CORNERSTONE MAGAZINE
2026 Leadership Board
Heath Kelly President Heath Kelly Construction
Jessica Ford Secretary FD Builds
Tom Hammond 3rd Vice President Hammond Engineering
Stephen Moorhead Legal Counsel
Moorhead Law Group
Shon Owens Vice President Owens Custom Homes
Janson Thomas 2nd Vice President Swift Supply
Josh Peden Financial Officer Hudson, Peden & Associates
Josh Rayls Treasurer Holiday Builders
Kevin Sluder Past 2rd Vice President Gene’s Floor Covering
Austin Tenpenny Immediate Past President aDoor Properties
2026 Home Builders
Association of West Florida Board of Directors
SENIOR OFFICERS
Heath Kelly, Heath Kelly Construction, President
Austin Tenpenny, aDoor Properties, Immediate Past President
Shon Owens, Owens Custom Homes, Vice President
Josh Rayls, Holiday Builders, Treasurer
Jessica Ford, FD Builds, Secretary
Kevin Sluder, Gene’s Flooring, Past 2nd Vice President
Janson Thomas, Swift Supply, 2nd Vice President
Tom Hammond, Hammond Engineering, 3rd Vice President
Josh Peden, Hudson, Peden & Associates, Financial Officer
Stephen Moorhead, Moorhead Law Group, Legal Counsel
ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBERS
Keith Branch, Good Foundations
Wayne Briske, Community Bank
Mickey Clinard, Centennial Bank
Laura Gilmore, Fairway Mortgage
John Hattaway, Hattaway Home Design
Lindy Hurd, First International Title
Shellie Isakson-Smith, Guild Mortgage
Mary Jordan, Gulf Coast Insurance
Daniel Monie, KJM Land Surveying
Nick Newkirk, FPL
Zach Noel, Clear Title of NW FL
Suzanne Pollard-Spann, Legacy Insurance
Marty Rich, University Lending Group
John Scanlon, Pensacola Energy
Pam Smith, Real Estate Counselors
BUILDER/DEVELOPER BOARD MEMBERS
Dax Campbell, CamCon
Amir Fooladi, ParsCo
Travis Gottstine, Homewood Construction
Fred Gunther, Gunther Properties
Thomas Henry, Thomas Homes
Alton Lister, Lister Builders
Matthew Peek, Expedition Homes
Jennifer Reese, Reese Construction
Doug Russell, R-Squared Construction
Wilma Shortall, FD Builds
Anton Zaynakov, Grand Builders
2026 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Ambassadors – Suzanne Spann
Builder Member Services – Zach Noel
Cost & Codes – Keith Branch
Dream Home – Amir Fooladi
Education/Professional Development – Janson Thomas & Lindy Hurd
Governmental Affairs – Austin Tenpenny
Past Presidents – Amir Fooladi
Tradesmen/Workforce Development – Mary Jordan
CORNERSTONE MAGAZINE CONTENTS
JENNIFER MANCINI
jennifer@hbawf.com
Publisher Malcolm Ballinger malcolm@ballingerpublishing.com
Executive Editor Kelly Oden kelly@ballingerpublishing.com
Art Director Ian Lett ian@ballingerpublishing.com
Graphic Designer/Ad Coordinator Ryan Dugger advertise@ballingerpublishing.com
Editor Morgan Cole morgan@ballingerpublishing.com
Assistant Editor Dawn Gresko dawn@ballingerpublishing.com
Sales & Marketing
Jaami Clement, Account Executive jaami@ballingerpublishing.com
Maggie Banks, Account Executive maggie@ballingerpublishing.com
Cornerstone, the monthly publication of the Home Builders Association of West Florida serving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, is published monthly, twelve (12x) per year. Send address changes to HBA of West Florida, 4400 Bayou Boulevard, Suite 45, Pensacola, Florida 32503-1910. Cornerstone, is published in the interests of all segments of the home building industry and is distributed to its members and others associated with the HBA of West Florida. HBA of West Florida and Ballinger Publishing does not accept responsibility for, or endorse any statement or claims made by advertisers or authors of any articles. Every effort has been made to assure ac-curacy of information, but authenticity cannot be guaranteed. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written consent of Home Builders Association of West Florida, Copyright ©, 4400 Bayou Boulevard, Suite 45, Pensacola, Florida 32503-1910, 850.476.0318. Advertisers and advertorials in Cornerstone do not constitute an offer for sale in states where prohibited by law.
