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Award recipients from the 2024 Installation and Awards Ceremony
Established in 1984, the Lewis Cenker Award is the GAHBA’s most prestigious award, honoring an individual’s lifetime achievements and contributions to the advancement of the housing industry.
The GAHBA awarded the Lewis Cenker Award to Jim Chapman of Jim Chapman Communities for his commitment to the homebuilding industry in the state of Georgia and nationally.
Jim has served this association in various capacities across the three parts of the federation, local, state, and national during his time with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. He launched his first custom home-building firm in 1998, then in 2005, shifted his focus from building single-family custom homes to developing and building 55 Plus active adult resort-style communities.
His service to the HBA over the years has demonstrated his deep commitment to the success of the homebuilding industry beyond his own business. He served as President of the GAHBA in 2018 during a period when we were transitioning to a new Executive Officer and moving to a new office location. His year as president was instrumental in bringing back the Chapter system and firming up our reserve funds and overall financials.
In 2019, he served as the Immediate Past President of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, Vice President/Treasurer of the Home Builders Association of Georgia, and Vice Chairman of the NAHB Land Development Committee.
In addition to his service, he is a 2-time Spike Award winner, where he brought in the most new members in a calendar year for 2017 and 2022, a 2017 BEAM Award Winner, and was named the GAHBA Builder of the Year in 2019.
Beyond GAHBA he has served as President of the Home Builders Association of Georgia and the chair of the Build PAC at NAHB. In 2018, he was named “Builder of the Year” by HomeAid Atlanta and also served as a Builder Captain.
For all he has done for the industry over the last several years and will continue to do for years to come, we are proud to award Jim Chapman of Jim Chapman Communities with the 2023 Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association Cenker Award.
Jim Chapman accepts the 2023 Lewis Cenker Award from 2013 GAHBA President Michael Turner.
The GAHBA has seven active, dynamic councils that provide educational and networking opportunities for several of the diverse special interests of our members. In recognition of the services that our Councils provide, the GAHBA honors one council chair for outstanding excellence and member service. This award, as with all of our awards, is very challenging to give out due to the quality of leadership and devotion these chairpersons put into each of their respective councils.
A distinguished alumna of the Emerging Leaders Program, Courtney has played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Young Professionals group, assuming the inaugural Chair position. During her time as chair, she used her expertise in marketing to amplify event participation. She followed up her successful leadership of YP by giving her time and expertise as the Chairperson for the Professional Women in Building Council.
Her commitment to fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment within PWB is commendable. Her dedication to establishing a safe space during meetings, where ideas can be freely exchanged and all members actively engaged, underscores her leadership philosophy. Without a doubt, Courtney is poised to persist in her dedication to supporting the professional development of women in the building industry, while concurrently demonstrating her dedication to the Home Builders Association (HBA).
Her track record and demonstrated capabilities position her as an invaluable asset to the continued success of Professional Women in Building and the broader HBA community.
We’d like to recognize Council Chair of the Year as Courtney Stewart with Denim Marketing.
Courtney Stewart (right) accepts the 2023 GAHBA Council Chair of the Year Award from Jennifer Landers of Kolter Signature Homes.
The chapter system is a great opportunity for our large membership to network within their business’ geographic footprint. There are currently seven chapters representing ten counties including the City of Atlanta that all provide educational and networking opportunities specific to those areas. In recognition of the services that our Chapters provide, the GAHBA honors one Chapter President for outstanding excellence and member service.
In 2023, Curran individually demonstrated exceptional leadership as the President of the North Fulton Chapter, skillfully forging and nurturing strong connections with various municipalities, including Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Roswell, Alpharetta and Milton. Under his guidance, the Chapter’s featured speakers were of great interest to the membership, resulting in some of the highest attendance at chapter events witnessed in several years.
His commitment to enhancing the chapter’s offerings extended beyond compelling speakers for luncheons. He orchestrated the successful collaboration between the North Fulton Chapter and the Forsyth Chapter, culminating in the inaugural “Grill and Chill” Joint Social held at BBQ Guys East Coast Headquarters in Alpharetta. This innovative event proved to be a tremendous success, earning widespread acclaim.
The Association recognizes Curran’s blueprint for success as a model to be emulated across our chapter system and we are grateful for his service and dedication. We’d like to recognize Chapter President of the Year as Curran Watters with Callaway Builders Inc.
Curran Watters (left) accepting the 2023 Chapter President of the Year Award from 2020 GAHBA President Gabe Chatham (right).
Member-to-member recruitment and retention efforts are highly valued because of the grassroots growth and stability they bring to the HBA. The Spike Award goes to the member who has the highest recorded number of new members recruited throughout the calendar year. So many of our members have been intentional about recruiting members throughout this past year and we are so grateful for each of you.
A longstanding and esteemed member of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, with a rich history of dedicated service to our community, David has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the advancement of our industry. In his role as Purchasing Manager for the D.R. Horton ATL West Division, he has proven to be an invaluable asset, contributing significantly to the association’s success over the years.
His active involvement in the Government Affairs Committee has been a hallmark of his commitment to shaping the regulatory landscape for the betterment of the homebuilding industry. His passion for advocacy and understanding of the intricacies of government affairs has made him a trusted and influential voice within our organization.
