LARA suspends builder licenses of jailed VBT business owner Holder

Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs’ (LARA) Bureau of Construction Codes last March issued an Order of Summary Suspension of the builder salesperson license of Bruce Charles Holder in Fenton, under the residential builder company license of Empire Today, LLC, located at 41133 Van Born Rd., Van Buren Township.
On Dec. 19, 2018, Holder brandished a handgun in a road rage incident in Oakland County and pointed it at another motorist while driving southbound on I-275. He was charged with firing the handgun from his vehicle in the direction of another motorist who apparently cut him off and then he sped off. He missed hitting anything.
On Dec. 21, 2018, Holder was arrested by a fugitive task force at a home in Fenton and charged with five felonies: discharge of a firearm from a motor vehicle; possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony; carrying a concealed weapon; assault with a dangerous weapon; and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Holder’s conduct constitutes a lack of good moral character in violation of section 604(d) of the Code, LARA said.
The Michigan Occupational Code provides for summary suspension of licenses when the public health, safety, or welfare requires emergency action. An order of summary suspension is a temporary measure to protect the public and not a final determination that a licensee has violated the Occupational Code.
LARA also on March 6 served an accompanying Formal Complaint against Holder detailing revocation of his individual builder license, a subsequent formal complaint against his revoked individual builder license, and the five criminal offenses charged against him. He had 15 days to respond to the Formal Complaint. Otherwise, the case was to be forwarded to the Michigan Administrative Hearing System for a contested case hearing before an administrative law judge.
Before entering into a building or renovation project, Michigan consumers are encouraged to verify license information by going to https://www.lara.michigan.gov/colaLicVerify/.
Or, contact Bureau of Construction Codes at (517) 241-9316 or email at: [email protected] and the bureau can run a license check for you. Consumers are reminded that there is no replacement for their own due diligence, LARA said.
On Oct. 10, 2019, Holder pleaded no contest to two weapons charges, each carrying a two-year sentence. His earliest release date is Oct. 6, 2021. He received sentences of three years of probation each on the other three charges.