President’s Message
Heath Kelly President
Heath Kelly Construction
Dear Members,
Back in February, more than 200 of our fellow FHBA members walked the halls of the state capitol advocating for our industry and the people who make their living in it. That work paid off. On May 6, Governor DeSantis signed four FHBA priority bills into law — a slate of reforms aimed squarely at the barriers that slow us down: permitting delays, duplicative requirements, and unpredictable local review.
For most of us, the headline is simpler, faster permitting. HB 803 moves the state toward uniform building permit applications, sets timelines local governments must meet on permits and inspections, expands the use of private providers, and exempts many smaller projects under $7,500 from local permit requirements. HB 927 brings that same predictability to land development, expediting permitting for subdivisions and phased communities and making clear that permits cannot be held up without good reason. HB 589 allows residential construction to move forward while septic permitting is still pending, and SB 848 gives us new flexibility in meeting stormwater requirements. Effective July 1, these are real, day-to-day improvements in how we do business.
At the national level, our NAHB membership has been just as busy on our behalf. You may remember the energy code fight I raised in February, the one that threatened to add $20,000 or more to the cost of a single new home — NAHB has kept the pressure on and helped block those mandates, including through a federal court ruling backed by 15 states. They are also pressing on building material costs, with duties on Canadian softwood lumber expected to drop this summer and bipartisan legislation moving to exempt building materials from tariffs.
And the work is not happening only in Tallahassee and Washington — it is happening right here at home. Earlier this month, our association, alongside our partners at the City of Pensacola and Habitat for Humanity, closed on our third affordable housing project, helping another deserving member of our community step into homeownership. It is one thing to advocate for affordable housing in the halls of government; it is another to hand a neighbor the keys to a home our members helped make possible. We cannot thank everyone who made it a reality enough. The members of this great association continue to step up and show out for the right causes.
Our 2026 Dream Home in Carrington Lakes is coming along very well, and our last on-site meeting saw the project entering its final phases of completion. I believe this home will be something we can all be proud of. Thank you to every contributor and sponsor helping make this a true Dream Home.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because builders, remodelers, suppliers, developers, and associate members show up, speak up, and stay engaged. If an issue is affecting your business or your sector, reach out to me or to our local leadership — the conversations that shape next year’s legislation often start with a single member sharing what they are seeing in the field.
And getting involved is not all committee meetings and calls to action — a lot of it is simply showing up. Join us at our next Member Social at Mathieson Brewing on June 23. You never know when you might meet your next client, trade partner, or friend. There are so many ways to plug in — don’t miss out.
To everyone who made the trip, made the call, renewed their membership, lent a hand on the affordable home in Pensacola or is lending a hand on the Dream Home—thank you. This is what your involvement builds.
Momentum is a real thing — let’s keep it going.
Heath Kelly, HBA President
HBA Members Hit a Home Run at the Blue Wahoos Social
A little rain couldn’t stop another great HBA Member Social at the Blue Wahoos game! Thanks to the covered Left Field Deck, ever yone stayed dr y while enjoying an evening of baseball, good conversations, and time spent with fellow members.
The weather may have been wet, but the atmosphere stayed fun all night especially with a Blue Wahoos win to top it all off
A big thank you to our Presenting Sponsors, LJA and Daltile, for helping make the event possible We also appreciate Levin Rinke Realty and Southern Exteriors for providing food and drinks throughout the evening.
Events like these continue to be a great reminder of the relationships and connections that make the HBA community so strong Thank you to ever yone who came out and made the best of a rainy night at the ballpark with us!
Presenting Sponsors:
2026 Dream Home Donor Spotlight: Blue Haven Pools
The members, undoubtedly pool y Sponsor Blue Haven Pools.
Known throughout the Gulf Coast for creating high-quality custom pools and outdoor living spaces, Blue Haven Pools has built a reputation for combining innovative design with craftsmanship and customer-focused ser vice. Their team specializes in custom gunite pools, renovations, and modern pool technology designed to create beautiful and functional backyard retreats With decades of experience and offices ser ving the Gulf Coast region, Blue Haven Pools has become a trusted name for homeowners looking to elevate their outdoor spaces.
For the Dream Home project, Blue Haven Pools designed and donated a stunning 28’ x 14’ pool featuring depths ranging from 3’ to 5’. The pool was thoughtfully designed to complement the home’s modern style while creating an inviting outdoor enter taining space
Some of the custom features include:
A tanning ledge complete with a bubbler water feature and umbrella sleeve
Elegant full-length entr y steps
A custom water feature wall for added visual impact
*Rendering courtesy of Blue Haven Pools
*Rendering courtesy of Blue Haven Pools
Building Stronger Connections Through Member Support
One of the long-standing strengths of our association has always been the mindset of members supporting members. Beyond networking and events, some of the most valuable relationships within the HBA are built through doing business together.
