We recently hosted the inaugural AR Homes® Builder Summit event in Las Vegas, uniting builders, associates, and vendor partners from across the AR Homes® network. For decades, AR Homes® hosted separate events for its Building Company President and Franchisee meeting, Pride in Partnership event, and Top Club and Master Builder Club trips. However, in a significant shift, these gatherings were combined into one comprehensive event. This decision not only streamlined the schedule but also provided an opportunity for celebrating achievements, fostering greater collaboration and networking among peers. Additionally, this unified event was held alongside the International Builders’ Show.
The event agenda was full of opportunities for attendees to learn, network and celebrate their accomplishments. A summary of the agenda is below:
Welcome Reception & Registration
The event kicked off with a glamorous Welcome Reception and Registration, complete with iconic showgirls, setting the tone for an exciting gathering in Las Vegas. During this event, attendees were encouraged to network as they looked forward to an exciting week ahead.
Building Company Presidents and Franchisee Meeting
Building Company Presidents and Franchisees were invited to their annual meeting hosted by AR Franchising, Inc., which featured educational panelist presentations led by the executive leadership team and engaging roundtable discussions on various key topics such as customer satisfaction, sales, design, construction, and business needs.
International Builders’ Show
When attendees were not scheduled to be in an AR Homes® Builder Summit event or meeting, they were encouraged to spend time at the International Builders’ Show to explore the latest trends, learn about the housing industry, and visit vendor booths to learn more about their latest products.
Top Club and Master Builder Club Meeting
Each Top Club and Master Builder Club winner was invited to take part in a meeting for their respective groups. During these meetings, participants got involved in roundtable discussions in which they were able to share their unique market challenges and best practices, learn from their peers and impact plans to drive customer satisfaction rates higher.
Awards Ceremony
The highlight of the event was the awards ceremony, where laughter and celebration filled the air as we honored the remarkable achievements and contributions of our building company associates and vendor partners.
Join us in congratulating our award winners below for their exceptional accomplishments.
Vendor Awards
- ACE Award: presented to MOEN, recognizing their exemplary training efforts for both building companies and design studios.
- Vendor Gold Cup: awarded to Sherwin-Williams for the third time, in acknowledgment of their exceptional customer satisfaction and service over their longstanding partnership of over 15 years with AR Homes®.
- Vendor of the Year: awarded to CORIAN, based on the highest overall rating from various survey categories in the annual Vendor Survey responses from the Franchises.
Builder Awards
- Best Model: Presented to the Meridian model built by AR Homes® Raleigh (Hearthstone Luxury Homes), highlighting exceptional craftsmanship and design.
- Builder Gold Cup: Awarded to AR Homes® Lake City (Bryan Zecher Homes) for achieving the highest customer satisfaction scores of the past year.
- Builder of the Year: Awarded to AR Homes® Sarasota (Nelson Homes, Inc.) recognizing their exceptional performance and commitment to excellence.
Top Club and Master Builder Club Winners in Attendance
Master Builder Club
- Mark Johnson AR Homes® Sarasota (Nelson Homes, Inc.)
- Kurt Kuchenbrod AR Homes® Charlotte (Paragon Homes of Charlotte, Inc.)
- Jim Eslinger AR Homes® Sarasota (Nelson Homes, Inc.)
- Kevin Hughes AR Homes® Hilton Head (Blue Ocean Luxury Homes, LLC)
- Jim Elliot AR Homes® Charlotte (Paragon Homes of Charlotte, Inc.)
- Terry Ratliff AR Homes® Indianapolis (Scott Bates Builders, Inc., Inc.)
- Carl Williams AR Homes® Gainesville, GA (RLW Homes, Inc.)
- Dillon Wright AR Homes® Richmond (Ellington Custom Homes, LLC)
- John Molyneaux AR Homes® Richmond (Ellington Custom Homes, LLC)
- Bruce O’Connell AR Homes® Raleigh (Hearthstone Luxury Homes)
- Chris Hatfield AR Homes® Indianapolis (Scott Bates Builders, Inc.)
- Craig Nunes AR Homes® Vero Beach (Beachland Homes Corp.)
Top Club
- Joseph Dweck AR Homes® Sarasota (Nelson Homes, Inc.)
- Alison Guthrie AR Homes® Raleigh (Hearthstone Luxury Homes, LLC)
- Chris Dillard AR Homes® Charlotte (Paragon Homes of Charlotte, Inc.)
- Melissa Siri AR Homes® Indianapolis (Christopher Scott Investments, Inc.)
- Rhett Meeks AR Homes® Bluffton (Blue Ocean Luxury Homes, LLC)
- Donna Magrini AR Homes® Tampa (Lyons Heritage Tampa, LLC)
- Nicole Deroy AR Homes® Melbourne (Rosewood Homes, Inc.)
Read more about our Top Club and Master Builder Club to learn more about each prestigious club and see the full list of winners.
The 2024 Builder Summit in Las Vegas exceeded expectations, leaving attendees brimming with enthusiasm for the year ahead and eager to vie for recognition at the next event. Here’s to a prosperous 2024 for all our esteemed builders, their associates and our valued vendor partners!