A member of NEFBA for 26 years, Ricardo Morales III, better known as Rick, serves on the executive committee as first vice president. He is also president of Morales Construction Co.
In 1987, he assumed the day-to-day operations of the construction segment of the various enterprises his father established that include Morgran Mini Warehouses, Morales Construction, Morgar Realty and Phillips Highway Commerce Park.
Morales graduated from The Bolles School and matriculated to Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance. Wofford is a private liberal arts institution with nationally recognized academic programs.
“I had interned at jobs in the financial industry during the summers when I was in school,” Morales said. “And, after I graduated, I had some offers. I almost became a banker.”
Instead, he became a general contractor working for a large contractor that specialized in constructing grocery stores and fast food restaurants before joined the firm founded by his father, Ricardo Morales Jr. The business was primarily real estate and the younger Morales developed the construction side of it
Early in his 30-year career as a general contractor, Morales saw the need to join NEFBA.
“Obviously being a NEFBA member has been important in my business operations,” Morales said. “It’s also been an important part of my professional development.”
Morales has served on the NEFBA board of directors since 1990 and he is a member of the board of the Florida Home Builders Association, WJCT Public Television and Radio, HabiJax and the JAX Chamber of Commerce.
He was first appointed to the Florida Judicial Qualification Commission by Gov. Jeb Bush and reappointed by Gov. Rick Scott.
“The commission’s role is to protect the public from bad judges and to protect good judges from themselves,” he said. “The commission hears and rules on charges of misconduct by state judges. It’s reassuring to know that very few judges are brought before the commission, fewer than 30 a year.”
Morales Construction was a Pinnacle Award builder even before the award was created.
“It was always our philosophy to do business with other members,” Morales said. “When the award was introduced, we discovered that we already met the 90 percent criterion. Ninety percent of our vendors were NEFBA members.”
For Morales, it was a matter of good business practice.
“A strong association is a benefit to the entire industry,” he said. “When you are in the same room working, you build a strong association. And together we are all stronger than any one of us acting alone. That’s true in all aspects of the business — the legislative, marketing and codes and standards arenas.”
Morales and his wife, Amy, an educational consultant, have two children, Ry (Ricardo IV), 16, and Marlo, 15. The family enjoys outdoor activities including boating and skiing (water and snow), and Morales adds golf and travel to his list of favorite leisure activities.
“We are fortunate to have Rick Morales as an involved member and serving on our Executive Committee as first vice president,” said NEFBA Executive Officer Corey Deal. “He has been a member for nearly 30 years and has been a leader and role model for other NEFBA members during that time. Rick is definitely a key member of this association that demonstrates what it means to be a Pinnacle Builder through his consistent leadership and participation.”