Throughout the years, Housing First Minnesota has built up a distinguished awards program as a way to honor and celebrate the talents and industry contributions of our association members. With categories for builders, remodelers, designers, and leaders—there are awards for a wide range of recognitions. Awarded each year at the Building Industry Gala (BIG) Night, Housing First Minnesota awards are given to the best and brightest in the industry.
Members look forward to the awards ceremony each year, finding excitement in being recognized amongst the industry’s top businesses.
“It’s humbling to be standing amongst a lot of really talented, successful people.”
Amy Hendel of Hendel Homes, 2022 Builder of the Year
“It’s fantastic to be recognized by the association and everyone in the association—I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
Bill Gschwind of Minnesota Construction Law Services, 2022 Associate of the Year
“There’s a lot of great companies, great groups, great craftsmen that are in the room and apart of the industry—to be a part of the list is just awesome.”
John Daly of Revision, LLC, 2022 Remodeler of the Year
These awards recognize the whole of the industry. We understand that our builders, remodelers, and associates put in so much hard work through the year, and these awards are our way of recognizing and thanking them all for that work.
A Brief History
The idea for building industry awards arose in 1958, with the first ever Registered Builder awards. The awards were split into three housing price categories: under $15,000, between $15,000-$25,000, and over $25,000. With one winner in each category, three builders were awarded “striking bronze statuettes on walnut bases, suitably engraved” — the forerunners of today’s Reggie awards.
The Registered Builder award was a one-time event until 1967, when the Parade of Homes decided to revive an annual builder award program. Through the years, the Reggie award has become one of the most sought-after awards within the housing industry. It is the foundation of the Housing First Minnesota Awards and the reason they are what they are today. As more builders joined the association and the Parade of Homes grew, new awards in different categories were added. These included the Trillium Awards in 1990, the Roma Awards in 1994, and the Robert L. Hanson Service Award in 2006.
Our Awards
Reggie Awards
The original Reggie Awards started it all. Honoring excellence in design, construction quality, and value, these awards recognize builders who are the best in their class. During each Parade of Homes event, a judging team of builders and remodelers will tour the homes and select the best in each price category. Reggie winners create homes that are the epitome of style, functionality, and beauty.
ROMA Awards
The Remodeler of Merit Awards (ROMAs) honor our remodeler members for their work in design and high-quality remodeling projects. These awards are split into different categories such as bedroom, bath, kitchen, and whole-house remodel. Each year, projects in the Remodelers Showcase are judged based on their creativity, unique challenges in the remodel, and their ability to meet the needs and desires of the homeowners.
Trillium Awards
The Trillium Awards were established to honor our associates for their partnership with builders and remodelers. As Reggie-winning homes and ROMA-winning projects are judged the very best, the Trillium Awards are given to all entered participating associates in a ROMA-winning project or a Reggie-winning home.
Builder, Remodeler, and Associate of the Year Awards
Each year, these awards are given to one builder, one remodeler, and one associate who show the highest levels of engagement, trade partner satisfaction, community service, and customer service. Members are nominated by their peers for showcasing exceptional qualities of trust, communication, loyalty, ethics—and going above and beyond for their partners.
Legislator of the Year Award
Housing First Minnesota’s Legislator of the Year Award is given to members of the Minnesota Legislature who have championed the advancement of our policy agenda and legislative priorities. These legislators work closely with Housing First Minnesota to introduce or support legislation or amendments that advance our legislative goals. Without these legislators, Housing First Minnesota could not continue to advocate for Minnesotans in need of housing.
Advocate of the Year Award
The Advocate of the Year Award recognizes members who have made major contributions in support of Housing First Minnesota’s advocacy mission and platform, complementing Housing First Minnesota’s mission to help “our members build their businesses through marketing, advocacy, and industry connections.” Advocacy is an important part of what we do at Housing First Minnesota, and we thank all those who help us reach this goal.
Rising Star Award
This award honors emerging leaders within Housing First Minnesota’s ranks. Rising Stars are at the beginning of their building industry career and exemplify leadership qualities, showing a dedication to activities that build industry relationships and promote professional development. We know that these young individuals will continue to achieve great things in the housing industry.
MN Green Path Leadership Award
The MN Green Path Leadership Award is given to a recipient that inspires us with their innovation, passion, and commitment to building energy-efficient and sustainable homes. These are leaders who look forward to the future, making a commitment both to the housing industry and to Twin Cities homeowners.
Bennie Awards
The Bennie Award recognizes excellence in neighborhood design and construction. Judging criteria used to determine the winner includes aesthetic appeal, land plan, retention of natural features, amenities, neighborhood structures as well as street layout. Neighborhoods are a vital part of choosing a home, which is why we recognize those who craft beautiful neighborhoods for Minnesota residents.
Robert L. Hanson Lifetime Achievement Award
Robert L. Hanson winners have shown dedication and commitment to the housing industry for decades. These individuals have made a lasting contribution to the industry, exhibited leadership, and provided inspiration for those around them. The Robert L. Hanson Lifetime Achievement Award is our way of honoring and thanking them for their years of service to the housing industry.
Building Housing First Award
As an industry, we are stronger when we work together to grow our association. The Building Housing First Minnesota Award recognizes the member who has recruited the greatest number of new members for Housing First Minnesota in the past calendar year.
Come and Gone
As times change and our industry evolves, so does our awards program! Several awards have been tried and phased out through the years. One such award category was the sales and marketing awards, which included Best Website and Best Brochure. Another discontinued category was the People’s Choice category, where tour-goers on the Parade of Homes voted for their personal favorite.
The BIG Night
It’s the biggest night of the year in the housing industry! The Building Industry Gala (BIG) Night is a memorable night for Twin Cities builders, remodelers, and associates to celebrate with industry peers and make new connections within the industry. We roll out the red carpet and everyone comes dressed in their finest, ready to enjoy delicious food and delightful people.
But even more than that, the BIG Night is when we set aside time to give out the year’s Housing First Minnesota Awards and honor the new recipients who have put in such hard work throughout the year. We recognize these honored recipients in front of the whole Twin Cities housing industry in this one important evening. Register for the 2023 BIG Night >>
