2007 Media Releases & Alerts

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kimberly Warren

2008 National Housing Quality Award Winners Announced at Professional Builder Bendchmark Conference

Premier Home Building Industry Award Honors Exceptional Quality Achievement

September 26, 2007, Atlanta, Ga. - Today, the NAHB Research Center and Reed Business Information, publishers of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines, announced the winners of the 2008 National Housing Quality (NHQ) Awards. Modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the NHQ Awards represent the home building industry’s highest recognition for quality achievement and operational excellence. Now in its 15th year, the NHQ Awards are open to all U.S. residential construction and independent contractor companies. Entries are judged by a panel of experts who evaluate the role that quality plays in construction, strategic planning, leadership and performance management, trade relationships, customer satisfaction, human resources, and business results.

Presented at Professional Builder’s 2007 Benchmark Conference, NHQ Award winners will carry the prestigious title throughout 2008. This year, the judges selected five winners in the Silver Award category:

  • Barratt American of Carlsbad, Ca. (National Winner)
  • Fireside Hearth & Home of Lakeville, Minn. (National Winner)
  • Mercedes Homes of Melbourne, Fla. (National Winner)
  • Mungo Homes of Irmo, S.C.
  • Pringle Development, Inc. of Eustis, Fla.

Winning the NHQ Award requires more than just operating a great home building company; it requires genuine effort. Not only do candidates have to implement sophisticated operating processes that improve performance, those processes must also be documented in an extensive application and verified through a site visit by NHQ Award judges.

Professional Builder editorial director Paul Deffenbaugh said, "The National Housing Quality Award is the hardest award to win in home building. It requires dedication and purpose throughout a home building company, and only the best can achieve this distinction."

According to Deffenbaugh, builders who have sought the National Housing Quality Award have found themselves achieving far more than recognition. "The winners have completed a process that has significantly improved the performance of their companies, making them more consistent and more reliable. Homebuyers have found these companies execute the best quality homes and deliver the highest quality satisfaction."

Preparing an NHQ application is an important step in every applicant’s quality journey. Program participants benefit from the introspective process of preparing an application, as well as the insightful feedback received from the expert judging panel, many of whom are past NHQ Award winners. NAHB Research Center president Michael Luzier stated, "National Housing Quality Award winners represent the best of the best in the home building industry, and we are extremely proud to recognize these leaders for their dedication, customer focus, and exceptional quality achievement. Each year, the bar is raised higher as our judging panel ensures this program continues to provide the industry with the highest standards of excellence."

Winners of the NHQ Award are featured in Professional Builder articles that highlight their quality management practices and serve as models for the benefit of the housing industry. Award winners also participate in an educational session at the Benchmark Conference focused on best practices in business-critical areas, such as customer satisfaction, leadership, human resources, strategic planning, performance management, construction quality, supplier partnerships, and business results.

For more information on the National Housing Quality Program, visit www.nahbrc.org/quality or email quality@nahbrc.org.

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9/07

ABOUT THE NAHB RESEARCH CENTER: Located in Upper Marlboro, Md., the NAHB Research Center promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created over 40 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance.

NOTE TO EDITORS ON STYLE USAGE: To identify this company and its work correctly, first reference should be “NAHB Research Center.” If clarification of the acronym is necessary, the phrase, “a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB),” can follow. In subsequent mentions, "Research Center" is the only acceptable and accurate alternative reference.