HBA Honors Late Builder by Creating Grants for Young Professionals

IBS
Published

Derek Weiss was an ambitious business owner whose work brought bespoke and handcrafted millworks, cabinetry and furniture pieces to Detroit. The third-generation carpenter who worked at Home Dimensions Custom Carpentry in Holly, Mich., tragically passed away at the age of 39 in 2021.

In his honor, the Home Builders Association of Southeastern Michigan announced four $1,000 grants for HBA members to attend the 2025 NAHB International Builders’ Show (IBS), an event Weiss greatly benefited from in growing his business.

The grants were made by the 3 Rivers Community Foundation to four individuals aged 40 or younger, who are licensed remodelers or builders in Michigan and current members of the HBA.

The awardees are:

  • Jacob Morris Beer of Nosan Signature Homes in Farmington Hills
  • Hussein Mokahal of The LED Lion, Inc. in Dearborn Heights
  • Gordon Russell III of Russell Building Company in St. Clair Shores
  • Maxwell Zervos of Zervos Construction in Farmington

Subscribe to NAHBNow

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

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Advocacy
Aug 20, 2026
Trump Administration Seeks Full Repeal of Roadless Rule

The Trump administration announced that it is seeking to fully rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (“Roadless Rule”), which bars road building on more than 44 million acres of federal forest land.

Economics
Aug 20, 2026
Housing Affordability Worsens on Higher Mortgage Rates

After three consecutive quarters of modest improvement, housing affordability declined in the second quarter as higher mortgage rates, rising construction costs and economic uncertainty weighed on the market.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics
Aug 20, 2026
Short-Term Townhouse Construction Weakness

Second quarter 2026 data reveal softer conditions for townhouse construction as housing affordability challenges affect homebuyer demand, particularly in larger metropolitan markets.

Economics
Aug 19, 2026
Flat Conditions for Custom Home Building

With overall single-family construction down almost 7% for the first seven months of 2026, custom home building has been a relative bright spot for the residential construction industry.

Economics
Aug 18, 2026
Housing Starts Retreat on Market Headwinds

Housing starts fell in July as economic uncertainty, rising construction costs, labor shortages and elevated financing expenses continued to challenge builders.