By Fred Seely
Editor
Declaring that the profession needs to “get back to basics,” Andy Chambers was installed last month as the 66th president of the Northeast Florida Builders Association.
Chambers, citing his mentor at Engle Homes, said, “Bill (Carmichael) always pushed me to focus on the basics and that’s what I want NEFBA to do this year. We exist to help each other, and I want us to work hard to protect our builders and our trade partners.”
A graduate of the University of Central Florida, Chambers has been working in the construction industry since 1992 and has been a Florida state certified building contractor since 1999. He joined the MasterCraft Builder Group earlier this year.
Chambers’ company will build a Raised Floor Living home to be sold with proceeds going to NEFBA. The home will be sponsored by the newly-formed NEFBA Wood Council, a consortium of 10 area associations and suppliers.
About 200 attended the installation ceremony at the University Center of the University of North Florida and also saw Mark Carlson of Carlson Capital Advisors installed as the new Sales and Marketing Council chair.
Carlson echoed Chambers’ remarks, saying, “Pro-business is our DNA. We do business, we do business with each other and we support those in our industry.”
The two-hour meeting also was an opportunity to present the annual recognitions and Lawrence Murr became the first remodelor to win the prestigious Builder of the Year Award. Murr, who owns his own company, has been president of the Remodelors Council four times.
Other award winners:
• Outgoing President Glenn Layton of Woodside Homes was given the Leadership Award.
• Chester Stokes of Stokes Land Group won the Arnold Tritt Achievement Award.
• Jim Doyle of Red Dot Marketing won the Fred King Associate Member Award. Doyle also was given the Sales and Marketing Council’s Chairman’s Award by outgoing SMC President Cal Williams of Lennar.
The meeting also saw the installation of officers and directors of NEFBA and SMC (complete list, see "Meet the board members")