HBA Honors Late Builder by Creating Grants for Young Professionals
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
Latest from NAHBNow
Young Professionals Committee | Student Chapters
Jul 14, 2026
How NAHB Helped Two Teens Create a Home Insulation BusinessNAHB’s network of local HBAs provides a springboard for some of the country’s brightest young minds to pursue their goals within the home building industry. Logan Curran and Joe Krysmalski are two of the many examples of young professionals across the country who are seeing results.
Advocacy
Jul 13, 2026
Chairman's Update: The Importance of Advocacy2026 NAHB Chairman Bill Owens spotlights the strength of NAHB's advocacy efforts, including the Legislative Conference and efforts to finalize the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that recently became law.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jul 14, 2026
Inflation Cooled in June as Gas Prices EasedInflation slowed to 3.5% in June from a three-year high last month, driven by a mid-June ceasefire agreement that stabilized oil markets and lowered energy prices.
Economics
Jul 13, 2026
Two or More Story Home Starts Pull Back in 2025Over half of new single-family homes built in 2025 were two or more stories, according to the recent release of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC). After increasing in 2024, the share of homes started with two or more stories fell in 2025.
Economics
Jul 10, 2026
2025 New Single-Family Starts by Census DivisionPersistently high mortgage rates, elevated costs for builders, and ongoing supply-side constraints continued to weigh on single-family construction in 2025.