In preparation for next month’s CSG West 77th Annual Meeting, we take this opportunity to highlight some of the fantastic speakers presenting at this year’s event. Addressing critical topics in modular construction and housing innovation, we kick off Round 1 with a spotlight on speakers Rick Murdock (Autovol) and Hannah Gable (Ivory Innovations) – both presenting during the CSG West Housing Forum.

Spotlight: Rick Murdock

Co-Founder & CEO | Autovol

Session:

Housing Forum | Day 1

Tuesday, July 9

3:30 - 6:00 p.m.

CSG West is pleased to announce the participation of Autovol co-founder and CEO, Rick Murdock, in the Housing Committee session during the annual meeting. Using robotics and modular building practices, Autovol’s multifamily modular plant is tackling explosive housing demand through advanced speed, precision, and output – leading to better affordability outcomes.

Headquartered in Nampa, Idaho, Autovol earned recognition in multiple categories of the Modular Building Institute's 2024 Awards of Distinction and was a Top 25 finalist for the ​2021 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability. 

Rick is a building operations and manufacturing expert with over 47 years of experience managing modular construction operations and projects across the U.S. and Canada. He has led multiple manufacturing divisions, overseeing the execution of thousands of successful modular projects, and was the Co-Founder and COO of Guerdon Enterprises until 2015. In 2015, he co-founded Prefab Logic to help architects and developers make their projects constructable in modular plants. He then founded Waypaver, a consultancy that brings time-tested expertise and detailed logistics to those interested in starting and running a modular plant. In 2018, Rick co-founded Autovol, the first automated modular factory of its kind. 

In 2022, from the learnings in all these endeavors, Rick co-developed System P4, a predesigned automated factory solution. It is designed as part of a complete housing ecosystem served by companies that combine expertise in people, plants, prefabrication, and products to make construction more productive and housing more attainable.

The CSG West Housing Committee looks forward to Rick’s engagement at the upcoming Annual Meeting in Portland. 

WATCH

Autovol

"Can you guess where this apartment is? Spoiler alert: Wow!"

Spotlight: Hannah Gable

Director of Strategy and Operations | Ivory Innovations

Session:

Housing Forum | Day 2

Wednesday, July 1

3:30 - 6:00 p.m.

CSG West is excited to announce that Hannah Gable from Ivory Innovations will be participating in the Housing Forum. Founded in 2017 and housed at the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, Ivory Innovations promotes the most compelling ideas in housing by convening industry experts, inspiring students, finding and supporting the best innovators, and providing unwavering support to companies striving to alleviate the housing affordability crisis.

Its annual Ivory Prize award recognizes ambitious, feasible, and scalable solutions to housing affordability, providing innovators with material support to advance projects combining elements of finance, policy, and design & construction. 

As the director of strategy and operations at Ivory Innovations, Hannah supports to the portfolio of Ivory Prize winners and finalists. Most recently, she worked with the Terner Center for Housing Innovation where she helped identify early-stage ventures aimed at making housing more affordable and equitable. Previously, she worked in public sector consulting in Washington, D.C. She holds a BA from Wake Forest University and MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business.

WATCH

Ivory Innovations

"5 Years of Housing Innovation with Clark Ivory"

Announcements

CSG West is pleased to announce that this year’s Border Legislative Conference (BLC) will convene September 19-21 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Administered by CSG West for more than two decades, the BLC serves as a binational forum where legislators can exchange best practices and identify policy solutions to address the complex issues along the 2,000-mile U.S. – Mexico border region. Providing a focused and ongoing dialogue among state legislators of the 10 U.S. – Mexico border states, the BLC fosters regional collaboration and mutual understanding.

Conference details are forthcoming! Questions? Please contact Martha Castañeda, Director of Policy & International Programs.

The CSG West Nominating Committee is accepting applications from Western legislators interested in serving as an officer of CSG West. The position of 2025 Vice Chair is open, and the legislator elected by the Executive Committee will succeed to the position of chair in 2027.

The Nominating Committee will be interviewing applicants for the position on Tuesday, July 9, during the CSG West 77th Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon. 

Eligibility Requirements:

*Candidates must be legislators and members of the CSG West Executive Committee.

*As provided by the CSG West Rules, the Nominating Committee will rotate officer selection among political parties and will seek balance in legislative chambers and sub-regions of the West. This year, the Nominating Committee will be interviewing Democratic legislators.

*Applicants must submit the ONLINE APPLICATION, along with biography and letter(s) of support, no later than close of business on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. 

Questions?

If you have any questions about the process or require additional information, please contact Edgar Ruiz, CSG West Director, at eruiz@csg.org. 

Below, please find links to the application information and officer descriptions. We look forward to seeing you in Portland next month. 

Resources

The National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), a CSG affiliate, recently released its flagship publication – the 2024 NEMA Biennial Report.The “state of the state” on emergency management and homeland security agencies features a comprehensive review of budgets, organizational structures, staffing, disaster funding, and more. Read the full report below.

Recognizing Excellence

Photo Credit: Legislative Council Staff

CSG West acknowledges Cathy Eslinger, Research Manager for the Colorado Legislative Council, who will be retiring after more than 30 years of service. In addition to her work as a legal editor, researcher, and committee staffer, Cathy made invaluable contributions to the development and credible establishment of nonpartisan research, new legislator training, Colorado’s voter information booklet, and countless staff members she coached and helped develop.

Due to her energy, project management capabilities, and love for her home state, Cathy was hand selected by the CSG West chair and Colorado Legislative Council director to lead its host state efforts for the 2015 CSG West Annual Meeting in Vail, Colorado. Moreover, Cathy participated in the working group to help create the CSG West LENS program for nonpartisan legislative staff. Her insights and contributions will serve nonpartisan staff in the West for years to come.



The CSG West family congratulates Cathy’s dedicated service and wishes her success in her next adventure!