David Smith, the president of Pulte Homes Jacksonville, has been in the home building business for nine years, and has been the President of Pulte’s Jacksonville Division for three years. He is one of the youngest Pulte Division presidents in the country and his division won the coveted J.D. Power Award for No. 1 Home Builder in Customer Service in Jacksonville in 2004. Pulte Homes won this distinction across the nation in 22 out of the 25 markets surveyed in 2005, and was awarded the first ever – J.D. Power Platinum Award.
Before joining Pulte in Jacksonville?
He was a certified peace officer who served as special aide to Georgia’s Secretary of State, Max Cleland. After three years in politics, he moved to South Florida and pursued a career with another large homebuilder starting as a superintendent and quickly working his way up to County Land Manager in just under three years.
How Did He Get His Job Here?
David was recruited by Pulte Homes while working in South Florida. He was very impressed with Pulte’s commitment to customer service and its approach to business. “Being part of the biggest company isn’t always the most important – but being part of the best is imperative and fortunately, Pulte happens to have it all – it’s one of the biggest and definitely the best home builder in the country”.
College
He graduated from Miami University with a degree in History and Political Sciences.
Specialty
“I would say my specialty is relationship-building. In this industry and every industry – relationships with your employees, customers, vendors, etc. is what sets you apart from the others.”
Why home building?
“I know this sounds cliché, but, it’s so true – I love being in the home building industry because it’s about living the ‘American Dream’. It’s incredibly rewarding and a tremendous responsibility as well. The pride of ownership that comes from purchasing a home is so important. I also love the business because it offers tangible results. You can look and see what you’ve accomplished day-to-day. Where once there was nothing, homes, streets, children, families, all emerge”.
Why Jacksonville?
“I moved from South Florida to Jacksonville and just love it here. We consistently closed 500 homes a year in Jacksonville. This year, we’ll close 1,000. Last year, we had a backlog of 350 homes; this year, the backlog is 5,000 lots. There are currently 600-plus Pulte homes in production in Jacksonville right now. Close to 75 people move here a day. It’s a beautiful place to live, work and play.” Most challenging thing about working for a Fortune 250 Company?
“Having to react at a moment’s notice means you need to be acutely aware of every facet of the business. You have to trust and believe in your people’s abilities. You have to provide guidance and leadership while balancing a myriad of details. Another big challenge is staying ahead of the curve. We won the best award you can win for home building this year. We’re the best in the country – maintaining that level of quality and award-winning service will always be something we work towards. We set the bar very high – and we work hard to meet and exceed our goals each year.”
Favorite thing about home building? Least favorite?
“I love the fact that my job is different day-to-day. There are always a new set of challenges and issues to handle. That’s the thing I like the most and the complexity that makes the work so demanding. My favorite incentive in the business – is that your success is directly related to the efforts you put into your day. New home building is a very entrepreneurial business”.
Areas of concentration?
“I spend a lot of time working on land development and dealing with people. I really enjoy the land-side of the business because that’s where it all starts. It is the most critical part of the equation. A bad land deal never gets
better!”
Lessons learned? Advice you’d give to others?
“You definitely have to have patience in this business. Actually, I believe that there are three mitigating aspects of life that are vital to success: performance, character and price. By that, I mean that you have to perform to the best of your ability. You need to perform at your best every day. Character is also important because it’s what sets you apart, and propels your motivation levels. When I say ‘price’ – I mean, the price you’re willing to pay for greatness. What is your commitment to being the best? Those three things have kept me looking ever-forward to the next goal and accomplishment both personally and professionally.”
Resides
San Marco with his wife, Donna, and his two daughters.
Community outreach?
“I don’t like to spend a lot of time talking about the things we do for the community. We do them as a company, because it’s the right thing to do. We’ve raised thousands of dollars for the Angel Tree Children’s Initiative, United Way, and the Red Cross. We sent a lot of our field workers down south for hurricane relief efforts last year and are poised to do it again if need be.”
Personal side
“My favorite book is Lance Armstrong’s “It’s Not About the Bike.” I love to cycle and have always been a fan of Armstrong’s perseverance, commitment and grace under pressure. He’s a true American success story. When I’m not working, I love spending time with my wife and two daughters, cycle, run and snow ski. I grew up in Oxford, Ohio with gorgeous winters and a plethora of winter sports. If there’s a ski resort with snow, I’d like to be there! My favorite place to eat is at Epping Forest. The food, views and service are spectacular”.