After 26 years of dedicated service as Executive Officer of the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB), Margi Grein has announced her retirement effective August 1, 2024.
Throughout an impactful 38-year tenure, Grein has been instrumental in upholding the integrity and professionalism of contractors across Nevada and spearheading a variety of programs and legislative efforts that have helped advance the protection of consumers during their interactions with Nevada contractors.
“The progress we’ve made throughout the construction industry over the last 26 years would not be possible without the dedicated support and collaborative nature of Board members and staff, industry representatives, government officials, and community partners,” Grein said. “Regardless of the issue, consumer protection remained at the forefront and with that we were able to strengthen the standards of the industry to create a more equitable environment for licensed contractors to operate within. It has been an honor to serve in this capacity, work with incredible minds, and to feel like I’m leaving the industry and the public’s safety in a better place than when I first began.”
Under Grein’s guidance, the NSCB pursued legislative changes that strengthened and standardized contracting requirements for residential construction trades, including pools and spas, solar construction, and home improvement projects, among others. These efforts helped to reduce consumer complaints, improve the accountability and integrity of contracting practices and consumer interactions, and increase consumer safety and awareness about contract terms for high-valued projects.
Grein also spearheaded the creation of the Residential Recovery Fund, which affords residential homeowners who are financially harmed by a licensed contractor recourse up to $40,000 – a fund that has awarded nearly $16 million since the first claim was heard in 2001. Grein’s efforts also led to the legislative enactment of the Commission on Construction Education which awards grants to applicants for continuing education. Since it began, the CCE has awarded nearly $5,000,000 in grants throughout Nevada to further the construction industry.
“There has been no greater champion for the construction industry and the public’s safety than Margi Grein and we have been fortunate to have her leadership for the past 26 years,” said Board Chairman Boyd Martin. “It is because of her tenacity, innovative thinking, and dedication to the Board’s mission that the Nevada State Contractors Board is recognized as a model regulatory agency here and across the nation. She is a legacy in her own right and it is our honor to continue forging forward on the path she has worked so hard to pave.”
During her years at the helm of NSCB, Grein has directed the Board’s focus on consumer protection and education, standardizing industry contracting practices, heightening penalties for unlawful and predatory construction practices, seeking criminal prosecution for egregious offenders, and streamlining policies and procedures to improve efficiency. Her leadership has fostered professionalism through the implementation of formal training for investigators; modernization of technology and recordkeeping; employment of fiscal safeguards; and improvement of communications across the industry and public.
Some of the programs initiated by Grein include an annual Hammers and Hope event, which provides education and mentoring opportunities for women interested in joining the construction industry; Senior Awareness Seminars aimed to prevent seniors from falling victim to unlicensed contracting scams; Home Improvement Forums that collaborate with trade professionals to share tips and information on the importance of hiring licensed contractors; and Town Hall events with legislators that highlight public safety initiatives, among other topics.
Grein’s legacy encounters too many successes and accomplishments to list, but one of her greatest attributes was her desire to network and learn from other regulatory agencies across the nation. She was the former President and member of the National Association of State Contractor Licensing Agencies (NASCLA), the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), and the Federation of Associations of Regulatory Boards (FARB). She also led national and statewide enforcement activities, enhanced training for Board members on a variety of regulatory topics and absorbed the best practices across all applicable industries.
Following her announcement to retire at the June 20 meeting, David Behar, currently serving as Deputy Executive Officer, was appointed by the Board as her replacement to take effect August 1, 2024.
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