Hugh Pitts, along with his wife Gwen are the owners of Kokopelli Builders. Hugh has been in the building industry since 1981. A graduate of the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, Hugh started his current business in 1996. A design/build company, Kokopelli Builders specializes in luxury homes.

A past member of the in town chapter of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders, Kokopelli Builders built on in fill lots in the down town neighborhoods of Atlanta and Decatur. Hugh turned the focus of his company to the Lake Oconee area in 2005 when he joined the LOABA. Building most recently in Reynolds Plantation, Kokopelli Builders has strived to designed and built some of the more innovative homes in the market.

While having years of experience to draw upon, Hugh knows that being involved and attending seminars and events sponsored by the NAHB helps keep the ideas coming for the sophisticated homebuyers we serve in the lake area. Hugh is involved with a NAHB “builders 20” club and regularly attends both the yearly International Home Builders Show and the Custom Builders Association. In addition, through friends and other builders, Hugh does his own tours of homes across the country to see first hand how new products and designs are being used to satisfy and attract today’s buyers. This has often resulted in being the first to incorporate new ideas in building to the Georgia markets.

As a member of the association and the Board of Directors, Hugh hopes that his input will result in continued better quality of building in the Lake area. Through his business experience and financial background, he hopes to contribute to strengthening the Association.

Dan Jones is co-owner with brother Bobby Jones of Jones & Jones Premier Builders, Inc. Dan has been involved in construction for 25 years in various fields ranging from apartment developments, restaurants and other light commercial projects to luxury custom homes.

Jones & Jones was incorporated in 2000 and excels in the quality custom home market, but also does large and small remodeling, as well as light commercial projects. Jones & Jones won the 2010 Builder of the Year award for homes over 7,000 square feet.

Dan graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Building Construction in 1987 and received an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from Wharton Business School in 1996.

Dan lives in Madison with his wife, Reevee and their two sons – Bobby (12) and Denham (10). Reevee teaches 2nd grade at Morgan County Primary School. He has served in numerous positions within the MMBA and is looking forward to contributing his efforts within the LOABA.

Rick Buechler has been building custom homes for 25 years.

He began his building career in Columbus, Ohio, where, for 15 years, he was General Manager and Senior Executive Vice President of a homebuilding company. He was involved in the development, marketing, construction and sales of custom homes in 32 communities throughout central Ohio, building over 7000 homes during this time.

This experience led Rick, along with his wife Kim, to start Rick Buechler Custom Homes at Lake Oconee. They are celebrating their tenth year here at the lake. Together, they have built over 100 homes within Reynolds Plantation and share a commitment to build the best – in quality, craftsmanship and style.

Rick is looking forward to his involvement on the board of the Lake Oconee Area Builder’s Association and believes that the association is an excellent partner for education, communication and networking for all in the building industry around Lake Oconee.

David Calvert is a founding partner of Calvert and White Custom Homes. Formed in 2001, Calvert and White Custom Homes has built over 30 custom homes in the Lake Oconee area. David was born and raised in Putnam County and maintains strong ties to his home community. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering, David began working in the building industry around Lake Oconee. David now has over 21 years experience in the building field. David and his wife, Kim, have three daughters, Kaley 18, Sarah 13, and Leslie 11.

Calvert and White Custom Homes has been a member of the Lake Oconee Builders Association since the company’s formation in 2001. As a new member of the Board of Directors, David hopes to use his experience in the building industry and his knowledge and concern for his lifelong home area to help strengthen our Association and its’ relationship to our community.

Gary Pierotti, owns and operates Camden Homes with wife Nancy Pierotti. Camden Homes was opened in 1999. Camden Homes has been a member of the association for over eight years. This year Gary will be serving his third term on the Board of Directors as the Vice President. As a board member Gary hopes to bring together the association and the youth in the community and find ways that we as an association can put time and money into the youth. After serving as the Treasurer Gary has gained a better understanding of the association’s finances. With this understanding he will be able to identify new sources of non-dues revenue which will enable the association to provide benefits in the form of education and promotional opportunities for its members.

Christina Shook, Vice President of AIC Insuring America, relocated to Georgia in 2004. Christina and her husband, Chris, are proud parents of their 3-year old son, Ian. Before coming to the Lake Area, Christina spent 6 years as an Investment and Insurance Advisor with a regional bank in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. Christina holds a B.S.B.A. in Financial Planning & Economics from Western Carolina University.

Christina is very excited to have been a part of the growth and opportunity the Lake Area has witnessed over the past 4 years she has been here. She credits much of her success in this market to being an active part of the Association. Christina joined the Association in 2005.

