BOARDMAN, Ohio – The Home Builders & Remodelers Association of the Valley is seeing growth with its events after facing challenges during the pandemic.
“We have faced many challenges since early 2020 when the pandemic began,” says Karen Caruso, HBA executive officer. She sites “a slowing down of business, a temporary halt on our popular in-person events and, just like everyone else, having to adjust to the new normal.”
Caruso says the association, which was founded in 1945, was determined not to let the challenges impede its progress.
“In 2021, we were the first in the area [post-pandemic] to host a large in-person event – our 70th annual Home & Garden Show,” Caruso says.“Because we wanted to provide consistency and not skip a year of this highly anticipated event that kicks off each spring season in the Valley, we worked hand-in-hand with our health department by modifying our event and adhering to the multitude of COVID guidelines and requirements,” she says.
About 9,000 people attended the 2022 Home & Garden Show.
The association hosted its first membership dinner meeting last year with more than 150 guests in attendance. And the HBA hosted five networking mixers, a bigger golf outing and its holiday open house.
“We are proud to say that 2022 came with more events than we could imagine,” Caruso says.
This year, the Home & Garden Show will return March 3-5 at the Canfield Fairgrounds Event Center with more than 100 vendors.
The association is also planning its first in-person educational opportunity in March at US Safety Gear. There, members and Mahoning Valley businesses can sign up to learn the latest on Occupational Safety and Health Administration best practices and updates, how to weather the storm financially and what is trending in the commercial and residential real estate markets.