Contact:
Stephanie Giralmo, Public Relations & Media Manager
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
p 425.457.7067

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MBAKS Announces 2021 Award Winners

BELLEVUE, Wash., Dec. 9, 2021—The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) announced the 2021 award winners at its annual year-end gala on Thursday, December 9.

Each year, MBAKS recognizes members in eight different categories: Spirit of Service, Emerging Leader, Moving the Market, Associate of the Year, Remodeler of the Year, Builder of the Year, Exceptional Service, and the MBAKS Hall of Fame Award. Winners are decided through an open member nomination and awards committee process.

Here are 2021’s winners:

Todd Levitt, Murray Franklyn Family of Companies, Bellevue, WA

Spirit of Service Award

The Spirit of Service Award recognizes an individual or company in the homebuilding industry that has demonstrated compassion and dedication through service. Volunteering time, talent, or ideas that empower or improve the quality of life of individuals, families, or groups in our community.

In 2021, Todd Levitt served as MBAKS President, where he made service his annual theme. In addition to his service to our industry, Todd also volunteers in the community, working with the Boy Scouts of America, Doxa Housing, and MBAKS’ Rampathon and Painting a Better Tomorrow community events.

Cameron Kartak, AAA Kartak Co., Everett, WA

Emerging Leader Award

The Emerging Leader Award recognizes up-and-coming members who have made significant contributions to MBAKS and the homebuilding industry. In addition, they demonstrate tremendous potential for future leadership and service.

Cameron Kartak has mentored members of both MBAKS and staff at his family-owned business. He has served as Membership Council Chair, Associate Director at Large on the MBAKS Board of Directors, and Finance Committee member.

Joe Schwab, Uniplex Construction, Redmond, WA

Joseph Irons, Irons Brothers Construction, Shoreline, WA

Exceptional Service Award

The Exceptional Service award is the highest recognition award for members and staff for their many years of professional leadership and/or exemplary service to MBAKS.

Joe Schwab, who served as MBAKS President in 2008, has always been incredibly committed to the success of MBAKS and all our members. He has shown the same dedication while advancing our industry’s priorities on state and national levels, providing a stable, consistent voice for homebuilding during good times and bad.

Joseph Irons, who served as MBAKS President in 2016, has always had a passion for giving back to the community. As a past chair of the Rampathon Committee, he developed and designed many of the standards and processes members use to build ramps today. Irons Brothers Construction has been building Rampathon ramps for neighbors in need since 2005.

Melissa Irons, Irons Brothers Construction, Shoreline, WA

Sandy McAdams | PWB Woman of the Year

Named after past MBAKS president, Sandy McAdams, who was the first woman president of our association, the recipient of this award is selected by their peers. It honors an individual who exemplifies excellence and commitment to making a difference.

Melissa Irons has been an active member of MBAKS and its councils for more than a decade, along with volunteering for leadership roles within those councils. She has been a proactive volunteer in MBAKS community stewardship programs for several years, participating in Rampathon and Painting a Better Tomorrow.

Evergreen Certified, Seattle, WA

Moving the Market Award, Built Green

The Moving the Market Award recognizes a person, business, or government entity that has taken actions or implemented programs that advance and expand Built Green certification, promote Built Green as a brand, and demonstrate a commitment to environmental stewardship.

For more than a decade, Evergreen Certified has worked with dozens of MBAKS builder members to help remove barriers that would prevent them from reaching for more sustainable practices. The company has verified hundreds of units and their projects have won both local and national awards.

Luellen Smith, Rhino Wine Cellars and Cooling Systems, Issaquah, WA

2021 Associate of the Year

The Associate of the Year award is dedicated to non-builder MBAKS members who have made an impact on the association and its work.

Luellen Smith has a long and accomplished tenure on the MBAKS Board of Directors, she has served as Secretary of the Finance Committee, and chaired the Membership Council, Membership Retention Committee, the REX/T-REX Awards, and Professional Women in Building Council.

