Articles
Berks Executive awarded Best-In-Nation
At Home in Berks
by Staff
Christian D. Malesic, MBA, IOM of the Home Builders Association of Berks County (HBA) recently received the Best New Executive Officer award for 2012 from the Executive Officers Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The award was presented by 2011 award recipient Ronny Parrish of the HBA of Tuscaloosa, AL during NAHB’s annual 2013 Association Leadership Institute held in Portland, OR.
Malesic became the Executive Officer (similar to CEO) of the HBA of Berks County in February 2012 following the retirement of his long-term predecessor, Ronald Rohrbach. The residential construction industry had experienced one of its biggest downturns in recorded history which had devastated the HBA over the previous five years. Membership was less than half of its all-time high, the association was deficit spending, its “rainy-day fund” had practically run dry, and morale was dwindling.
Berks Gains National Acclaim Over, and Over, and Over
Along with a dedicated team of leaders, Malesic spearheaded a number of projects to increase esprit de corps and regain momentum. Earlier this year, the HBA was recognized with three Best-in-Nation Awards for those efforts:
Additionally, Malesic assisted the Board of Directors in “stopping the financial bleeding” which will culminate in a balanced budget for 2014 for the first time in eight years. What’s more, at the direction of the Government Affairs committee, he organized, scripted, and moderated the largest set of political debates ever held in Berks County with two PA Senate candidates [Schwank (D) vs. Mogel (R)] and four PA House of Representatives candidates [Cox (R) vs. Saar (D) and Rozzi (D) vs. Billman (R)] facing off in three separate debates back-to-back.
Letters of Recommendation Galore
Cathy Sloan of Aluminum Associates in Muhlenberg Township, the 2013 elected President of HBA of Berks County, was one of the 17 signatories to numerous Letters of Recommendations supporting Christian for this honor, which included every Officer and Director on the Board, staff of the HBA, plus the CEO of the Pennsylvania Builders Association, the HBA’s parent organization. Sloan extolled, “Christian Malesic is definitely deserving of the New Executive Officer Award. He has helped to change the whole outlook of the association and its members, which was well overdue.”
Kevin Kozo of Turnberry Custom Homes in West Reading served as the 2012 elected President and currently holds a seat on the Board of Directors as the senior advisor to the President. His remarks were succinct and poignant: “Due to Christian’s dedication and forward thinking, his largest contribution has been his commitment to keeping our HBA alive. Simply said, without him as our Executive Officer, our local HBA would have closed its doors last September [2012].”
So, What Is This Award?
This award, named in remembrance for David G. Lloyd, the late Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Contractors Association of Palm Beach, FL, is presented to a CEO who has served no more than three years in an association management position, but who is judged to have made major contributions to the profession during that time. "Winning the Best New Executive Officer award is truly a great honor," said Tim Minton, national president of the NAHB’s Executive Officers Council and Executive Officer of the HBA of Raleigh and Wake Counties, NC. Mr. Minton, coincidentally, was the Best New Executive Officer award winner for 2010.
More information on the David Lloyd Best New Executive Officer award can be found at www.Malesic.us/Videos which includes commentary on and by Malesic plus his acceptance speech in Portland, OR.
Malesic became the Executive Officer (similar to CEO) of the HBA of Berks County in February 2012 following the retirement of his long-term predecessor, Ronald Rohrbach. The residential construction industry had experienced one of its biggest downturns in recorded history which had devastated the HBA over the previous five years. Membership was less than half of its all-time high, the association was deficit spending, its “rainy-day fund” had practically run dry, and morale was dwindling.
Berks Gains National Acclaim Over, and Over, and Over
Along with a dedicated team of leaders, Malesic spearheaded a number of projects to increase esprit de corps and regain momentum. Earlier this year, the HBA was recognized with three Best-in-Nation Awards for those efforts:
- Best-in-Nation Publication for At Home in Berks magazine (the one you are reading now),
- Best-in-Nation Community Service Project for HBA Restoring Hope Extreme Home Makeover, and
- Best-in-Nation Social Media for innovative use of the HBA’s website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Additionally, Malesic assisted the Board of Directors in “stopping the financial bleeding” which will culminate in a balanced budget for 2014 for the first time in eight years. What’s more, at the direction of the Government Affairs committee, he organized, scripted, and moderated the largest set of political debates ever held in Berks County with two PA Senate candidates [Schwank (D) vs. Mogel (R)] and four PA House of Representatives candidates [Cox (R) vs. Saar (D) and Rozzi (D) vs. Billman (R)] facing off in three separate debates back-to-back.
Letters of Recommendation Galore
Cathy Sloan of Aluminum Associates in Muhlenberg Township, the 2013 elected President of HBA of Berks County, was one of the 17 signatories to numerous Letters of Recommendations supporting Christian for this honor, which included every Officer and Director on the Board, staff of the HBA, plus the CEO of the Pennsylvania Builders Association, the HBA’s parent organization. Sloan extolled, “Christian Malesic is definitely deserving of the New Executive Officer Award. He has helped to change the whole outlook of the association and its members, which was well overdue.”
Kevin Kozo of Turnberry Custom Homes in West Reading served as the 2012 elected President and currently holds a seat on the Board of Directors as the senior advisor to the President. His remarks were succinct and poignant: “Due to Christian’s dedication and forward thinking, his largest contribution has been his commitment to keeping our HBA alive. Simply said, without him as our Executive Officer, our local HBA would have closed its doors last September [2012].”
So, What Is This Award?
This award, named in remembrance for David G. Lloyd, the late Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Contractors Association of Palm Beach, FL, is presented to a CEO who has served no more than three years in an association management position, but who is judged to have made major contributions to the profession during that time. "Winning the Best New Executive Officer award is truly a great honor," said Tim Minton, national president of the NAHB’s Executive Officers Council and Executive Officer of the HBA of Raleigh and Wake Counties, NC. Mr. Minton, coincidentally, was the Best New Executive Officer award winner for 2010.
More information on the David Lloyd Best New Executive Officer award can be found at www.Malesic.us/Videos which includes commentary on and by Malesic plus his acceptance speech in Portland, OR.