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April 29, 2026 No Comments
A National Solution to America’s Skilled Labor Shortage The U.S. construction industry is short hundreds of thousands of workers – and it’s costing billions, delaying
A National Solution to America’s Skilled Labor Shortage The U.S. construction industry is short hundreds of thousands of workers – and it’s costing billions, delaying
From February 17–19, industry leaders, builders, educators, and workforce development champions gathered at the Orange County Convention Center for the annual International Builders’ Show (IBS)
How HBI Helps Military Talent Build Civilian Careers Transitioning from Military service to civilian life comes with big decisions – especially when it comes to
Why Skilled Trades Training Matters — and How HBI Is Leading the Way The housing challenges facing our nation didn’t appear overnight—and they won’t vanish
Build a Career That Lasts and Strengthens Communities As 2026 begins, the Home Builders Institute (HBI) is reflecting not just on new opportunities, but on
As we begin a new year, we pause to reflect on the incredible journey of the Home Builders Institute (HBI) — more than five decades
We’re proud to shine a spotlight on a powerful new collaboration taking shape in Central Florida: the pilot partnership between the Home Builders Institute (HBI)
Breaking Barriers:How HBI’s Student Success Fund Helps Students Build Their Futures At the Home Builders Institute (HBI), we believe that every student deserves a fair
Building Strong Futures Through HBI’s Free Construction Training Every November, HBI joins the nation in celebrating Military Family Appreciation Month – a time to recognize
In Louisiana, resilience is a way of life. Our community knows what it means to rebuild, replenish, and rise again — together. That’s why the
Local builders, students, instructors, and community partners gathered in Tacoma, Washington, to celebrate a milestone in construction workforce development: the Washington Home Builders Foundation Construction
Empowering Students Through Industry-Recognized Construction Training with Schools to Skills Grant As we head into another school year, educators have an incredible opportunity to shape
Celebrate Careers in Construction Month with HBI Every October, Careers in Construction Month shines a spotlight on the countless opportunities in the building industry. From
Empowering Students Through Industry-Recognized Construction Training As we head into another school year, educators have an incredible opportunity to shape the future of the construction
Every city wants safer streets, stronger communities, and more opportunities for its residents – including those reentering society after incarceration. The Home Builders Institute (HBI)
At HBI’s BuildStrong Academies, we’re committed to providing tuition-free, hands-on training that leads to real careers in the construction industry. Thanks to a generous partnership
May is Military Appreciation Month – a time to recognize the courage, discipline, and sacrifice of those who’ve served in our nation’s armed forces. At
How HBI Helps Students Build Skills, Confidence, and Careers in Construction Future Builders of America (FBA) is a program from the Home Builders Institute (HBI)
We change lives by education, inspiring and preparing individuals for careers in the building industry. Are you ready to start a career that’s hands-on, high-paying,
We are excited to share that HBI, in partnership with 100 Black Men of America and The Home Depot Foundation, is expanding its workforce development
On a crisp Tuesday morning, March 18th, 2025, a black Job Corps van pulled up to a bustling construction site on Fox Street Southwest in
March is a significant month for recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women, particularly in fields where they have been historically underrepresented, such as construction.
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, and we are celebrating by spotlighting HBI students in our programs! HBI CTE programs offer hands-on learning, real-world skills and
It takes a significant amount of money to build homes. Builders need funds for land acquisition, labor, and materials. And not just substantial sums of
Do you want a job that’s hands-on, pays well, and lets you build something real? A career for your future? Forget the desk job –
At Home Builders Institute (HBI), we know that a career in construction can change lives. The opportunities in this industry are vast, from hands-on skills
As we approach Giving Tuesday 2024, HBI is proud to launch our campaign, Blueprints for Tomorrow, focused on creating lasting success for students entering the
November is Military Family Appreciation Month—a time to recognize the immense sacrifice and commitment of military families and veterans. The Home Builders Institute (HBI) proudly
October is Careers in Construction Month, a time to celebrate the rewarding, well-compensated, and essential career paths available in the building trades industry. With endless
Professional Women in Building Week is from September 9-13, 2024, and is the perfect time to shine a spotlight on the incredible women who are
As we celebrate Labor Day, we honor the hardworking individuals who have built and continue to build our great nation—literally. From the skyscrapers that define
The Home Builders Institute (HBI) recently had the privilege of attending the annual NAHB Association Management Conference (AMC) in Salt Lake City, held from August
The Home Builders Institute (HBI) is thrilled by our remarkable partnership with MiTek, a company renowned for its innovation and leadership in the construction technology
Joseph F. Landers, 71, is the Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts having assumed that role in 2018 with a mandate from the Board of Directors to harmonize the five MA local associations, increase communications from the state to the membership, increase the public profile of the association,
create a path to financial stability and elevate the states lobbying efforts. Prior to taking on the challenging state association role, Joe was Chief Executive Officer and founder of Customized Structures Inc., a custom manufacturer of single-family, multi-family and commercial modular and panelized structures which began operations in 1984. Joe has been involved in the building industry, both site-built and factory-built, since 1973 and has worked in all phases of construction from development through design and production including on site management and sales. Customized Structures produced on average 330 single family homes per year, had an employee base as high as 180 and was known as the innovator in the production and design of modular components.
