NAHB Mourns Passing of David S. Compo and Family

NAHB mourns the loss of long-time member David S. Compo, the 2020 president of the Home Builders Association of Southeastern Michigan, his wife, Michele, and their son, Dawson, who died in a plane crash in their home state on Jan. 2. "The Compo family has been a significant part of the HBA's history for decades and David has been instrumental in helping the association weather the many obstacles the HBA faced during 2020. His involvement, professionalism and experience over the years have been great assets to our organization and he has been a true friend to me," said Michael Stoskopf, CEO of the HBA of SE MI. The Compo family has a long history in the home building industry, beginning with David's grandfather. His parents James and Janet were each inducted into the HBA's Hall of Fame. By the age of 15, David was doing architectural drawing plans for his parents' building company where he worked for 33 years. In 2012, David and his brother, Christopher, founded Compo Builders, Inc., achieving HBA accolades for their own work, including David's awards for Builder of the Year in 2013 and Developer of the Year in 2015. He was also a member of NAHB's 20 Clubs for more than 10 years.

Demonstrating Leadership During Crisis

"David was a passionate leader of our association during the challenging and unprecedented year we have just completed and throughout his career. We were fortunate to experience his devotion to the industry, the membership and to HBA. David was a role model for all in this industry, he loved construction almost as much as he loved his family. He will be remembered and will be missed," said Ben Templeton, CGB, CGP, CGR, Templeton Building, and 2021 president of the HBA of SE MI.

Compo was proud of the work the HBA did during 2020, including working with local and state HBA staff and Michigan legislators to get the residential building industry safely back to work after stay-at-home orders were executed early in the  pandemic. He was also a strong advocate for work force development and worked to get more young people interested in the building industry, including visiting elementary schools and reading to students. "David's passion for our industry was inspiring. His commitment to his clients, the relationships he fostered with his trade partners, and the incredible homes he produced, spoke to his love of building," added Rich Kligman, Superb Custom Homes, HBA of SE MI past president and HBA of Michigan treasurer. "He was a family man, a man of great faith, and a very loyal friend. While I am deeply saddened by this tragic loss, the impact he made on our industry and the lives of those he touched, will live on." Compo was active in his church, served as Deputy Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, and was on the executive board of the CDS Foundation. He was also on the board of directors for the HBA of SE MI, the Home Builders Association of Michigan and NAHB. As a private pilot, Compo flew yearly trips for Operation Good Cheer, which provides Christmas gifts for foster children in Michigan. David and Michele Compo were married for 21 years. Their son Dawson was a freshman at Michigan State University. Details about memorial services have not yet been released.