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

Awards

Jun 22, 2026

NAHB Awards Program Now Accepting Applications

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has announced its awards program application submission period is now open through September 21 (unless noted otherwise below). NAHB’s awards program highlights the outstanding work and accomplishments of housing professionals across multiple disciplines.

Spring Leadership Meeting

Jun 19, 2026

Watch Video Highlights from 2026 Spring Leadership Meetings

NAHB members who were unable to join us in Washington, D.C., for the 2026 Spring Leadership Meetings can watch some of the highlights on nahb.org, including social media downloads for key highlights.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jun 22, 2026

Structural Demand Outpacing Supply: Jobs-to-Permits Ratios Highlight Housing Gap

Strong labor market growth continued to put pressure on the nation’s housing supply in 2024, as home building activity did not fully keep pace with demand driven by job gains. Comparing net new jobs with prior-year permitting activity helps show whether the pace of housing construction is keeping up with potential household formation and broader economic growth.

Economics

Jun 18, 2026

Gains for Household Real Estate Assets

The market value of households’ real estate assets rose to a new high in the first quarter reaching $48.7 trillion, according to the most recent release of U.S. Federal Reserve Z.1 Financial Accounts. This level is 1.7% higher than in the fourth quarter and is 2.6% higher than a year ago.

Economics

Jun 17, 2026

A Laconic Statement: Hawkish Hold and New Plans from the Fed

With a new Fed Chair and plans for evolving operating strategies, the Federal Reserve maintained its target policy rate at the conclusion of the June Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. For the fourth consecutive meeting, the FOMC maintained the short-term federal funds rate at a top rate of 3.75%.