Although, Christina works with all lines of Personal and Commercial Insurance products, she has found her niche to be that of builders, developers, and contractors. She enjoys helping them structure their insurance to best protect what they have worked so hard to build and to be a part of their success here at Lake Oconee.

As a Board Member, Christina hopes she can use her financial services background and knowledge of construction related insurance practices to help the Association and its members continue to grow. Christina participated on the Home Show Committee in 2008 and is currently serving as the Chairperson for the 2009 Home & Garden Show. She is looking forward to the challenges and benefits this Home Show will bring with it.

Steve Back has been working in the Lake Oconee Area’s construction industry for the past 3 years. He and his wife Holly reside in Morgan County with their four year old daughter Ella, who attends the Pre K program at Madison Presbyterian.

Steve graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sullivan University in Lexington, KY earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a Concentration in Construction management. He has been working in the construction industry for more than 11 years. Through continuing education programs available with the NAHB, Steve earned both his Certified Graduate and Graduate master Builder designations. Steve is licensed as a Residential/Residential Light Commercial General Contractor and recently attended the certification training to become an Earth Craft Professional Home Builder. He served as the Senior Construction Manager at Linger Longer Homes on recent projects such as the 2007 Southern Living Idea Home, as well at the 2008 Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine Cottage.

As a board member Steve will continue to strengthen relationships with vendors and trade partners. Steve also hopes to seek ways to improve the educational opportunities available at the local level and improve the perceptions that the general public hold for the construction industry as a whole.

Chris Hilsman is co-founder and CEO of Pilot Builders, Inc.- a full service custom design-build firm founded in 1998. Chris has over 20 years of experience in custom homebuilding as well as light and high-rise commercial construction, and holds a Georgia Residential and Light Commercial General Contractors license. Pilot Builders has built many high end custom homes in the Lake Oconee area.

Chris and his wife Teri have two children: Emily 5, and Addison 3, and are both natives of the Lake Oconee area. Chris is honored to serve the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association in hopes that he can bring a common sense approach to issues such as builder/community relations and communication.

Doug Tumlin is a founding partner of Pilot Builders, a design/build custom home builder at Lake Oconee, currently in their 13th year of business. Doug has served on the Executive Council of Lake Oconee Area Home Builders Association for the past ten years, serving as President in 2003-2004, and again in 2006-2007. He is also active with a National Association of Home Builders Builder 20 Club, serving as Chairman of his club in 2008.

Doug is a 1991 graduate of the University of Georgia, and does continuing education with industry seminars throughout the year, such as the Energy and Environmental Builders Association (EEBA), International Builders Show, and Custom Builder Symposium put on by NAHB.

Doug lives in the Lake Oconee area with his wife Michelle and their 2 dogs, and is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Greensboro. His hobbies include flying where he is an instrument rated pilot, triathlons, playing music and reading.

Doug is the current president of the Home Builders Association of Georgia. As president of HBAG, Doug represents about 5,000 members across the state. Members of the Association include builders—both large and small volume, bankers, sub-contractors, insurance agents, building supply companies, attorneys, real estate agents and other individuals involved in Georgia’s building industry.

Cindy Starling, Charitable Contributions Chairman has been employed with Pella Windows and Doors since February 2003. She has been an active member of the Builders Association since 2003; serving on several committees including the Associates Council. This will not be her first term as a LOABA Board member.

As a graduate of the University of Georgia class of 1977; Cindy has Batchelor of Science degree. After graduation she moved to the New York City area and worked for 16 years as a buyer for Kmart Corp. In 1993, Cindy left Kmart and moved to the Lake Oconee area and began working in the construction field. She has worked as a builder and then as a materials estimator for a local lumber supply.

Cindy currently lives in Madison, Georgia with her husband Rick Starling, whom is from Eatonton, Georgia. They have 2 daughters Taylor and Mackenzie who both attend the University of Georgia.

Jim Richardson is the V.P. of Market Development for Bella Maria, and has been a member of the LOABA for the past 5 years. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa, he has been the V.P. of Market Development for Keystone Development Co. He has owned several businesses including JVR Solutions (marketing consultant), Spectrum, a photography & videography studio in upstate NY, worked in post secondary education for more than 20 years, and has taught Digital Photography at Syracuse University. Jim lives in Madison GA, with his wife Shelly and kids Jennifer, Emily and Tyler.

Brett is the Vice President of Marble Works. The company was founded and owned by his father, Larry Mauldin in June 1990. Brett has worked his way up through the ranks since age 11. He is married to Candice Mauldin. He attended high school locally, graduating from Gatewood, where he is actively the assistant high school basketball coach. He later received a degree in Business Administration from Lee University in Cleveland, TN, where he proudly served as the captain of the Rugby Football Club. He is now pursuing his M.B.A. at Georgia College and State University.

