from staff
Don Wilford of ICI Homes took the major individual award and Centex Homes and Pulte Homes got the top company awards at the 2005 Laurel Awards last week.
The Academy Awards-like event drew an estimated 750 to the Sawgrass Marriott. It’s the major event of the year for the Sales and Marketing Council of the Northeast Florida Builders Association. Laural awards are given annually to the best in the local real estate and building industry. This year, 64 Laurels were given out.
Wilford, who heads the ICI operation in North Florida, won the Dick Baker Memorial Award for service to the community.
Centex was the Grand Award winner and Pulte won the Golden Service award.
In addition to the major honors, 61 awards were given out in four categories: Individual, Architectural Design, Marketing/Advertising and Interior Merchandising.
In the Individual competition, Susan Kennedy of Vanguard GMAC was named Realtor of the Year, Adrian Shepherd of Ryland Homes took Site Agent of the Year, Naomi Lumley of Palencia was the Marketing Director of the Year and Karen Sutherland of ICI was the Builder Member of the Year.
Leading award winners in Marketing/Advertising were Full Circle Productions with six Laurels and The Montello Agency with four.
Centex took two of the eight Architectural Design awards.
In Interior Merchandising, Merchandising Plus won two of the seven.
The event’s theme was a masked ball and guests were welcomed in a lavishly-designed ballroom at the hotel. The Laurels were held previously at the Florida Theatre but have grown so much in the past two years that the Downtown theatre couldn’t handle the event.
Amber King of Richmond American Homes was the chairman.
Here’s who won the Laurels:
Major awards
Dick Baker Memorial Award
Don Wilford, ICI Homes
Grand Award
Centex Homes
Golden Service Award
Pulte Homes
Individual awards
Realtor of the Year: Susan Kennedy, Vanguard GMAC
Rookie of the Year
Melissa Meade, Mercedes Homes
Site agent of the year
Adrian Shepherd, Ryland Homes
Site agent of the year (Partnership)
Mary Spears and Michelle Bennett, Mercedes Homes
Marketing director of the year
Naomi Lumley, Palencia
Sales manager of the year
Tracy Miller, Ryland Homes
Builder member of the year
Karen Sutherland, ICI Homes
Associate of the Year
Amanda Dandy, Prudential Network Realty
Builder lender of the year
Lori Leonard, Pulte Homes
Outside lender of the year
Frank Graham, Gibraltar Mortgage
Top producer for a builder (detached units, individual)
Kimberle Miles, Beazer Homes
Top producer for a builder (detached units, partnership)
Howard Flaschen and Keith Francis, Richmond American Homes
Top producer for a builder (attached units, individual)
Katie Wheeler, Prudential Network Realty
Top producer, outside lender
Aaron Duez Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Top producer, builder lender
Kathy Hudson, DHI Mortgage
Top producer for a developer (detached units - team)
Palencia sales team
Top producer for a builder (attached units, individual)
Gayle Kramer, Centex Homes
Top producer for a builder (attached units, team)
MiraVista Sales Team, Centex Homes
Top producer for a broker (detached units, individual)
Terry Sadowski, St. Joe Company
Top producer broker/attached units
Susan Kennedy Team, Vanguard GMAC
Top producer broker/detached units
Susan Kennedy Team, Vanguard GMAC
Architectural design
Best multi-family (under $249,000)
Centex Homes, The Savannah model at Lake Ridge South
Best multi-family ($500,000-$1 million)
Centex Homes,
Magellan model at MiraVista at Harbortown.
Best single family ($250,000-$499,999)
Standard Pacific Homes,
Fairway II model at Hickory Village
Best single family ($500,000-$1 million)
ICI Homes, Stonebridge model at Tidewater
Best single family (over $1 million)
Brylen Homes, Phoenix model at Port St. John
Best landscaping for a community
ICI Homes, Highland Glen
Best sales office over 600 square feet
Full Circle Productions, Summer House Sales Office
Best selection center
Richmond American Homes
Marketing/advertising
Best brochure/builder development,
Full Circle Productions
Best brochure/associate
Merchandising Plus
Best direct mail piece
Full Circle Productions
Best signage program
Beazer Homes
Best logo/associate
The Montello Agency
Best radio commercial
The Montello Agency
Best TV commercial for a builder
The Montello Agency
Best logo/builder-developer
Renaissance Creative Services, Esplanade at Town Center
Best billboard
Centex Homes
Best TV commercial for an associate
Deeplight Television
Best marketing video
Deeplight Television
Best industry related TV program
Deeplight Television
Best industry publication
Bailey Publishing, Realty/Builder Connection
Best consumer publication
Jacksonville Homebuyer
Best special promotion
Clockwork Marketing, Beazer Homes
Best Community Event
Lennar
Best Web site/small volume builder
Harmony Homes
Best Web site/large volume builder
Full Circle Productions, Summer House
Best Web site/associate
Sisler Johnson Interior Design
Best color ad/under half-page
Full Circle Productions, Summer House
Best color ad/over half-page
Renaissance Creative Services
Best black/white ad/under half-page
The Montello Agency
Best black/white ad/over half-page
Richmond American Homes
Best ad campaign/associate
Merchandising Plus
Best ad campaign/builder-development
Full Circle Productions
Interior merchandising
Best multi-family interior (Under $249,000)
Norwalk The Furniture Idea, San Marco model at The Carling
Best multi-family interior ($250,000-$499,999)
Merchandising Plus, Cordova model at Lakeview Condos
Best multi-family ($500,000-$1 million)
Centex Homes, Magellan model at MiraVista at Harbortown
Best single family interior (under $249,0000)
KB Home, Model at Cartesian Point
Best single family interior ($250,000-$499,999)
Merchandising Plus, Fairway II model at Hickory Creek
Best single family interior ($500,000-$1 million)
Sisler Johnson Interior Design,
Charleston model at Amelia Park
Best single family interior (over $1 million)
WCI Communities, Model at Cambria