by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Arnold Tritt has been involved with the Northeast Florida Builders Association for 34 years. But, his life has been about much more than building homes and shaping the industry locally.
Tritt has a mountain of pictures that could fill dozens of scrapbooks, each one a piece of personal history during his time at NEFBA. Faded, dated, black and white, glossy, color – they’re all there, boxes worth. And they all have a story behind them.
There’s one with Tritt and former President Jimmy Carter during the record-breaking 101-home Habitat for Humanity build. Another one of Tritt sharing a laugh and a handshake with former President George H. Bush and current first lady Laura Bush. In some pictures, Tritt sports a beard, in others he’s clean shaven. Tritt holds up one photo of a group of four including the late ABC news anchor Peter Jennings and himself.
“He was a great guy,” said Tritt of Jennings.
Then a picture of former President Gerald Ford and Tritt smiling for the camera.
“You know,” said Tritt, “I’d have to say he was one of the most interesting people I’ve met. We had some talks when I met him and he’s an interesting guy.”
During his 34-year tenure as executive director of NEFBA, Tritt made many acquaintances, led numerous fundraising activities and spearheaded community service projects. Those three-plus decades of work haven’t gone unnoticed by Tritt’s peers.
During the recent Florida Home Builders Association Board of Directors meeting at the Southeastern Building Conference, industry members unanimously elected him to the Florida Housing Hall of Fame. Tritt will be inducted as the 51st member during an October event at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island.
“To see 500 people stand and applaud,” said Tritt, in reaction to the vote, “I don’t know what to say. I got teary-eyed, but I couldn’t talk.”
Tritt has received other honors over the years. He was awarded the 2006 Dick Baker Memorial Award, given annually to an industry member that “personifies the spirit of the industry” and helped establish the Arnold Tritt Scholarship Fund which is used to assist students in the Building Construction Management program at the University of North Florida.
Tritt has had moments and programs he’s been especially proud of over the years. Leading the way are the community projects, such as Builders Care.
“What Builders Care does in the community,” said Tritt, “I don’t think can have a value placed on it. I am so proud to be a part of it.”
He cites projects such as the Trinity Rescue Mission Women and Children’s Center and the numerous Habitat for Humanity projects that NEFBA has been a part of that have made a difference within the community.
“We probably do more community service than any other (builders) association in the country,” he said.
Tritt helped NEFBA grow to one of the 10 largest builders associations in the country and the largest in Florida. Doing so required new members. Tritt has seen NEFBA grow from the 200 or so when he started to the over 2,000 today. One of the members Tritt recruited and personally signed up was Bill Ding – a giant stuffed panda. A light-hearted move, Tritt occasionally uses the signature of Mr. Ding for documents such as sponsoring new members and internal memos.
“Bill’s been around a while,” said Tritt with big smile. “We’re just glad he’s a valued member.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, however. One of Tritt’s more embarrassing moments, he said, happened in 1989. He was asked to build some shelving for Trinity Rescue Mission, a simple task that didn’t even need nails or a hammer. He admits it wasn’t an especially difficult task, but when he walked out and saw local media outlets reporting on its unveiling, he was red faced.
“I walk out and all three of the media (TV) stations are there,” he said. “Here I am, just finished a little ol’ job, and I’m no builder. I didn’t know it was that much of a big deal.”
The pictures taken at Tritt’s induction ceremony will surely be added to the countless others — pictures that reflect the life and work of Arnold Tritt throughout the years.