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

Leadership Development

Dec 08, 2025

A New Chapter Set to Begin for NAHB’s Leadership Academy as Applications Open

What began as a simple concept two years ago has quickly become one of NAHB’s most impactful programs. The NAHB Leadership Academy is accepting applications for its 2026 cohort.

Awards | Publications

Dec 05, 2025

NAHB Members Recognized as ‘Young Guns & Legends’ by Industry’s Top Media

Pro Builder magazine recently released its Class of 2025 “Young Guns & Legends” list that honors up-and-coming leaders and a collection of legends who have made career contributions to the housing industry.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Dec 08, 2025

Community Associations: A Growing Trend in 2024

In 2024, 65.7% of all new single-family homes started were built within a community or homeowner’s association. This share increased from the 64.8% recorded in 2023, according to data tabulated from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC).

Economics

Dec 05, 2025

Mortgage Rates Continue to Trend Lower in November

The average mortgage rate in November continued to trend lower to its lowest level in over a year. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.24% in November, 2 basis points (bps) lower than in October. Meanwhile, the 15-year rate increased 3 bps to 5.51%.

Economics

Dec 04, 2025

Number of Bathrooms in New Single-Family Homes in 2024

Single-family homes started in 2024 typically had two full bathrooms, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Construction. Homes with three full bathrooms continued to have the second largest share of starts at around 23%. Meanwhile, both homes with four full bathrooms or more and homes with one bathroom or less made up under ten percent of homes started.