“Reflecting on fifty years, the association has been fortuitous to have great local leaders participate and guide our organization,” said HBA President, Warren Smith, owner of L and L of Raleigh, Inc. during Tuesday’s ceremony. “Recently, the HBA leadership decided the time had come to honor its members, who throughout the years, have had a significant impact to our industry and community.”
Last year, the HBA Board of Directors approved the creation of the Hall of Fame Committee, whose purpose was to create a system to select worthy individuals and choose the first class of recipients. This committee, appointed by 2009 HBA President Richard Gaylord, was comprised of the following members: Warren Smith, chair and nonvoting member, Richard Gaylord, Harold Glazer, Bob Schultz, Mike Houseman and Mason Williams. This group met on several occasions to debate and discuss the challenges of creating a process and selecting this first class of individuals.
Surrounded by both new and familiar faces, the inductees were introduced by those who knew them best within the association. For the newer HBA members and guests in attendance, the event offered an opportunity to learn about these ten who helped build Wake County over the last fifty years. Then each inductee, or family member on their behalf, was presented with a medal.
The ten inductees and a glimpse of their great accomplishments are:
• John Adams - John Adams was one of the early builders in Raleigh who took the risks that transformed this area into what it is today. Before Adams, no builder in Raleigh (or on the entire East Coast) included air conditioning as a standard feature in their home. Adams had an eye to envision what a piece of property could become and on a scale and location that was mostly unheard of. One of his most noteworthy projects was the Brentwood Community off Capital Boulevard, when building “outside” the beltline in the 1960’s was considered “out there.”
• Jud Ammons - Ammons still believes that you treat the customer with respect. One of his favorite projects was SpringMoor Life Care Retirement Community that lies within Greystone Village. Greystone was the 1st planned urban development (PUD) in the state – also built by Ammons. He helped to start the “Warmth for Wake” program that involved furnishing wood for needy families. His recent book, Don't Wish You Had, Be Glad You Did: A Look at Life by Jud Ammons with Adam Lucas, contains Jud-isms and details the risk-taking that has led him to become one of the largest real estate developers in the southeast.
• Carl Banks – Carl Banks is the man responsible for building better relationships between builders and realtors. It is only fitting that as the HBA’s Triangle Sales and Marketing Council (TSMC) was again awarded the Best SMC in the Nation for the second year in a row last month, that we also celebrate the man who initiated the council within the association. Banks was the first recipient of the TSMC’s MAME Lifetime Achievement Award in 1992.
• David Creech - As a leader within the HBA and the Triangle Builders Guild, Creech has been involved with a few community service projects that included the relocation of ARC – a downtown Raleigh shelter, Habitat for Humanity builds, and the Raleigh Rescue Mission. In 1996 through his church, Hayes Barton United Methodist, Creech traveled to Jamaica to begin building a church in the city of Sheertown.
• Louis Dickerson - Louis Dickerson likes to make memories. His reach within the home building business includes community involvement such as leading the HBA to renovate the two-story ARC Shelter; industry involvement such as organizing the “Save the Housing Rally”; chairing the Residential Code Committee where he was able to advance the local manual into a uniform residential building code; and association involvement where he has contributed much of his life to helping fellow members and their business.
• Bill Fleming - From almost thirty years, Fleming served the HBA through membership involvement resulting in over 800 members to join the association. He truly loved the art of conversation. While not a builder member, Fleming was a valuable part of the association and was committed to the HBA, its affairs and the association’s members. In 2007, the HBA renamed its annual Spike of the Year Award as the Bill Fleming, Sr. Spike of the Year Award. When asked why he recruited so many members, he stated that he thought this was his way of helping people to find a home (within the association).
• Charles McLaurin – Charles McLaurin has left a lasting impression on Southern and Western Wake County. For the town of Fuquay-Varina, McLaurin chaired their Keep America Beautiful committee and the fund-raising efforts for their Rescue Squads; he brought toll-free telephone service between Cary and Fuquay-Varina; and he recruited doctors to establish themselves in the town.
• Tom Powell - When it came to marketing new homes, Tom Powell forged the way. You might recognize “It’s a good day to buy a house” - a little theme that become a statewide promotion. As a member of the Parade of Homes Committee for over 25 years, he pioneered new ideas to shape the Parade of Homes and introduced the concept of multi-house entries in a single neighborhood. Powell was responsible for conducting best business practice seminars for local HBA’s, and he also taught at the NC Realtor’s School in Chapel Hill.
• Edd K. Roberts – As a successful builder and businessman, land developer and real estate broker, Roberts believed in studying the market and finding solutions to the commercial and residential needs of Wake County. As a grandfather figure to the Raleigh industry, Roberts was a proponent of vocational education programs for high school students as well as builders and tradesman beginning their careers. Although he recently passed away in November of 2009, Roberts’ work in the building industry is survived by the many builders that he has helped to educate and encourage over the years.
• Ray Sparrow - Following a passion in politics, Sparrow was responsible for helping to start the NC Build-PAC, (political action committee), originally called BIPAC. He has left his mark on several churches around the Triangle – literally - and has been a part of church projects that include additions, renovations, and building new facilities. In addition, Sparrow has served on Cary and Raleigh planning and zoning boards, and four terms as a legislator in the N.C. House of Representatives.
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.
About Charles C. McLaurin
Charles McLaurin has left a lasting impression on Southern and Western Wake County. He started building in Cary and responded to changing demand as he saw growth and expansion in Fuquay-Varina. Charles was the 9th HBA President in 1967 and has impacted the HBA with the same determination and commitment as he has Wake County.
Within the HBA, McLaurin was a long-time member of the HBA Board of Directors. He guided the formation of the NC Home Builders Education Foundation, worked on local education, legislative and membership efforts, and was also a member of the first Parade of Homes committee. When the state of the housing industry was in question during the 1980’s, McLaurin traveled to Washington, DC with 130 fellow HBA members to meet with the NC delegation. He was later an emcee for Housing Day on the steps of the State Capitol.
McLaurin worked on city rezoning issues, he proposed subdivision regulations, and pushed the NC Bar association to remove unnecessary fees associated with closings. For the town of Fuquay-Varina, McLaurin chaired their Keep America Beautiful committee and the fund-raising efforts for their Rescue Squads; he brought toll-free telephone service between Cary and Fuquay-Varina; and he recruited doctors to establish themselves in the town. McLaurin has served three times as the Fuquay-Varina Chamber of Commerce president, twice as chapter president of the Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club, and has been awarded the Fuquay-Varina Citizen of the Year and the Fuquay-Varina Jaycees Distinguished Service Award for his many efforts and project coordination.
Over the years, McLaurin has organized and chaired building committees from Habitat for Humanity to hurricane relief. He has an innate ability to lead and promote progress in many areas beyond his commercial and residential developments. In 2000, McLaurin was inducted into the NCHBA Housing Hall of Fame, and on February 9, he was inducted into the HBA Hall of Fame.
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