Ontario Home Builders' Association Presents 2014 Annual Awards

OTTAWA, ON --(Marketwired - September 23, 2014) - The Ontario Home Builders' Association's (OHBA) President's Gala is an opportunity to welcome the incoming president Vince Molinaro and to pay tribute to association members and delegates who have gone above and beyond for the industry.

This year, OHBA awards the Lifetime Achievement Award to Peter Saturno, co-founder and President of Midhaven Homes, for his outstanding commitments to the industry and the association. Saturno has been an active association member since 1993 having acted as both Durham Region Home Builders' Association (DRHBA) President in 1999-2000 and as OHBA President in 2003-2004. A strong advocate and leader for the industry, Saturno has served in various capacities including the OHBA Builders' Council, Tarion Liaison Committee, Technical Committee and Economic Review Committee. In addition, he was instrumental in the success of the EnerQuality Corporation. As an Energy Star builder Saturno has been a longtime advocate for leading-edge energy efficiency programs and served on the EnerQuality Board of Directors from 2005-2013. Saturno also served on the Board of Directors for the Tarion Warranty Corporation from 2004-2014 and was a strong advocate for both Ontario's home buyers and builders. More recently, Saturno represented Durham region developers on a special working committee on Oshawa Development Charges (DCs). The work, once completed, resulted in millions of dollars in savings for new home buyers across the region. "Peter's lifelong commitment to the industry is outstanding," said Vince Molinaro, President of OHBA, who continued, "Always looking out for the 'little guy', Peter is passionate, hardworking, and devoted to making our industry and our communities be the best they can be. Peter has always been a great supporter of the work of OHBA and, we have no doubt, will continue to play a vital role in our success."

OHBA presented the London Home Builders' Association (LHBA) with its 2014 Local Association of the Year Award. Among LHBA's list of outstanding achievements was their community engagement, member services and successful advocacy work. Most notable was their liaison work focusing on Development Charges (DCs) over the past two years which resulted in a the City of London decreasing the proposed DCs and saving new home buyers in London close to $23 million annually. Building on strong working relationships with municipal staff and city officials, LHBA earned the support of the City of London in OHBA's effort to bring six-storey wood-frame structures to Ontario. LHBA is also heavily involved in community engagement, youth educational programs and charitable work. Part of the association's mandate is to give back to the community and, this year, LHBA and volunteer members contributed to over 30 initiatives in the London area including the Student Ambassador Program, The Cancer Survivors Garden and the annual Smoke Alarm Program. "The London Home Builders' Association has set the bar extremely high with its extensive list of accomplishments and projects," said Joe Vaccaro, CEO of OHBA. "LHBA is highly engaged in advocacy work in their community and the province and their members are a huge asset to our association."

Matt Pryce, President of Prycon Custom Building and Renovations, was named 2014 OHBA Member of the Year. Pryce, a member of the Simcoe-County Home Builders' Association (SCHBA), was recognized for his commitment to the industry, support of the community and his leadership within the association. He has been the driving force behind several community initiatives including Build for a Cure, Build for Gilda's, two International builds in the Dominican Republic that constructed homes for needy families, and an organizer and volunteer with the local's highly successful annual Ice Fishing Tournament. Pryce has served as a long standing Board member at both the local and provincial level; is a past president of the SCHBA and a member of OHBA's Renovation Council. "Matt Pryce has been a consistent leader within his local association as well as here at OHBA," said Molinaro, who added, "He has lent his talent and expertise wherever and whenever asked and as such, has played a key role in the success of our organization."

Sheila Hissa, Executive Officer of Simcoe County Home Builders' Association (SCHBA), was awarded the David Horton Leadership Award recognizing her outstanding contributions to the industry and her fellow association professionals. With over two decades of experience as Executive Officer (EO) for SCHBA, Hissa is admired among her peers and appreciated by her local association members. The veteran EO has ensured that SCHBA members are well-represented at the provincial and national level and generously lends a helping hand to assist her fellow EOs across the province and country. "We have truly benefited from having Sheila as part of our association," said Vaccaro, who continued, "Sheila's commitment to her local is inspirational and her devotion to the industry has led to the success of many events and initiatives across the province. Never one to shy away from a task, Sheila is known for her compassion, professionalism and she is always willing to share her talents and expertise with her peers at all levels of the association." The award honours the memory of David Horton who served as Executive Director of OHBA for more than 25 years.

Pierre Dufresne of Tartan Homes and Giuseppe Castrucci of Laurysen Kitchens were honoured with a special recognition awards for their contributions to their local association, the Greater Ottawa Home Builders' Association (GOHBA), who hosted this year's conference and both have been instrumental in organizing this year's event. Castrucci was GOHBA president in 2005-2007 and has served on their board of directors for 14 years. Dufresne is the local association's current President, a member of OHBA's Executive Committee and the Canadian Home Builders' Association's Urban Council.

The Ontario Home Builders' Association is the voice of the building, land development and professional renovation industry in Ontario representing 4,000 member companies organized into 31 local associations across the province. The industry contributes over $44 billion to Ontario's economy, employing more than 325,000 people across the province.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Kathryn Segal
416-443-1545 ext. 223
ksegal@ohba.ca