Continuing his outstanding service to the HBA, David has once again distinguished himself in this most recent year. The accumulation of Spike Credits stands as a testament to his ongoing efforts in supporting the GAHBA’s advocacy initiatives. Furthermore, David’s outstanding achievement in recruiting new members throughout 2023 underscores his instrumental role in fostering the growth and vibrancy of our association.
We look forward to continuing to work with David in 2023
as he defends his membership drive title of recruiting the most new members during that event.
Tim Arnold of D.R. Horton (left) accepts the Spike Award from 2024 GAHBA Vice President James Nash (right) on David Schimming’s behalf.
The HBA’s President’s Award is the only award presented at the discretion of the President, making it a special acknowledgment of an individual’s commitment and service to the HBA and the home-building industry.
In 2023, the Government Affairs department of our association continued in the grind of advocacy on behalf of our great industry. Under the leadership of 2023 Government Affairs Chair Tiffany Hogan of D.R. East Division and GAHBA Government Affairs Director Garrett Wiley, the Building Together PAC was established, funded and began providing support to candidates that support the industry.
Under their leadership, we also continued to make solid progress in our lawsuit against Henry County which is funded by the GAHBA Builder Action Fund. Tiffany and Garrett put in countless hours working on issues across our footprint, serving on various committees, and meeting with members to work on solutions to the many regulatory challenges facing our industry.
The GAHBA cannot thank them enough for the hard work and dedication they have provided to our industry and organization. With that said, we would like to recognize Tiffany Hogan and Garrett Wiley to receive the 2023 President’s Award for their outstanding service on behalf of the thousands of members of our great association.
2023 President’s Award winners Garrett Wiley (left) and Tiffany Hogan (right) joined by 2023 GAHBA President Maurice Lester (middle).
Each year, the HBA recognizes an associate member for their accomplishments in the areas of service to the industry and the Greater Atlanta HBA, professional excellence and community involvement, and furthering the mission and goals of the association.
Without a doubt, Pella’s team, under the leadership of Board Member Brian Robbins, has exemplified what it means to be a valuable associate member. When evaluating the many deserving companies for this award, the folks making the selection look first at company involvement in the HBA with their time. Pella always has a big group at every event. They serve on various Chapter boards and are always present to help and participate.
Brian is active in the HBA government affairs and political action. In addition, Pella spends valuable resources on helping further the mission of the HBA. They have been a corporate sponsor for many years. Pella Window and Door of Georga under the leadership of Brian Robbins has been a huge supporter of the success of the annual Parade of Homes, OBIE Awards, Chapter System, Membership Drive, and nearly every other event we hold throughout the year.
This association could not operate without active and consistent associate members like Pella.
Terry West (left), Kelli Samuel (middle right), and Dawson Christopher (right) of Pella Window and Door of Georgia accept the 2023 GAHBA Associate of the Year Award from the 2023 GAHBA Associate Vice President Heather Bounds (middle left).
The Builder of the Year Award is presented each year to a builder member of the GAHBA who has demonstrated a commitment to professional excellence while also making significant contributions to furthering the goals and mission of the association.
D.R. Horton has several outstanding individuals who have served the Greater Atlanta Home Builders in a high capacity. They have supported the HBA by allowing their employees to serve in various roles within the HBA and providing both time and financial resources towards achieving the goals of our association, especially in the areas of advocacy and membership.
Tim Arnold, Division President of the West Division of DR Horton, has served as a dedicated member of the Board of Directors for several years. David Schimming, Purchasing Manager for the West Division has participated in the Gov’t Affairs Committee and finished top 3 in the Membership Drive multiple years in a row, winning the 2023 Spike Award this evening. Tiffany Hogan, Vice President of Forward Planning for the East Division of DR Horton has served as President of the Dekalb/Rockdale Chapter in 2020 and 2021 and Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the last 2 years.
D.R. Horton has been a consistent builder member of the HBA for years through the contributions of their time, talent and resources and the entire association has benefitted from it.
This makes the three divisions of D.R. Horton in the Atlanta Market (West, East, and Central) under the leadership of Tim Arnold, Shawn Tokanel and Sharonda Rahming the very deserving 2023 Builder of the Year!
Representatives from D.R. Horton accept the 2023 GAHBA Builder of the Year Award.
The Young Professionals Emerging Leaders Program is designed to engage and build the next generation of leaders in the GAHBA.
This year’s class gained knowledge in the four pillars of our association: advocacy, education, networking and community service.
By attending a variety of different GAHBA events and Emerging Leaders sessions, these individuals learned about the building industry from leaders in the field and had opportunities to network with those same leaders. We are proud to recognize these six individuals who completed the program.
· Will Burnham – SouthState Bank
· Anna Burrell – Century Communities
· Chelsea Frye – Brand Vaughan Lumber Co.
· Riggins Lesmez – Corey Construction
· Mary Allen Mansell – The Erosion Company
· Sam Penney – Oakbridge Insurance
From left to right: GAHBA Young Professionals Liaison Thomas Touchstone, 2023 Emerging Leaders Program graduates Sam Penney, Riggins Lesmez, Will Burnham and Chelsea Frye, and GAHBA Executive Officer Corey Deal
(678) 456-8419 | [email protected] | P.O. Box 1585 Cumming, GA 30024