FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 1, 2007

Contact: Matt Derrick
(816) 942-8800, ext. 213

George Schluter Elected President of Home Builders Association

The Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA) inaugurated home builder George Schluter as the organization’s 2008 president during ceremonies at the HBA Inaugural Gala Friday night Nov. 30 at the Hyatt Regency Crow Center.

Schluter, who served as HBA vice president during the past year, is also president of custom home-building firm GWS Inc. based in North Kansas City. Schluter has been part of the local home-building industry for more than 30 years, joining the HBA in 1974. He is also a member of the HBA and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Board of Directors.

A long-time champion of improved building codes, energy-efficiency and innovative construction and design, Schluter has served as chairman of the Kansas City, Mo., Building and Fire Code Board of Appeals and as a member of the NAHB Construction Codes and Standards Committee. His firm has won national and regional awards for energy efficiency, design and solar construction. In 2003, Schluter was inducted into the HBA Builder Hall of Fame.

As HBA president, Schluter said it will be critical for the local housing industry to focus on the changing market place and provide new resources that will enable home builders to provide the wide range of housing choices needed and demanded by local families.

“The year ahead will see many changes as the home-building industry looks to rebound from the recent market correction and bring new housing choices to our communities,” Schluter said. “Focusing on issues such as green building and 50-plus housing choices will be critical to ensuring that we expand the housing industry in Kansas City and provide the consistency and integrity our consumers deserve.”

Joining Schluter on the 2008 HBA Executive Committee are Vice President Brad True, True Builders Inc.; Secretary/Treasurer Janet Pereira, Premier Custom Homes Inc.; Immediate Past President Mike Brown, Brown Midwest; Associate Representative Fred Geier, Pacific Mutual Door & Window; and HBA Executive Vice President/CEO Tim Underwood.

Other association leaders for the upcoming year include Kansas Council Chair Doug Claussen, Doug Claussen Builders; Missouri North Council Chair Dennis Shriver, McBride & Son Homes Inc.; Missouri South Council Chair Kevin Enyeart, Gale Homes Inc.; Associates Council Chair Phil Yancey, New Surface LLC; Sales & Marketing Council Chair Sharon Barry, Kansas City Title; Membership Committee Chairs Travis Graham, Graham Construction Co., and Jerry Ratway, Weber Carpet Inc.; 50-Plus Committee Chair Jim Albertson, LifeStyle Properties LLC; Governmental Affairs Committee Chair Mike Brown, Brown Midwest; and Past President Representative Bob Frost, Frost Construction Co.

The Home Builders Association (HBA) of Greater Kansas City is the voice of the housing industry and the source for housing information. Comprising more than 1,300 member companies, the HBA represents an industry that contributes approximately $2.5 billion to the Kansas City economy, and supports more than 36,000 jobs in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area.

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