Empowering Future Tradespeople: DEWALT® Equips Graduates at Home Builders Institute’s BuildStrong Academies

On Friday, July 26, 2024, the Home Builders Institute (HBI) celebrated the graduation of its students from several BuildStrong Academies, including the summer electrical students in Orlando. The Academies, known for offering tuition-free construction trades training, saw their graduates take a significant step towards their careers with special ceremonies held simultaneously across multiple locations.

The highlight of the events was DEWALT’s generous contribution. As part of their ongoing commitment to support the skilled trades, DEWALT, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, provided each graduate with essential tool kits. These tools, handed over personally by DEWALT representatives at each location, aim to help the new tradespeople overcome the high initial cost of tools—a barrier identified by 78% of Orlando-based tradespeople in the DEWALT Tool Talk Survey.

The ceremonies were a testament to the fruitful partnership between DEWALT and HBI. DEWALT’s $30 million commitment over five years to close the skilled trades gap in the U.S. aligns perfectly with HBI’s mission to offer industry-recognized skills training and job placement support.

Celebrating Success

The graduates, equipped with practical skills from hands-on learning, classroom teaching, and real-life experience, were visibly excited and grateful. The tools received will undoubtedly help them jumpstart their careers, offering a much-needed boost as they enter the workforce.

Highlights from the Ceremonies

  • Representatives from DEWALT/Stanley Black & Decker were on hand at each location to present the tool kits.
  • HBI Leadership spoke on the importance of this milestone and the opportunities ahead.
  • Graduates mostly talked about the amazing experience they had at the academy and their readiness to start their new careers.

The events were more than just graduations; they were launchpads for the future of these skilled tradespeople. The atmosphere was filled with optimism and pride as families and friends joined in the celebrations.

VIEW PHOTO GALLERY

Continuing the Mission

These graduation ceremonies underscore the critical role that organizations like DEWALT and HBI play in addressing the skilled labor shortage. Their collaborative efforts not only provide the necessary tools but also the confidence and support for new graduates to thrive in their careers.

For those who missed the events, photos and highlights can be found on our website and social media channels. We invite everyone to share in the joy and success of our graduates and to learn more about the impactful work being done at the BuildStrong Academies.

For more information about DEWALT’s Grow the Trades initiative, visit: www.dewalt.com/growthetrades

For more information about HBI’s BuildStrong Academy, visit: hbi.org

Stay connected for more updates and success stories from our graduates!

Leave a Reply

Contacts Us

Name
Address
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
MARIO GONZALEZ
Vice President of Workforce Training & Employment
Mario joined HBI as a Regional Career Development Coordinator of HBI’s Military Services in 2019 and was promoted to Associate Vice President of WTE Community & Corrections Programs in 2022.
 
Now serving as Vice president of WTE (2024), he oversees the daily operations of HBI’s WTE Community & Corrections, Military Services, & Academies programs, working with partners to advance HBI’s expansion and enhance job placement opportunities for graduates. Mario serves as the liaison between HBI and external stakeholders to include military installations. He ensures successful outcomes for HBI graduates from transitioning service members & veterans to justice involved adults & youths. Internally, he provides strategic operational perspective to HBI’s senior leadership team.
 
Prior to joining HBI, Mario served for 21 years in the U.S. Army across multiple locations globally & nationally and has an MBA from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN.
 
Mario resides in Tennessee with his wife and children and spends time in Texas where his mother, adult children, and grandchildren reside. He enjoys the outdoors and serving in his community. 
JOSEPH F. LANDERS
Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts

Joseph F. Landers, 71, is the Executive Officer of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Massachusetts having assumed that role in 2018 with a mandate from the Board of Directors to harmonize the five MA local associations, increase communications from the state to the membership, increase the public profile of the association, create a path to financial stability and elevate the states lobbying efforts. Prior to taking on the challenging state association role, Joe was Chief Executive Officer and founder of Customized Structures Inc., a custom manufacturer of single-family, multi-family and commercial modular and panelized structures which began operations in 1984. Joe has been involved in the building industry, both site-built and factory-built, since 1973 and has worked in all phases of construction from development through design and production including on site management and sales. Customized Structures produced on average 330 single family homes per year, had an employee base as high as 180 and was known as the innovator in the production and design of modular components.

 

After the sale of Customized Structures Inc. to a private equity firm in 2003 Joe remained on the Board of Directors of the Company and functioned as a consultant to the CEO. He further took on the role of helping failing building systems companies return to profitability and successfully oversaw the sale of those companies. Mr. Landers has lectured frequently on the benefits and utilization of systems-built construction to building professionals around the country and has utilized his substantial professional and industry background to provide consultation services to both national and foreign companies interested in the processes and pitfalls of building and developing utilizing building systems components.

Joe attended Northeastern University and St. Anselm’s College graduating with a B.S. in 1972. 

Joe has been a member of the National Association of Home Builders since 1974. He is past president of two local Home Builders Associations and has served two terms as President of the  State of NH Home Builders Association. Joe is also a past president of the Modular Building  Systems Council of the NAHB, has been Chairman of the National Building Systems Council (BSC)  and has served five terms as a Trustee of the BSC during which time he created the BSC logo and  wrote the brochure “Most Frequently Asked Questions about Modular Homes”. 

In 1989, Joe received the National Pacesetter Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership  and contribution to the housing industry and in 1991 was awarded the title of Builder of the Year  by the Home Builders Association of N.H. In 1992 he was appointed by the Governor to the NH  Board of Fire Control within the Department of Safety and since then was reappointed three times.  He has served as a member on the State of New Hampshire Building Code Review Board and was  appointed by the Governor of NH to the Shore Land Protection Commission. Joe was selected to  receive the 2000 S. A. Walters Chairman’s Award, the premier award in the U.S. Systems Built  Housing Industry and was installed to the New Hampshire Housing Hall of Fame for his significant  and lasting contributions to the housing industry in the State of New Hampshire.  

Joe is a Senior Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders; he is served six terms on the NAHB Budget & Finance Committee serving as Vice Chair for four of those years, he has served  as Chairman of the Resolutions Committee, the International Housing Committee and the Building  Products Issues Committee of NAHB serving on the NAHB Executive Committee multiple times. 

In 2001 Joe was elected an Area Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders  representing builders through out the northeast. 

Joe is active in his community having served as finance chairmen of his church, is a member of the  International Order of Odd Fellows, and has served on multiple boards and committees on a  volunteer basis.  

Joe and his wife, Denise, reside in Plymouth, MA, they have two children, Jessica and Brad and two  grandchildren, Lily and Jack ages 13 and 11.

Seth Appleton
President of U.S. Mortgage Insurers

The Honorable Seth Appleton is President of U.S. Mortgage Insurers. In this role, he leads USMI’s efforts to enable sustainable access to affordable mortgage credit for borrowers while protecting taxpayers. Seth previously served as President of MISMO, the real estate finance industry’s standards organization. Prior to that, Seth served as the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
a position for which he was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. In addition to his service as Assistant Secretary, Seth concurrently served as the Principal Executive Vice President of Ginnie Mae, a government corporation guaranteeing the timely payment of
principal and interest on more than $2 trillion in mortgage-backed securities.


Before joining HUD, Seth worked on Capitol Hill, including serving as Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer for more than eight years. A native of Missouri, Seth is a graduate of Stanford University and is a co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Housing Council.

Zach Harris Story Card - HBI Build Strong Academy New Orleans Graduate