The St. Tammany/Washington parishes Home Builders Association installed its 2008-2009 Board of Directors and Associate Council recently.

John Barry of Velvet Pines Developers was named as the new President. He has been in the construction industry for over 20 years and has experience from all over the globe, including New York City, where he was born and raised, and Pare-Pare, Indonesia.

He has lived in Covington for eight years with his wife Sandy and their two children. Barry loves getting his hands dirty on any project that comes along and believes that to truly know what is going on in your community, you have to get involved. Also elected to the Board of Directors for 2008-2009 are: Ron Lee of Ron Lee Homes, vice president; Jenny Goodrow of NOLA Lending Group, treasurer; Kenneth Adams Jr. of Integrity Builders, Inc., secretary; and Clifton Siverd of Southern Trace Investments, Inc., immediate past president. Directors elected include John Bruhl, Dennis Dobson, Cindy Duracher, Kenny Elliott, Silvio Fernandez, Michael Gabriel, David Gaspard, Robert Hurley, Jeff Lassere, Mitch Ripoll and Darwin Sharp. Officers of the St. Tammany and Washington parishes HBA are elected by voting members of the organization at a special election meeting.

The awards for Builder and Associate of the Year were also announced at the event.

John Bruhl was named Associate of the Year. He has been an active member of the Home Builders Association for 16 years and has been on the Associate Council for eight years. He served as Associate Council Chairman for 2007-2008 and on the Board of Directors for three years. He has chaired, co-chaired or worked on many Home Builders committees, including PAC, Home Show, Fishing Tournament, Golf Tournament, Raffle House and the 2008 Legislative Bus Trip. Bruhl has been in the banking industry for 29 years and with Citizens Savings Bank for two years.

Clif Siverd was named Builder of the Year. He has been a member of the HBA since 1990 and has served on the Board of Directors for the past five years, including serving as president for 2007-2008. He is a New Orleans native and has been building homes since 1974. His building experience includes both residential and commercial in addition to owning an Asbestos removal company for many years. Siverd has concentrated on residential building on the Northshore since 1990. He has three children, three stepchildren and 10 grandchildren.

For more information on the St. Tammany/ Washington Parish HBA, call 882-5002.