As builders continue planning projects and purchasing materials, we encourage everyone to keep fellow HBA members top of mind especially when purchasing products that qualify for FHBA/NAHB rebates. Not only can builders take advantage of significant savings through the rebate program, but working with HBA associate members also helps strengthen the local building industry and the businesses that support it every day.
On the following page you will find a list of all the brands that offer those rebates. Below you’ll find a list of HBA Associate Members and a list of the rebated brands they offer.
Supporting fellow members helps create stronger partnerships, keeps business within our industry network, and reinforces the value of being part of the HBA community.
FBM
GAF Roofing
Gateway Lighting
BRK, First Alert, Kickler, Kidde, Progress
Lighting, Panasonic and Resideo.
Gene’s Floor Covering
American Olean, Daltile, Marazzi Tile
Westwood Stone
Daltile
Act1 Flooring
American Olean, Daltiles, Marazzi
The Shutter House
Atlantic Premium Shutters
Our next FHBA Rebate Training will be offered vir tually to better f it your schedule and make attending even easier. Stay tuned additional details and information will be coming soon!
Gulf Coast Insurance is a trusted independent agency serving the Florida and Alabama Gulf Coast, offering personalized coverage for home, auto, and business through access to over 40 top-rated carriers. Anchored in Trust, the team focuses on education, transparency, and building lasting relationships to help clients confidently protect what matters most
Dream Home Update!
Dream Home Update!
Custom Home Building – A Bright Spot for Construction
With overall single-family construction down 5% for the first four months of 2026, custom home building has been a relative bright spot. The custom building market is less sensitive to the interest rate cycle than other forms of home building but is more sensitive to changes in household wealth and stock prices. With spec home building down and the stock market up, custom building has expanded its market share.
According to NAHB’s analysis of Census data from the Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design survey, there were 36,000 total custom building starts during the first quarter of 2026. This is up 3% relative to the first quarter of 2025.
For the last four quarters, custom single-family housing starts totaled 188,000 homes, a 3% increase compared to the prior four quarter period (182,000).
Currently, the market share of custom home building, based on a one-year moving average, is 20% of total single-family starts. This is down from a prior cycle peak of 31.5% set during the second quarter of 2009 and the 21% recent peak rate at the beginning of 2023, after which spec home building gained some market share.
Note that this definition of custom home building does not include homes intended for sale, so the analysis in this post uses a narrow definition of the sector. It represents home construction undertaken on a contract basis for which the builder does not hold tax basis in the structure during construction. This form of home building is almost universally undertaken by smaller, private home builders.
Source: NAHB Eye on Housing 5/25/26
SPIKE CLUB
In construction, a spike is a steel object that is essential to making a building strong. As in construction, the HBA of West Florida sees a Spike as someone that works to keep our association strong. Spikes work on the recruitment and retention of members in addition to keeping members active with the association. Anyone is eligible for Spike status. On Spike credit is awarded for each new member recruited and an additional credit is awarded for that new member’s renewal on or before their anniversary date. If you help to retain a member, you are eligible to receive a half point for each member.
Spike Club Levels
Spike Candidate 1-5 Credits
Blue Spike 6-24
Life Spike 25-49
Green Spike 50-99
Red Spike 100-149
Royal Spike 150-249
Super Spike 250-499
Statesman Spike 500-999
Grand Spike 1000-1499
All-Time Big Spike 1500+ Spike Club Members and their credits as of 3/31/26.
Statesman Spike
Harold Logan
Super Spike
Rod Hurston
Royal Spike
Rick Sprague 213
Edwin Henry 210
William “Billy” Moore 184
Bob Boccanfuso 165.5
Charlie Rotenberry 150
Credits
Red Spike 100 Credits
Oliver Gore 115
Newman Rodgers IV 115.5 Ron Tuttle 111
Ricky Wiggins 101.5
David Holcomb 100.5
Kevin
Before the Storm: Natural gas lines require you to take no special precautions. There is no need to turn off your gas meter.
During the Storm: Most natural gas cooking and water heating appliances will continue to operate safely without electricity. Some may require that you manually light the pilot, and this should be done according to the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.
We Are Your Energy
Get up to $3,000 in rebates when you convert to natural gas. Get all the details at PensacolaEnergy.com or call 850-436-5050.
Natural Gas Power Generators: In the event of power failure, the generator will return electricity to the structure within 30 seconds and continue providing electricity until the original power source has returned.
After the Storm: When returning from evacuation, check natural gas appliances for possible damage or leaks. If you smell a strong sulfur odor, leave immediately and call Pensacola Energy Emergency Services at 850-474-5300.
