 Year Term 2017 Andrew Mazzella 2 Year Term 2017 Craig Kirchhoff 2 Year Term 2016 Rob Evans 2 Year Term 2016 David Graham 2 Year Term 2016 Bryan Morrison ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBERS 2 Year Term 2016 Ryan Ballenger 2 Year Term 2017 Crystal Fiedler 2 Year Term 2017 Clint Field LIFE DIRECTORS , Eugene Graf III, Clair Daines, Tim Dean, Jim Syth, Frank Armknecht, Richard Smith, Byron Anderson, Eugene Graf IV

STATE DIRECTORS 2016 ELECTED Brian Popiel, Clint Field, Darryl Seymour, Mike Thompson, Crystal Fiedler, ALTERNATES Rob Evans, Ryan Ballenger, Dan Barnes, Bill Fiedler LIFE DIRECTORS Frank Armknecht, Tim Dean, Gene Graf, Richard Smith, Byron Anderson

NATIONAL DIRECTORS 2016 ELECTED Brian Popiel, Mike Thompson ALTERNATE Nathan Albrecht, Clint Field LIFE DIRECTORS Tim Dean, Frank Armknecht, Jim Syth, Richard Smith, Byron Anderson SENIOR LIFE DIRECTORS Clair Daines, Gene Graf

COMMITTEE CHAIRS 2016 Golf Tournament Committee Chair Adrian Vaughn Government Affairs Committee Chair David Graham Government Affairs C.I.T.F. Eugene Graf IV Green Building Committee Chair Anders Lewendal Home Expo Committee Chair Beth Zeman Parade of Homes Committee Chair Darryl Seymour Membership Committee Chairs Leif Sundeen, Brett Baragar Playhouses on Parade Gina Marshall

ADVERTISER‘S INDEX

Continued from page 6... Stearns Masonry Chris Stearns 3260 Summer Cutoff Rd. Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 580-1523 [email protected] www.stearnsmasonry.com Townsend Backhoe Service Kevin Townsend 170 Joes Way Bozeman, MT 59718 (406) 587-0380 TLC Excavation & Septic, Inc. Lori Dooley 6020 Kessler Road Belgrade, MT 59714 (406) 388-7696 [email protected]

www.tlcsepticservice.com AFFILIATES: Keller Williams Montana Realty Crystal Naomi Chase-Kirchhoff 1174 Stoneridge Drive Bozeman, MT 59718 (406) 360-2436 [email protected] www.crystalkirchhoff.yourkwagent.com

WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS

Members have access to a multitude of DISCOUNTS from nationally recognized

companies. Don‘t miss out—Get ‗em today!

www.nahb.org/MA

Visit www.nahb.org/MA or call the SWMBIA office for more information. Above is partial list of discounts available.

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18 MEMBER OF THE MONTH

Josh Pulst Leavitt Great Western

Insurance

Josh is the perfect example of the power of one. Single-handedly he proposed, chaired the committee and worked hard for the 1st SWMBIA Sporting Clay Event July 22nd. We can‘t thank him enough for his

creativity and determination to make it such a success! Josh Pulst is a commercial producer and risk control specialist with Leavitt Great West Insurance, based in Southwest Montana. Josh has been in the commercial insurance industry since 2008, working with numerous industries but specializing in construction markets and farm ranch lines of coverage. Josh has been living in the Gallatin Valley for almost 10

years. Josh and his wife, Amber, are vested in their family

ranch, O‘Donnell Quarter Horses based in Cardwell,

MT. Their family breeds, sells and trains barrel racing

horses as part of the ranching operation. In addition to the

horses, Josh enjoys spending time in the mountains and is

a passionate hunter.

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THE ECONOMIST’S CORNER 19

Plentiful Jobs but Weak Growth, Wages

and Inflation Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D., GraphsandLaughs, LLC

While the US economy is creating plenty of jobs, it isn‘t

growing much. In the first half of 2016, gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an anemic annualized rate of just 1%, compared to about 2% since the end of the recession, and 2.5% from 2000 through 2007. Usually, weak economic growth has been asso-ciated with weak employment growth. But not now! Employment growth during the first six months of the year totaled slightly over one million jobs, or a healthy average of 175,000 net new jobs/month. If the historical relationship between GDP and employment that existed before the Great Recession still held, 40% fewer jobs would have been created since January. That said, what does slow growth mean for future wages, why is GDP growth so slow, is it likely to persist, and what does this imply about future interest rates? The prolonged and robust job growth we have been experiencing for the last several years has brought down the unemployment rate from 10% to just 4.9%, low by historic standards. As a result, workers are finally becoming scarce and labor costs are, at long last, rising, although not as fast as before the recession. This is because wage growth results from two forces: labor scarcity and increases in labor productivity. Having already discussed scarcity, let‘s focus on productivity growth, or the increase in output per worker per hour. What we see is dismal labor productivity growth. It has actually been declining for the last three quarters in a row, the first time this has ever happened outside of a recession. This goes a long way in explaining why wage growth remains mediocre despite the low unemployment rate.

While labor productivity is expected to improve and return to the 2006 – 2015 annual average rate of 1.25%, that is way below the 2.5% annual growth rate between 1949 and 2005. This weak labor productivity growth is most likely the result of an aging population and years of weak corporate investment in plant and equipment. This continued lack of investment has sharply reduced corporate efficiency gains. As a result, to produce more product to meet virtually any increase in demand requires more hiring. Importantly, the conditions that have created this weak investment environment will not dissipate soon. While energy prices appear to have bottomed, it is unlikely that they will soon rise. Thus, exploration and production activity in the oil patch is unlikely to increase much. Similarly, mining firms are holding back on investment while commodity prices are weak, and manufacturers that sell their output overseas will continue to face strong headwinds due to the strong US dollar. In addition, agricultural prices are also expected to remain depressed and auto sales have peaked. Collectively, this means investment in plant and equipment is likely to remain weak, all but insuring GDP growth of at best 2% for the foreseeable future. With labor productivity weak, GDP growth sluggish, and inflation correspondingly low, the Fed has reduced how high it sees the long-term fed-funds rate reaching -- no higher than 3% compared to 4% or more as recently as 2013! As a result, it may well take three or four years for the fed-funds rate to hit just 3%. As for conventional 30-year mortgage rates, they are likely to remain below 4% well into 2018. Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D. is President of GraphsandLaughs, LLC and can be reached at [email protected]. His daily 70 word economics and policy blog can be seen at www.econ70.com. You can subscribe to have the blog delivered directly to your email by visiting the website or by texting the word “BOWTIE” to 22828.

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Southwest Montana Building Industry Association

1716 West Main Street Suite 8-G Bozeman MT 59715

www.swmbia.org

PRSRT-STD

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

BOZEMAN MT 5 59715

Permit #9

―Construction Connection‖ Wed., September 28

th

5:30pm-7:30pm

The Element Hotel 25 East Mendenhall

Join us for a great social with complimentary appetizers

& beverages!

Membership Meeting & Dinner & Board of Directors Election

Wednesday, October 12th

Sweet Chili Asian Bistro 101 E. Main Street Bozeman

Cocktails 5:30pm Dinner 6:30pm RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Address Service Requested