https://www.houzz.com/website-services/site/edit
ARTICLE
January 24, 2018 (Fulton, MD) - On January 24th, the Maryland Building Industry Association held their annual installation of officers.Howard Country Executive Allan H. Kittleman presided over the official oath of office as Jeff Caruso, president of Caruso Homes, was installed as the 2018 president of the association. With over 30 years’ experience in the building industry, Jeff Caruso has been instrumental in the planning, development and construction of more than 70 residential communities throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. His current focus is to expand Caruso Homes into a regional home builder operating across the South Eastern United States. Currently Caruso Homes is active in entitling and developing over 3,000 lots in Maryland and North Carolina. Jeff is a 20-year member of the National Association of Home Buildersand is an expert in all aspects of development and construction with many designations including a Master in Residential Marketing and Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing. The MBIA CEO, Lori Graf, noted that she expects Mr. Caruso to be a strong leader because of his experience and commitment to the industry. Jeff's goals, as he heads into 2018, include focusing on the legislative agenda and protecting the industry from legislation that unfairly penalizes builders and developers and trade partners for being on the front lines of housing. "We, the local builders and our trade partners, are working together to deal with this major issue Our efforts are only possible with the continued and increased participation of our members and a commitment to growing our membership," said Caruso. Home Builders Care Foundation As a highlight of the evening, the Home Builders Care Foundation, the 501 (c) (3) non-profit charity of the the Maryland Building Industry Association, announced the winners of their 2018 Community Service Awards. The awards are presented annually to individuals or organizations affiliated with the local home building industry in recognition of significant contributions to the community through unselfish efforts and dedication in support of projects that help the poor and disadvantaged in our communities. HBCF Community Service Award Winner Bozzuto Homes, 2017 Community Builder Award Bozzuto’s work with Champ House Recovery in Bowie during 2017 has made a huge impact in the charity’s program operations. Champ House is a transitional therapeutic program for men who admittedly suffer from addiction to drugs and alcohol. Up to 15 men are able to reside at Champ House where they are provided the opportunity to regain control of their lives. Starting in early 2017, the Bozzuto team began work to transform the garage into a rec room for the 15 men in residence. The garage was centrally located on the property and had long been an informal gathering area for the men. But the gathering area was simply a sofa and a few chairs sitting on a concrete floor. To make it more suitable, the team took out the existing garage door and substituted it with new framing, siding, a sliding glass door and 2 windows. A few weeks later, crews from one of Bozzuto’s contractors, DeVere Insulation, arrived to install a donation of insulation for the basement, the garage areas, as well as the meeting room and lower house. HBCF Award of Appreciation An award of appreciation was presented to Christopher Rachuba of The Rachuba Group for his commitment to the Foundation as he served at president for the past two years. Mike Karns with Winchester Homes is serving as the 2018 president of the Home Builders Care Foundation. In addition to Mr. Caruso, the following MBIA officers and board members were installed. Executive Committee 1st Vice President, Mike McCann, Beazer Homes Vice President - Advocacy/State, Jude Burke, Elm Street Development Vice President - Advocacy/Baltimore Area, Tim Morris, Williamsburg Homes Membership Chair, Pat Bollinger, BB&T Vice President - Associates, Mike Schonfeld, Revere Bank Treasurer, Kimberly Palmisano, Kimberly Palmisano, CPA, PA Secretary, Michael Schueler, Winchester Homes Life Director, Mark Bennett, Greenebaum Enterprises Immediate Past President, Steve Breeden, Security Development Legal Council, Jack Orrick, Linowes & Blocher Board of Directors Council Chair, Robb Aumiller, Mackenzie Communities Chapter Chair, Paula Bahler, DETAILS Deconstruction Council Chair, Peter Baxter, Cosentino North America Chapter Chair, Andrew Bolton, Bozzuto Homes, Inc. Chapter Chair, Jennifer R Busse Esq., Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP Council Chair, Laurence Cafritz, Laurence Cafritz Builders Chapter Chair, Michael Charlton, Elm Street Development, Inc. Chapter Chair, Ken Dunn, Soltesz Builder Mart Chair, Joe Fleury, BB&T Chapter Chair, James Fraser, IsLAND Companies, LLC At Large Director, Phil Hughes, Rodgers Consulting Inc. HBCF Chair, Mike Karns, Winchester Homes, Inc. Council Chair, Jeff Kayce, Bozzuto Homes, Inc. Chapter Chair, Sylke Knuppel, Michael Harris Homes Council Chair, Richard Lang, Lang and Company Chapter Chair, Jon Laria, Ballard Spahr LLP Council Chair, Thom Marston, Energy Services Group Chapter Chair, James Mathias, Development Design Consultants, Inc. Chapter Chair, Doug Meeker, Elm Street Development, Inc. BDGG Chair, Scott Nicholson, Revere Bank At Large Director, Cindy Plackmeyer, Wormald Companies, The At Large Director, Barbara Richman, NAI - The Michael Companies At Large Director, Dusty Rood, Rodgers Consulting Inc. At-Large Director, Steve Rubin, Harkins Builders, Inc. At Large Member, J. D. Russell, HPS Management At Large Director, Jeremy Rutter, Rutter Project Management Council Chair, Carly Schrader, Stanley Martin Companies Inc At Large Director, Robert Spalding, Miller & Smith Homes Chapter Chair, Tom Thomas, D.R. Horton, Inc. Chapter Chair, Marilee Tortorelli, Morris & Ritchie Associates, Inc. Council Chair, Alex Villegas, Rodgers Consulting Inc. At Large Director, David Winstead, Ballard Spahr LLP ### The MBIA is a not-for-profit building industry trade organization representing the interests of over 1,200 member firms and more than 100,000 employees, including home builders, remodelers, developers and affiliate professional and service providers in the Maryland Counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and St. Mary's as well as Baltimore City, the Eastern Shore and Washington, DC. Online at www.marylandbuilders.org. HBCF is the 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation of MBIA and serves most of the state of Maryland and Washington DC.The mission of the Home Builders Care Foundation (HBCF) is to complete shelter-related construction projects by utilizing the building industry's specialized skills and by collaborating with existing community service and care providers, such as other non-profit agencies and governmental agencies serving the homeless and other at-risk families and individuals. Online at www.hbcf.org.