Thomas Herndon, left, and brother Michael are co-owners
of Herndon Construction Inc. of Kingston. With them are
wives Roma, left, and Karen. Michael was installed Jan.
7, 2011, as president of the Oklahoma State Home
Builders Association.
The Oklahoma Home Builders Association selected Michael Herndon as president, the first president from southern Oklahoma to lead the state's homebuilders.
Herndon was installed Friday, Jan. 7, 2011 in Oklahoma City with 16 of his friends and relatives from Southern Oklahoma present.
With 120 people present, the banquet attendance was up over last year, indicating the homebuilding business in the state remains on course despite the national economy.
"Homebuilding is the largest creator of jobs and wealth in the country," said Herndon in his remarks to the group. "It's my belief that the temporary slowdown will leave a leaner and more efficient economy, and the state will understand the homebuilding industry better."
The Kingston resident is co-owner of Herndon Construction with brother Tom and enters his fourth year of leadership on the state board. Herndon represents his 2,800 peers in the statewide.
Herndon was a six-time president of Southern Oklahoma Home Builders Association, which serves the Ardmore area and is under the umbrella of the state association.
He also is among an estimated 150 in the state as a Certified Builder, one of only two Certified Builders in Southern Oklahoma. The other is current southern association president Shane Ross of Ardmore.
Herndon has been an advocate of the certification program for several years as chairman of the state committee.
The Certified Builder program ensures the consumers' interests are protected in a state that does not require licensing of builders. That means the homebuilder carries general liability and workers compensation insurance and has taken the required continuing education classes, among other stringent requirements.
As one of two Certified Green Professional builders in Southern Oklahoma, Herndon also built the first EnergyStar home and the first Positive Energy home in Marshall County.
Last year, Herndon Construction was named the Large Business of the Year by the Marshall County Chamber of Commerce. Being a local employer and community partner is important to Herndon, as he also is a board member on the Landmark Bank, an elder in his church and is active in the chamber.
Other than Herndon, new officers are vice president/treasurer Brandon Perkins of Tulsa and vice president/secretary is Jeff Click of Edmond.
The Oklahoma State Home Builders Association is a not-for-profit, professional trade organization which is an advocate for the state's housing industry and serves 3,300 members. The association is a corporate channel through which builders contribute time, money and services to local community service projects and education initiatives.
Members include builders, remodelers, developers, suppliers, manufacturers, architects, engineers, real estate brokers, lenders, attorneys and other industry professionals.
For more information about OSHBA or a listing of Certified Builders, go to www.okhba.org. For the Southern Association, contact www.sokba.org.