Jennifer VanderBeken, VanderBeken Remodel, Marysville, WA

2021 Remodeler of the Year

The Remodeler of the Year award is presented to leaders in the remodeling industry, who display an exemplary talent in their work.

Jennifer VanderBeken’s artistry and skill as a remodeler have earned her numerous accolades, including two REX/T-REX Remodeling Excellence Awards in 2016 and 2020. She has also taken home the BIAW Excellence in Remodeling Award in 2019, 2020, and 2021, the National Chrysalis Award in 2018, and Best of Houzz Service Award.

Brian Holtzclaw, Village Life Homes LLC, Lynnwood, WA

2021 Builder of the Year

The Builder of the Year award doesn’t just go to members with exceptional building capabilities, but to those members who go beyond and are leaders within the industry.

Brian Holtzclaw, served as MBAKS President in 2020, works as legal counsel for Village Life, and represents the great citizens of Mill Creek as Mayor. When the State shut down in March 2020, he lobbied relentlessly alongside MBAKS and BIAW to convince Governor Inslee to reopen the construction industry. As a result, construction was the first major industry to get back to work in May 2020. Brian has had a distinguished career touching on every aspect of homebuilding.

Brian Ross, Oakpointe, Bellevue, WA

MBAKS Hall of Fame

The purpose of the MBAKS Hall of Fame award is to honor people who have made significant and lasting contributions to our association.

Throughout Brian Ross’ time at MBAKS, he has been a tireless supporter of sound housing policy and Government Affairs’ efforts to advance it. He remains active on the Affordable Housing Council board and his dedication and service to MBAKS is matched by his highly attuned business sense when it comes to housing and development.

For more information on this release, contact Stephanie Giralmo at sgiralmo@mbaks.com

About MBAKS

Founded in 1909 and headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) is the nation’s oldest and largest local homebuilders’ association. Like our founders, our members continue to take a leading role in all facets of homebuilding and support the planning for a growing region. From new technology to advances in sustainability, from collaborative public policy efforts to investing in our communities, our commitment to a thriving, inclusive and well-planned region never wavers. We are the professional homebuilders, architects, remodelers, tradespeople (carpenters, framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians), planners and engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and sales and marketing professionals in your community who believe everyone deserves access to a healthy and productive place to call home.

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MBAKS held its annual Housing Solution Breakfast on October 17, gathering elected officials, industry leaders, city staff and housing partners to elevate the importance of successful middle housing implementation. The event emphasized the partnership it will take to do it right. We used the program to strengthen our messaging on middle housing policy and acknowledge the hard work ahead for many cities.

This year we were joined by 140 guests with over 35 public officials in attendance. The program opened with a video featuring MBAKS homebuilder members and Redmond Mayor Angela Birney. The video highlights the importance of our shared work implementing House Bill 1110 at the local level.

Our Keynote speaker, Morgan Shook, Senior Policy Analyst and Partner at ECONorthwest, provided an overview of Oregon’s middle housing efforts, what’s working and what’s not. Key takeaways include:

• Graduated floor area ratio (FAR) limits encourage the development of more small units.
• Removing minimum parking requirements is another way to facilitate middle housing.
• Local governments should use caution when regulating frontage improvements or other infrastructure upgrades. These costs are substantial and impact financial feasibility, creating an unsurmountable barrier and resulting in fewer homes.
• View the full slide presentation here.

Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from Josh Brown, Executive Director at Puget Sound Regional Council and Cathy MacCaul, Advocacy Director at AARP of Washington. Each brought their unique perspective and emphasized why this work is so important for meeting our region’s housing needs.

To learn more about MBAKS’ efforts on Middle Housing implementation, please see MBAKS Middle Housing Implementation Plan.

And don’t forget to read about middle housing in the news! MBAKS and members partnered to publish three editorials this year in support of successful middle housing implementation. Read more here.

By the Everett Herald

Members of Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, Professional Women in Building Council, and AAA KARTAK on Sept. 30 volunteered to rake, measure, dig, and plant around the future homes of low-income families at Housing Hope’s Main Street project in Monroe.