NAHB Mourns Longtime Member Ralph Drees

Membership
Published
Ralph Drees, former CEO, president and chairman of Drees Homes, headquartered in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., passed away on March 27. He was an NAHB Senior Life Delegate and longtime member after taking over The Drees Company for his father and founder Theodore Drees in 1965.

Drees twice served as president of the BIA of Northern Kentucky in 1965 and 1979. His recognition at the local level included Builder of the Year in 1966, the Community Service Award in 1977, and the Donald M. Wiedeman Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

"Working with Ralph was like working with a brother," recalled Jack Miller, former senior VP of sales and marketing at Drees Homes and former chair of NAHB's National Sales and Marketing Council. "He was warm-hearted, humble, and always cared about the people working for him. Ralph was the most honest man and you could always count on his word." Drees was also active at the state and national levels, serving as president of the Home Builders Association of Kentucky (HBAK) in 1986. Drees was a Life Member of the HBAK Board of Directors and served as Kentucky's state representative for NAHB in 1981. Drees received the HBAK Lifetime Achievement Award in 1988, and in 1990 he was inducted into the Kentucky Housing Hall of Fame. He was also an influential thread throughout the local community and was recognized for his philanthropy. "He led the way to a lot of changes and improvements in the community," Miller said. Drees served as Kenton County Judge Executive, and was active with the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission, the Kenton County Airport Board, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Current president and CEO David Drees shared, "Ralph was a bold innovator, forging the company to new heights, but on the other hand, he was also my father, a loving, devoted family man and an exceptional role model who will be missed by many." A private memorial service will be held for the family. Memorial contributions can be made to the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Millennial Buyers Prefer Better, Not Bigger Homes

As the housing industry celebrates New Homes Month in April, millennial buyers say they are willing to compromise when it comes to space. NAHB analysis found that millennial buyers prefer more square footage than other generations, but most would choose a smaller feature-rich home for the same purchase price.

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Uncertainty Reigns as 'Liberation Day' on Tariffs Approaches

President Trump has hailed April 2 as “Liberation Day,” when he said he will announce global tariffs that could have far-reaching ramifications for the residential construction industry.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Private Residential Construction Spending Rises in February

Private residential construction spending increased by 1.3% in February, rebounding from a 1.2% dip in January. The growth was largely driven by higher spending on single-family construction and residential improvements. On a year-over-year basis, the February report showed a 1.6% gain, indicating a modest growth in private residential construction spending during market uncertainties.

Economics

Apr 01, 2025

Soft Job Openings Estimate for Construction

After a period of slowing associated with declines for some elements of the residential construction industry, the count of open construction sector jobs remained lower than a year ago, per the February Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Mar 31, 2025

Affordability Pyramid Shows 94 Million Households Cannot Buy a $400,000 Home

NAHB recently released its 2025 Priced-Out Analysis, highlighting the housing affordability challenge. While previous posts discussed the impacts of rising home prices and interest rates on affordability, this post focuses on the related U.S. housing affordability pyramid. The pyramid reveals that 70% of households (94 million) cannot afford a $400,000 home, while the estimated median price of a new home is around $460,000 in 2025.