I didn’t always know that this was the industry I would be a part of. In 2003, I got a high school job mowing lawns for Granite Ridge Builders. Initially, I went to college to enter the medical field, because all the councilors said that’s where the jobs will be. But that all changed when I started working at Granite Ridge. I fell in love with this industry and after experiencing the challenges as well as the rewards of building homes for families, I changed my major to construction technology and graduated from IPFW while still working at Granite Ridge where I’ve been fortunate enough to work for almost twenty years. Working in this industry means that every day is different. It has its ups and downs; challenges and triumphs and we constantly get to learn new and exciting things. It is the ultimate puzzle that still excites me to try and solve and being a part of this association is another piece to that puzzle.
When we hand our homeowners the key to their new home or finish a remodel on an existing home, our impact on their lives doesn’t stop there. No, that’s just the beginning. They have a safe and comfortable place that will act as the nucleus of their family and their story for as long as they live there, and even beyond. The beautiful thing is that, that impact has a ripple effect in our community as that home transfers from one family to the next that cannot be measured.
Being an association is a group of people coming together towards a common goal, and membership is always a topic of conversation. I’ve had many conversations with prospective members that focus on rebates, our missions, our committees’ goals, and networking which are all very important things to what the HBA is and what keeps it going. But my goal is to not just focus on the number, but what that number can do for the community.
This year will be another chapter in the 78-year history, and we are the ones that get to write it. Let’s get engaged, be involved and let’s make it a fantastic year. I love what I do, I love the people I get to interact with every day, I love being part of all of you. Thank you all for making this association something special and I’m excited for what 2022 has in store for us and getting to know even more of you.
Luke Hoffman, HBA President