Wayne Holt of Reward Builders was awarded the HBA 2009 Builder of the Year and Connie Tech of MetLife Home Loans was selected as the HBA 2009 Associate of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Raleigh –Wake County (HBA).

2009 HBA President Richard Gaylord, of Richard Gaylord Homes, Inc., presented the Builder of the Year Award to Holt, “The selection of the Builder of the Year is one of the most difficult each year. This winner must demonstrate the high standards of our association and play an active part within our organization. Wayne Holt has the HBA resume that shows he has done it all and keeps the association’s best interest at heart.”

Holt serves on the Board of Directors, the Parade of Homes Committee, and the Education Committee. Last year, he successfully chaired a new event for the HBA, the Grill N’ Chili Cook Off Challenge.

Connie Tench is a HBA member who has shown outstanding leadership for the association. She served on the HBA Board of Directors and encourages MetLife Home Loans to be a corporate sponsor of the association. Her leadership helped transform the Associates Committee into one of the HBA’s most prominent committees, and her brainchild, the “Do Business with A HBA Member” internal campaign was recently awarded “Best HBA Member Communication” at the 2009 STARS Awards by the North Carolina Home Builders Association.

About Wayne Holt

Wayne Holt, founder of Reward Builders, Inc. in Cary, N.C., has extensive experience as a builder and a real estate broker. A HBA member, Holt is a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Certified Trainer and Green Building Professional. He also has his GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute), is the winner of the 2009 Dick Coleman Scholarship through the Triangle Sales and Marketing Council (TSMC), and is a candidate for membership in the Institute of Residential Marketing.

Holt became active in the HBA in 2003. He has served on several committees, been an active builder participant in the HBA Parade of Homes with multiple entries and award winning homes; and was an entrant and winner in both the TSMC MAME (Major Achievements in Marketing and Excellence) Awards and the NCHBA STARS Awards. Holt is also a founding partner and Director of New Home Sales for Dream Living New Homes.

A Holly Springs native, Wayne has been married to his wife Kelly for more than 22 years, and they have one daughter, Rachel, who is 15. He is a member of the Leadership Team at The Potters Hand Bible Church in Apex.

About Connie Tench

Connie Tench works for MetLife Home Loans as a Mortgage Consultant. Combined with over 25 years of industry experience to draw from, Tench’s skills helped her earn the title of 2000 MAME (Major Achievements in Marketing and Excellence) Lender of the Year by the Triangle Sales and Marketing Council (TSMC).

Tench has invested her own time in further education, earning the title of Graduate of Mortgage Lending (GML) and Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS). She is also active in the HBA and the Triangle Sales and Marketing Council. Tench keeps current on industry trends and information through membership in organizations such as the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women and Mortgage Market Guide.

In her spare time, Tench enjoys outdoor activities like fishing, golf and camping. She is currently serving as President of the Raleigh Chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA). She resides in Garner with her husband of 23 years, Lamar.

About the HBA

The Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County (HBA) began in 1959 when 25 builders saw a need to represent the interests of home builders on issues that affect their ability to provide affordable housing for citizens of Wake County. The membership, comprised of builders, remodelers, developers, and sales & marketing professionals throughout Wake County is affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders, which represents over 200,000 member companies nationwide. As the voice of the home building industry, the HBA provides members opportunities for business development, education, professional growth and networking.