PEOPLE&


PROJECTS


Ashton Woods’ Dan Gezella Wins Sales Manager of the Year at NAHB Nationals Contest


The National Association of Home Builders has named Dan Gezella Sales Manager of the Year in The Nationals 2011 Gold Awards. Gezella is vice president of


sales and marketing for Ashton Woods Homes’ Houston division. Gezella’s award was announced Jan. 12 during the International Builders Show in Orlando. The Nationals Gold Awards is the nation’s largest competition for new-home sales and marketing professionals. Gezella competed against four other finalists from across the nation to win.


Gezella has twice been named Sales Manager of the Year in the NAHB’s Silver Awards, the prelude to the Gold Awards. He was named Sales Manager of the Year at the 2009 and 2006 Texas Star Awards and the 2009 GHBA Houston’s Best Awards and 2008 PRISM Awards. He has also been a GHBA’s Million Dollar Sales Award recipient for six consecutive years.


Design Challenge Winners Announced


Ten designers submitted entries celebrating the attributes and aesthetic appeal of a home constructed on a raised wood floor, all part of a promotion sponsored by Raised Floor Living and the Greater Houston Builders Association. The Raise the Floor – Houston Design Challenge was a two-part competition to recognize an outstanding builder and designer. This


activity demonstrated the advantages of raised wood foundation construction in the Greater Houston area.


Several weeks ago, former GHBA board member Roger Farrow with City Homes of Houston was selected as the winning builder. His 75’x125’ lot in the historic Heights section of Houston established parameters for designers to create a home meeting specific design criteria in terms of required square footage and features. He was one of four judges, joined by Kevin Harris, FAIA of Kevin Harris Architect, LLC of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; LaVerne A. Williams, AIA, LEED AP, Environment Associates Architects & Consultants, and Kathleen Reardon, LEED AP, RD Architecture, LLC, both of Houston.


The judges selected Jeremy McFarland of Brickmoon Design in Spring, Texas as the Grand Prize Winner and the recipient of a $2,500 cash award. His two-story Craftsman-style home includes four bedrooms, three full and two half baths, adding up to 4,086 square feet of conditioned living space. Front and rear porches add another 300 square feet.


“This design successfully captures what people want in a luxury home. The overhangs contribute to energy efficiency. The floorplan is conducive to outdoor living,” said the judges.


For his entry, Jeremy also won a $250 honorable mention award for Most Livable Design, and he will receive a $3,500 cash award upon completion of the construction drawings.


Raised Floor Living will use the site as an educational seminar location for local professionals as the raised floor foundation takes shape later this spring.


Bruce Cordova, Raised Floor Living; Holly Ridgway; Alex Ridgway; Jeremy McFarland, grand prize winner; Gloria Carlos, Brickmoon Design; Richard Wallace, Raised Floor Living


Two other finalists each


received $2,500 cash awards for their efforts: Robert Blair of Lifestyle USA Design in Houston and Patrick Berrios of Patrick Berrios Designs Inc. in Sugar Land, Texas. The entry by Berrios also received honorable mention recognition as the best use of wood products. John P. Guy of NewCottageHomes.com in Katy, Texas won the final


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award, honorable mention for best curb appeal.


Raised Floor Living is a promotional program sponsored by the Southern Pine Council (SPC) in partnership with APA, a nonprofit trade association representing the North American engineered wood industry. SPC is sponsored by the Southern Forest Products Association, a nonprofit trade association representing Southern Pine lumber producers.


Newland Communities CEO Receives Humanitarian Award


Bob McL eod , chief executive officer of Newland Communities,


the


country’s largest pr iv a tely held land development company and the


developer of four major master-planned communities in Houston, received the 12th Annual Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Award at the International Builders Show in Orlando. The award honors leaders in the homebuilding industry who have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to making their communities a better place to work and live. The award includes a $100,000 prize to be donated to their charity of choice.


Visit www.newlandcommunities.com for more information.


Krugh to Establish New Law Practice in Houston


Af te r 2 2 ye a r s of


experience as in-house counsel for Per r y Homes, John Krugh is establishing his own law practice. John’s practice will concentrate on general business matters,


real estate, residential construction, corporate law, and employment matters. As a certified mediator he expects that his experience as in-house counsel will be a valuable asset to those in need of dispute resolution.


You can reach John by calling (713) 840- 9414 or john@krughlaw.com.


APRIL 2011 | HOUSTON BUILDER | GREATER HOUSTON BUILDERS ASSOCIATION – BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE


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