Leading the Home Building Industry: Pro Builder's 2021 Forty Under 40

This article first appeared in the March/April 2021 issue of Pro Builder.

Surviving the Great Recession has become part of a home builder’s résumé to show that its team can run in the marathon. Add the ability to pivot and thrive during a pandemic and you’ll see the dominant talent exhibited by this year’s class of rising stars in Pro Builder’s Forty Under 40.

Among the Class of 2021’s accomplishments is the generation of record sales volume through all-virtual home shopping experiences, doubling leads by creating and growing online sales teams, building a digital platform that targets buyer groups, and training staff on how to engage prospects during the buying journey.

Another trait shared by honorees is the ability to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. For example, starting in the industry with no home-selling experience and rising to be a top producer, division manager, or even developing and leading the training regimen for new salespeople. Or launching a company with small carpentry jobs because there were no big-project prospects at the time and growing to become one of their markets’ leading custom home builders. How about the company VP who started as a new-home technician after graduating high school, or the project director who worked his way up through the ranks from entry-level draftsman.

Among the Class of 2021’s accomplishments is the generation of record sales volume through all-virtual home shopping experiences, doubling leads by creating and growing online sales teams, building a digital platform that targets buyer groups, and training staff on how to engage prospects during the buying journey.

Several of our young leaders also took their family businesses to the next level by targeting 55+ buyers or streamlining selections so projects would move faster from contract to construction. Other members of the class started at the bottom as a laborer, bought the business from their boss and then flourished, one by repositioning his company to build high-performance homes and the other by expanding and opening a second office and hiring more staff.

There are also a lot of firsts for women among this year’s winners, such as becoming their company’s first female VP of purchasing, first CEO, or the first senior manager for a national builder.

Off the clock, the next generation volunteers its services and talents to give back to communities at home and in other parts of the world. Pro Builder is proud to present the Forty Under 40 Class of 2021.

Pro Builder is proud to present the Forty Under 40 class of 2021

Alex Akel, 29, President / Owner, Akel Homes, Delray Beach, Fla.
Cory Benjamin, 39, Project Director, BIM Manager, TK Design & Associates, South Lyon, Mich.
Mitchell Bode, 39, EVP, Boone Homes, Richmond, Va.
Koby Bowen, 38, President / CEO of Construction and Design, Homes of Distinction, Rogers, Ark.
Kasey Brown, 32, Regional Purchasing Manager — East Tennessee, Goodall Homes, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Philip Chan, 37, Principal Architect, AIA, PDS Studio, Arcadia, Calif.
Meredith Chapman, 36, Area Sales Manager, K. Hovnanian Homes, Dallas-Fort Worth
Cory Charles, 36, National Sales Coach and Trainer, K. Hovnanian Homes, Matawan, N.J.
Alexa Drees Walker, 31, Design Center Director, Drees Homes, Fort Mitchell, Ky.
John Ferrucci, 38, President, Ferrucci Custom Homes, Manhattan, Ill.
Eder Gallardo, 35, VP, Edward’s Homes of El Paso, El Paso, Texas
Chris Garcia, 27, Founder, Cobalt Construction Management, Effingham, N.H.
Elise Goodell, 39, Director of Marketing Operations, Tri Pointe Homes, Irvine, Calif.
Andrew Gotlieb, 34, Business Development Director, Keystate Homes & Development, Cleveland
Lindsay Haltom, 39, Director of Marketing, Homes By Taber, Oklahoma City
Laura Hanson, 39, Marketing Manager, New Tradition Homes, Vancouver, Wash.
Mariel Heredia, 39, Director of Design, AIA, Van Metre Homes, Fairfax, Va.
Nikki James, 38, Studio Manager, Ashton Woods Homes, Dallas
Luke Kinser, 35, Managing Member, Owner, Virginia Builders, Chesapeake, Va.
Drew Lindsay, 37, President / Owner, Hammerwell, Boulder, Colo.
Maureen Luyun, 33, Regional Marketing Manager, D.R. Horton, Denver
Klynt Marcusse, 32, Owner, Marcusse Construction, Hudsonville, Mich.
Blair McDaniel, 38, CEO, Alair Homes, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Topher McLarty, 38, Director, Young Professionals Program, National Association of Home Builders, Washington, D.C.
Andrew Owen, 31, Project Manager, Thrive Home Builders, Denver
Jared Phifer, 39, President, Revolve Design-Build, Denver
Carla Ramalho, 31, Product Manager, WernerCo., Itasca, Ill.
Kaylee Smith, 29, VP Sales and Marketing, Southern California, Landsea Homes, Irvine, Calif.
Steven Speer, 29, Senior Construction Superintendent and Safety Manager, Blackrock Builders, College Station, Texas
Adam Steiner, 35, Owner, Birnam Design Co., Valparaiso, Ind.
Scott Strayer, 37, President / Owner, Helen Scott Custom Builders, Barberton, Ohio
Jessie Suggs, 28, Online Sales Manager, Mungo Homes, Irmo, S.C.
Justin Thompson, 39, Regional Partner, Ontario and Ohio, Alair Homes, Toronto and Cleveland
Chelsea Timmons, 33, VP of Community Experience, Tri Pointe Homes, Austin, Texas
Karla Tuten, 29, Owner, Creative Director, Tuten Creative, Richmond Hill, Ga.
Alexis Udine, 37, Account Supervisor, Group Two Advertising, Philadelphia
Megan VanTassel, 37, Director of Marketing, The New Home Company, Roseville, Calif.
Aaron Wagner, 36, Director of Organizational Learning, New Home Star, Elmhurst, Ill.
Kayla Watson, 31, VP Operations, Timbercraft Homes, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Kerri Woodward, 38, Director of Sales and Marketing, Chesapeake Homes, Virginia Beach, Va.