Business Briefs: NAHB

Summer 2009
Industry News

Business Briefs: NAHB

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center has named Michelle Desiderio director of Green Building Programs. Desiderio’s green home building expertise has been fostered over her 15 years in the housing industry, including previous positions at the NAHB, Fannie Mae and the National Capital Planning Commission. “We are excited to add Michelle to our green building team,” said Michael Luzier, NAHB Research Center president. “She is a seasoned industry professional with a wealth of experience in the environmental arena. She is exactly the right person to have at the helm of our National Green Building Certification program, especially now as so many new opportunities have been created for builder, remodeler, developer and manufacturer participation with the ANSI approval earlier this year of the National Green Building Standard.” MD

Elevating Masonry: Old Habits, Familiar Tools, and the Real Reason Masonry Contractors Aren’t Making the Switch

May 2026

Ask a masonry contractor how they run their jobsite, and the answer probably sounds familiar: paper logs, a flurry of texts, maybe a shared email thread. It works until it doesn’t. And yet, even as purpose-built field management software has become more a

Erin Koets

MAP Partner

The Cornerstone of Craftsmanship: Nurturing Masonry Talent Through Competition

May 2026

In the evolving landscape of skilled trades, masonry stands as a testament to enduring craftsmanship and dedication. Yet, the question of how to cultivate and showcase this vital expertise remains paramount. While the bright lights of national competition

Robert Melgaard

Resources

There’s the Typical Way to Brace a Wall. And Then There’s a Better Way.

May 2026

Wall bracing is one of the most important safety considerations on any masonry jobsite, yet it is often treated as a task that happens after the wall is built. Crews return, equipment is brought in, and time is set aside to secure walls that have already

Abigail Spung

MAP Partner

Remembering Harry McGraw

May 2026

The masonry industry has lost one of its great teachers and craftsmen with the passing of Harry Edward McGraw, who died April 26, 2026, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 93.

Dan Kamys

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