After the sale of Customized Structures Inc. to a private equity firm in 2003 Joe remained on the Board of Directors of the Company and functioned as a consultant to the CEO. He further took on the role of helping failing building systems companies return to profitability and successfully oversaw the sale of those companies. Mr. Landers has lectured frequently on the benefits and utilization of systems-built construction to building professionals around the country and has utilized his substantial professional and industry background to provide consultation services to both national and foreign companies interested in the processes and pitfalls of building and developing utilizing building systems components.
Joe attended Northeastern University and St. Anselm’s College graduating with a B.S. in 1972.
Joe has been a member of the National Association of Home Builders since 1974. He is past president of two local Home Builders Associations and has served two terms as President of the State of NH Home Builders Association. Joe is also a past president of the Modular Building Systems Council of the NAHB, has been Chairman of the National Building Systems Council (BSC) and has served five terms as a Trustee of the BSC during which time he created the BSC logo and wrote the brochure “Most Frequently Asked Questions about Modular Homes”.
In 1989, Joe received the National Pacesetter Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership and contribution to the housing industry and in 1991 was awarded the title of Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of N.H. In 1992 he was appointed by the Governor to the NH Board of Fire Control within the Department of Safety and since then was reappointed three times. He has served as a member on the State of New Hampshire Building Code Review Board and was appointed by the Governor of NH to the Shore Land Protection Commission. Joe was selected to receive the 2000 S. A. Walters Chairman’s Award, the premier award in the U.S. Systems Built Housing Industry and was installed to the New Hampshire Housing Hall of Fame for his significant and lasting contributions to the housing industry in the State of New Hampshire.
Joe is a Senior Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders; he is served six terms on the NAHB Budget & Finance Committee serving as Vice Chair for four of those years, he has served as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee, the International Housing Committee and the Building Products Issues Committee of NAHB serving on the NAHB Executive Committee multiple times.
In 2001 Joe was elected an Area Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders representing builders through out the northeast.
Joe is active in his community having served as finance chairmen of his church, is a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, and has served on multiple boards and committees on a volunteer basis.
Joe and his wife, Denise, reside in Plymouth, MA, they have two children, Jessica and Brad and two grandchildren, Lily and Jack ages 13 and 11.
The Honorable Seth Appleton is President of U.S. Mortgage Insurers. In this role, he leads USMI’s efforts to enable sustainable access to affordable mortgage credit for borrowers while protecting taxpayers. Seth previously served as President of MISMO, the real estate finance industry’s standards organization. Prior to that, Seth served as the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
a position for which he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. In addition to his service as Assistant Secretary, Seth concurrently served as the Principal Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae, a government corporation guaranteeing the timely payment of
principal and interest on more than $2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities.
Before joining HUD, Seth worked on Capitol Hill, including serving as Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer for more than eight years. A native of Missouri, Seth is a graduate of Stanford University and is a co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Council.
Zach Harris is a native New Orleans resident, two-time graduate of Tulane University and a 27-year-old construction entrepreneur. Zach comes from a family of builders and grew up around real estate and residential construction. In fact, Zach enrolled in no-cost trades training at the BuildStrong Academy of Greater New Orleans with his mother in 2022, followed by his father and two brothers in 2023.
His construction company, Zach the Builder, crafts safer New Orleans homes via reliable roofing services. “The Academy classes cater to different experience levels and different interests. I had the construction business experience but needed to understand the craft,” says Zach. “You can’t be a great coach if you haven’t played football before.”
Outside of running his company, Zach enjoys using his in-demand skill set to give back to the community. To commemorate Memorial Day 2023, Zach and other students and graduates from BSA Greater New Orleans volunteered to help build a home for a veteran in the Lower 9th Ward.