Mar 31 2005
Clayton Homes CEO and President Kevin Clayton took home the Manufactured Housing Institute's (MHI) 2005 Industry Person of the Year honor at the National Industry Awards of the National Congress & Expo for Manufactured and Modular Housing in Las Vegas.
Clayton Homes also won MHI's Manufacturer of the Year for an unprecedented sixth consecutive year and received four other prestigious awards. For the first time, three of its retail company's sales locations were named MHI Retail Sales Centers of the Year and the company received an MHI award for the innovative design of its manufacturing company's Bayview single-section home.
MHI's National Industry Awards recognize the top achievers from all sectors of the manufactured housing industry - communities, retailers, suppliers, lenders, manufacturers, developers and state associations.
"This recognition is a direct reflection of the people I am honored to work with daily. We search for results-oriented team members and share in the rewards. It makes coming to work exciting every day," Clayton said. "This award, and the others we are fortunate to receive, merely speaks to the capability of our team and what we can accomplish working together."
Clayton referred to the MHI honors not as a culmination of the company's efforts, but "the beginning of a re-energized focus to continue providing high value, affordable housing."
Clayton Homes Chief Financial Officer John Kalec said, "Kevin gets people working together and never misses the details. He listens, digests the details, and has the ability to understand the global impact of decisions. Kevin never over manages; allowing each of us to grow and continue to contribute to the strength of the team."
Clayton was only seven years old when he first made the Clayton Homes payroll. After school for 75 cents an hour, he would help his father, Clayton Homes founder Jim Clayton, set up and refurbish manufactured housing as the company opened new sales centers. After graduating from James Madison University with a degree in finance and receiving an MBA from the University of Tennessee, he worked and learned in each of the company's five main business divisions before becoming CEO in June 1999.
In August 2003, Clayton was key to promoting and closing the sale of Clayton Homes to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. for approximately $1.7 billion. As a driving force to stabilize the manufactured housing industry, he coordinated the effort to purchase Oakwood Homes in April 2004, and separately acquired more than $6 billion in manufactured housing loan portfolios; positioning Clayton Homes as the largest homebuilder and largest manufactured housing lender in America.
In his annual Chairman's Letter to shareholders, Buffett pointed out that since the purchase, Clayton Homes' work force has increased from 7,000 employees to nearly 12,000 and pre-tax earnings for 2004 were $220 million. Clayton pointed out that the entire manufactured housing industry is benefiting from the strength that Berkshire Hathaway brings to it.
Clayton Homes' ongoing stability and profitability are some of the criteria that positioned the company to receive its sixth consecutive MHI Manufacturer of the Year honor. Product quality, innovation, customer service, community involvement, industry participation and personnel development are other deciding factors taken into account when MHI selects its top manufacturer.
"Clayton Homes has been recognized by its peers as the manufacturer of the year for 2005 because the company is setting the pace for the rest of the manufactured housing industry," stated Chris Stinebert, president of the Manufactured Housing Institute. "The company's vision, dedication to quality, and commitment to its customers are the distinguishing characteristics of this award-winning company. By adhering to these key principles, Clayton Homes is demonstrating how the manufactured housing industry can build a positive, robust future for itself."
"Manufacturer of the Year was earned by our entire team, including independent dealers, our own retail centers and communities who buy our product, and our finance. We work hard, every day, to make it possible for deserving people to secure the American dream. Everyone is dedicated to the idea of continuous improvement, making this sixth consecutive award possible. We strive to do better every day, but it only works well when it all works together," said Rick Strachan, executive vice president of Clayton Homes and president of Clayton Homes manufacturing company, CMH Manufacturing, Inc.
Tom Brenner, regional manager for Clayton Homes' retail company, CMH Homes, Inc., accepted the Retail Sales Center of the Year award, which the company won in three of the four national regions. An independent panel of representatives from the planning, community development, lending, real estate and homebuilding professions chose Clayton Homes based on the company's sound management philosophy, retail center aesthetics, marketing materials, and community and industry involvement.
These retail sales centers were each recognized by MHI as Retailer of the Year in their respective regions:
- Clayton Homes, Sacramento, Calif.; Carl Youngdahl, manager
- LUV Homes, Gonzales, La.; Kevin Gregoire, manager
- Clayton Homes, Ridgeway, Va.; Donnie Pritt, manager
David Booth, executive vice president of Clayton Homes and president of Clayton's retail company, CMH Homes, Inc. said, "In recent efforts, we have concentrated on improving the appearance of our properties, while making sure the team members our customers meet are well-trained and knowledgeable; however, excellent customer service is the key to our success. I am extremely proud of these stores. They are great representatives of the more than 390 retail stores nationwide."
Clayton received the MHI Design award for the Bayview home, built in the Savannah, Tenn. facility of its manufacturing company, CMH Manufacturing, Inc., as the best design in the category of Production Single-Section Manufactured Home. The award is given for excellence in design and engineering, innovation and production and is judged by an independent panel of architects and building professionals.
"I am extremely proud of what we have done and energized by what we have yet to accomplish in our industry," Clayton said. "Clayton Homes' philosophies, strategies and actions have served us well and will continue to provide the framework for our success in providing the best, affordable housing on the market."
MHI is the national trade organization representing all segments of the manufactured and modular housing industries including manufacturers, retailers, community owners, suppliers, financial institutions, state associations and developers.
Clayton Homes, Inc. and its subsidiaries (http://www.clayton.net) make up a vertically integrated manufactured housing company with 32 manufacturing plants, 390 company-owned stores, more than 1,400 independent retailers, 89 manufactured housing communities, and financial services operations that provide mortgage services for more than 400,000 customers and insurance protection for 135,000 families.