Pat Fricchione Awarded SA Walters Lifetime Achievement Award

Building Systems Councils
Published
Pat Award

Patrick (“Pat”) A. Fricchione Jr., General Partner and CEO of Simplex Homes, has been honored with the S.A. Walters Award.

Named after the man who became the first chairman of what is known today as the Building Systems Councils (BSC), the S.A. Walters Award is the highest honor the councils bestow. The award recognizes a lifetime of achievement in systems-built housing.

At Simplex Homes, a leading modular home manufacturer based in Scranton, Penn., Fricchione carries on the legacy established by his father and uncles, the founders of the company. Pat started on the shop floor and over the years has worked in nearly every division of Simplex Homes. His hands-on leadership and commitment to excellence have led to the company’s growth and success.

"We are attracting non-traditional modular customers who see our industry as supplying a superior building method that will take them from planning to revenue generation faster than any other method," Pat stated. "It's very satisfying to have emerged as a leader in this field."

Although Fricchione takes pride in the work his company does, his work goes beyond Simplex. He served as Chairman of the Building Systems Councils at NAHB in 2015 and as President of the Modular Building Systems Association. His leadership roles also include serving as the immediate past Chairman of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, President of the Scranton Half Marathon, a board member of The Women's Resource Center of Northeast PA, and an active member of the Marywood University Board of Trustees.

Pat is also a strong advocate for the trades and has collaborated with Johnson College by donating space for onsite training labs within Simplex's property. This initiative allows the expansion of its program availability, providing students with real-world experience during their education. Pat and his family have also supported Johnson College, offering financial pledges and a family-named scholarship to assist community members in participating in the college's HVAC program.

Not only has Pat made his own mark on the modular home manufacturing industry, he is affording the next generation of home builders the opportunity to do the same.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

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

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Jul 28, 2026

Acquisitions Increasing Among Home Builders

The number of home builders reporting that they have been approached has doubled in less than a year, according to recent results from the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey.

Multifamily

Jul 28, 2026

High-Density Building Completions Hold Highest Multifamily Market Share in 2025

For the ninth consecutive year, most new multifamily units were in buildings with 50 or more units (labeled as high-density buildings) at 57%, the highest share since 2021.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jul 28, 2026

How a Home Purchase Boosts Consumer Spending

The housing market has changed greatly since the COVID-19 pandemic, along with consumer spending behaviors. During this period, housing demand surged, home prices appreciated rapidly, inflation increased, supply-chain disruptions happened, and mortgage rates moved from historic lows to elevated levels.

Economics

Jul 28, 2026

Median Lot Value Stabilizes as Regional Trends Diverge

Following a multi-year run of record highs, the national median lot value for single-family detached spec homes largely stabilized in 2025. According to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), the U.S. median lot value for homes started in 2025 was $59,000, compared with $60,000 a year earlier.

Economics

Jul 27, 2026

Share of Apartments Built in Buildings with 50+ Units Moves Higher in 2025

Following the highest number of multifamily completions in nearly 40 years in 2024, completions declined in 2025 to 484,000, according to NAHB analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction. For the ninth consecutive year, a majority of new multifamily units were in buildings with 50 or more units (labeled as high-density buildings) at 57%, the highest share since 2021.