Celebrations from the FieldCelebrate Takes Green Honors!
On May 8, 2009 the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) awarded the Pulte Homes Mid Atlantic Division with the 2009 Green Project of the Year - Production Single Family for Celebrate by Del Webb.
Craig Collin and Steve Denyer accepted the award during the 11th Annual National Green Building Conference which was held in Dallas, Texas. There was an increase in project submissions by 20% from last year, so the competition was well represented. The awards honor the best in green residential design and outstanding advocacy efforts.
Celebrate by Del Webb, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, has included numerous green features and components as part of the standard build process. All homes are certified under ENERGY STAR® in addition to certification under the NAHB Green Building Program. Celebrate is also the largest application of Low Impact Development in Virginia.
Big Mountains & Big Canyons: SoCal's Operating Team Conquers Both
The Southern California Operating Committee is big on team-building, and their latest adventures prove that big adventures bring big rewards!
On a chilly October morning in 2008, they set off to conquer California’s Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the continental United States at 14,497 feet. The adventure began well before sunrise, and 16 hours later, the team had traversed 22 miles and experienced 12,000+ feet of vertical gain/loss. The guide books warn that a one day attempt can be quite grueling, but that didn’t stop them. Led by experienced climbers Ryan Shea and David Meyers, the other ops team members -- Chris Haines, Chris Edgar, Darren Warren, John Drew, Sara Near, and Tom Cavanaugh -- faced the challenge as a team.
They camped under the stars the night before the summit attempt. After an early wake-up call, backpacks and headlamps were in place by 3:30 am, and the team was off on their adventure. They were protected by the dark blanket of night for many miles, as it would be several hours before the sun awoke and revealed the mountain’s stunning beauty and awe-inspiring grandeur.
As the day wore on, everyone felt the extreme physical challenge slowly wearing on them. Backpacks that had felt so light the night before now pulled them toward the earth like an anvil. The air was getting thinner and thinner with each step, and freezing wind whipped at their faces and chilled them to the bone. As they reached 10,000 feet and beyond, the altitude presented quite a challenge for head and lungs alike. Slight cases of nausea touched everyone. Nevertheless, the team was committed to sticking together and taking things one step at a time. They slowed the pace to allow for steady progress, stopped often to refuel with snacks and filter fresh water, took turns carrying each others’ packs when shoulders needed a break, and reminded each other that they would stand on the summit together, no matter what it took.
And at 1 pm on October 9, 2008, their dream was realized as they stood at 14,497 feet and marveled at the climb they had just completed. Standing atop that mountain served as a metaphor for so many experiences, but mostly, it allowed for deep reflection on everything they had been through as a team. It was a thrilling moment that none will soon forget. All the preparation and pain had been worth it. They realized that there were truly no limits to what they could accomplish together, whether it be in a conference room or on the crest of a mountain. They still had a long trip back down the mountain, but nothing could dampen their spirits.
Realizing the transformative effects of such a team-building event, it wasn’t long after returning home that Division President Chris Haines was already planning the team’s next adventure.
Considering that they’d reached the highest peak in the United States, it only made sense that they should explore one of its deepest valleys. And with that, the Grand Canyon trip was on the books for May 2009.
The mission was familiar. A one day assault of the mighty canyon, consisting of a trip to the Colorado River and back, was carefully mapped out. It would require 17 miles, 9000 feet of vertical gain/loss, and temperatures in excess of 100 degrees.
Once again, the team camped the night before their adventure began. Dawn came early, and they hit Kaibab Trail well in advance of the heat that was to come. As the day progressed and the sun bore down, the team worked together for more than 12 hours to endure and overcome extremely challenging obstacles. Once again, packs were carried by the least exhausted, food and water were shared willingly, frequent stops were made to cool off and recharge, and with each step, the team’s resolve strengthened. Sheer will and determination were on display just as they had been at Mt. Whitney, and everyone realized how meaningful it was that the team had chosen to conquer another extreme adventure together. Virtually all boundaries had been erased, and they knew there was nothing they couldn’t accomplish once they set their collective minds to it.
Led once again by experienced climber David Meyers, the team of Chris Haines, Chris Edgar, Darren Warren, Graham McDaniel, John Drew, JP Ackerman, Luanne Whittaker, Mark Kaushagen, Sara Near, Scott Pasternak, and Tom Cavanaugh emerged from Bright Angel Trail just as the sun was beginning its slow descent in the great big Arizona sky. And as they stood in silence and scanned the vast horizon that lay before them, they wondered, what was next?
Cory Garcia's Presidential Commencement
Cory Garcia, Phoenix East Division construction superintendent, had the experience of a lifetime on May 13, 2009 when he not only received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Design from Arizona State University, but also had a great vantage point from his seat at ASU’s Sun Devil Stadium to witness President Barack Obama’s stirring and captivating commencement speech.
It was very hot in Arizona that night, unusual for a May evening, but that didn’t stop the graduates from enjoying every moment of this awesome experience.
President Obama spoke about what young Americans face in today’s economy as not only a challenge but a privilege, because it is moments like these that make us try harder and dig deeper to find gifts we never knew we had. According to his message, we need to find the greatness that lies within each of us without shying away from that endeavor.
He brought laughter to the fact that ASU's President said Obama has not achieved enough in his lifetime to receive an Honorary Degree, saying “that no matter how much you’ve done, or how successful you’ve been, there’s always more to do, always more to learn and always more to achieve."
Having a sitting President of the United States of America give the commencement speech at your graduation is an honor…to have him stay for the entire event witnessing the young women and men, including Cory, receive their degrees is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives!
Congratulations to Cory (pictured with his father) and the ASU Class of 2009….and GO SPARKY!
Jay Thompson spoke at the Associated Schools of Construction Conference
For the last 5 years, Pulte has been a sponsor of the Associated Schools of Construction Conference. As a major sponsor, Pulte has always supported the conference by providing a speaker for the keynote presentation. This year’s conference was held in conjunction with the Rinker School of Construction at The University of Florida and Jay Thompson, Pulte’s North Florida Division President, was our keynote speaker with his presentation focused on understanding the Active Adult buyer. Jay’s presentation was outstanding and a real crowd pleaser! The audience was very engaged and had lots of questions for Jay after the presentation. Overall, it was a great representation of Pulte!
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