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
Material Costs
Sep 17, 2026
House Bill Seeks Tariff Relief for Building Materials
NAHB worked with Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) on legislation aimed at lowering housing costs by establishing a tariff exemption process for building materials. The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act (H.R. 10416) would automatically exempt many home building materials from President Trump’s current and future tariffs and give importers a process to seek exemptions for additional materials.
Economics
Sep 17, 2026
‘Elevated Uncertainty’ Prompts Fed to Hike Rates
Facing persistent inflationary pressures, the Federal Reserve unanimously decided at its September policy meeting to raise the federal funds rate to a target range of 3.75% to 4%.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 17, 2026
Single-Family Starts Rebound but Market Challenges Persist
Single-family housing starts rebounded in August, but production remains down 4.7% year to date as builders contend with rising construction costs, lot and labor shortages, and economic uncertainty.
Economics
Sep 16, 2026
With Inflation Uptick, Fed Hikes and Signals More to Come
The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points at the conclusion of its September policy meeting, bringing the target range to 3.75% to 4%.
Economics
Sep 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Falls on Higher Interest Rates and Costs
Higher mortgage rates, worsening labor shortages and rising material costs are weighing on builder sentiment.