Marble Works joined the association in November 1990. Brett became a second generation associate board member, following in his father’s footsteps. He hopes to build on the foundation that his processors set forth, exploring different avenues of exposure, such as internet, in order to maximize benefits to its members.

Randy has been in the housing business for sixteen years. He has a Georgia Residential and Light Commercial General Contractor’s license. His business, Daniel Custom Construction, specializes in custom homes as well as light commercial construction along with residential renovations.

Randy has been in the Lake Oconee area since 1976 and therefore has witnessed the tremendous growth here from the very beginning. He is often referred to as the “hometown” builder who builds your home as if it were his own.

Randy and his wife Kathy are the proud parents of four sons. Joshua is co-founder of Towable Tailgates, Jeremy has a BS in construction management and works for Norfolk Southern, David is currently majoring in Construction Management and Dylan is a student at Gatewood.

After numerous years of being a member of the Lake Oconee Area Builder’s Association, Randy has agreed to be a LOABA Builder Director with a strong desire to make a great association better. He hopes to use his background, local contacts and years of building experience to strengthen and grow the association as well as find more ways to benefit the members of the association.

As the Area Sales Executive for Georgia Power, Judy Malcolm covers Lake Oconee, Madison and Social Circle areas. Judy has been employed with Georgia Power for 32 years. Judy and husband Daryl have been married for 30 and have 3 daughters Leah and son-in-law Andrew, Amanda and son-in law Tripp, and Brittany and future son-in law Robert. She is proud new grandmother of baby Drew. She has been a member of LOABA for over 15 years. Judy has been an active member of the Home Builders Association of Milledgeville and is presently a member of the Madison-Morgan Builders Association where she serves on the Associate Council and is Program Chairman. Taking advantage of her tri-fold membership with HBAG and NAHB Judy serves on the HBAG Associate Council and Regulatory Affairs Committee. Judy has a BBA in Management from the University of Georgia. As a member of LOABA, she is able to work closely with her builders and developers in promoting energy efficiency and keeping them abreast of Georgia Power’s building programs. Her goal as a board member is to strengthen the association by the knowledge she has gained through her HBAG experiences and to support LOABA by working with its members and community through public service, education and professionalism.

Fran Faxon, Greene County Chief Building Official has been working in the construction industry for over 40 years. In 1967 Fran began working as a building inspector soon he opened his own construction business in 1978. After moving to the South in 1991 he began working for Putnam County where he assisted with organizing their Building Inspection and Planning and Zoning Departments. In June of 1998 Fran relocated to the Greene County Building Inspection Department. Prior to working in the construction industry Fran spent 20 year in the Navy. Fran has been recognized by many associations throughout the Stat of Georgia. Some of his proudest recognitions are 2001 Who’s Who for Public Service, October 2004 LOABA Associate of the Month, and 2004 LOABA Associate of the Year. Fran was also recognized in June of 2000 by the Greensboro City Historic Preservation Committee. Other recognitions include Chapel of Four Chaplains for community volunteer work and recognition by LOABA in 2002 in appreciation of his dedication to the association and the construction industry. In 2004 Fran received All American District Commander Award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars. After being invited to be a member of the association in 1991 Fran quickly joined the Board of Directors. As a board member Fran aims to improve the association with as much education as he can. He also works diligently with the association to keep all members updated on all codes issues.

Chase is from Snellville, Georgia where he attended Brookwood High School. He started framing at fifteen and then went on to digging ditches as an operator for a local Utilities contractor.. He attended Auburn University where he majored in Building Science and has had 12 years in Building Industry. Chase lives in the Lake Oconee Area and just recently got married to his wife April. He has done many things throughout his adult life including but not limited to: Assistant Estimator/Project Manager WH Bass General Contractors Inc., Operations Manager for Tucco (Cumming/Auburn Plant), and 2 Years Sales with Tucco Lake Oconee Area. He is also ACI Certified.

Lee Lineberger, owner Housing and Finance Center has over 40 years experience in the construction industry. Lee and wife Amanda have two children and four grandchildren. While working in the construction industry, Lee has been very involved with the Home Builders Association as a member for almost 40 years. Lee also studied Real Estate while attending the University of Georgia. As an active member of LOABA, Lee also serves as the Chairman of Baldwin County Board of Assessors as well as a member of the Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce.

As a Board of Director Lee hopes to serve for the betterment of the Local and State Home Builders Association. As the BPAC Trustee, Lee also keeps the association in touch with our various Legislative Representatives. As he says “he keeps them from voting us out of business”.