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University of Housing Honors Five Designees of the Year
Five housing professionals were honored by The NAHB University of Housing as Designees of the Year at the 2009 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas for elevating the image of designations and housing professionals in their communities.
The designees honored included:
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 Esther Greenhouse — 2008 Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) of the Year
Greenhouse is an environmental gerontologist — a professional who specializes in how the built environment affects the functioning and well-being of older adults. A former interior designer, Greenhouse has worked as a researcher and lecturer at Cornell University and has taught design studios that focus on accessibility, universal design, design for seniors and design for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dedicated to enabling seniors to successfully age in place, she currently teaches CAPS classes. Greenhouse also recently consulted on the nation’s first elder-focused emergency department, and conducts seminars on aging in place.
She is a member of the New York State Builders Association, the Gerontological Society of America, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and the Environmental Design and Research Association (EDRA).
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 Scott Schlager — 2008 Certified Graduate Associate (CGA) of the Year
Schlager, of Pollard Windows in Cheektowaga, N.Y., currently serves the New York State Builders Association as an associate vice president and previously held the positions of board director and membership committee chair for the Buffalo Niagara Builders Association, where he was awarded associate of the year.
Schlager was the first person to receive the CGA designation in the state of New York. He also holds a Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation.
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 Robert Birner — 2008 Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) of the Year
Birner is vice president and general manager of Amazing Siding Corp. He is a past president of and NAHB national director for the Greater Houston Builders Association. He is currently a member of the NAHB Board of Directors and chair and trustee of the NAHB Remodelers, where he is also a member of the editorial review board.
Birner has appeared on the television show “Your House and Home,” has been featured in a number of trade publications and has several years experience in home-improvement radio. He also holds a CAPS designation.
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 Phil Calinda — 2008 Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) of the Year
Calinda is vice president of the custom and renovation division of Millennium Homes in Livingston, N.J. He serves on the NAHB Business Associate, Education and Membership committees and has received an Award of Excellence – Best Builder Single-Family Home three years in a row.
He serves the New Jersey Builders Association as a Resolutions and Bylaws Committee member and has won the state HBA’s Sales and Marketing Award for best custom home of the year in 2008. At the local level he is chairman of the education committee, co-chair of the remodelers committee, and sits on the commercial committee and was awarded best custom home of the year in 2008. He also holds CAPS, CGP, CGR, and GMB designations.
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 Sergio Grado — 2008 Graduate Master Builder (GMB) of the Year
Grado, a second generation builder, is the owner of Gradco Structures & Homes in Woodlands, Texas. He is a member of the Greater Houston Builders Association, Texas Association of Builders, Greater Houston Remodelers Association and the Custom Home Builders Association of Houston.
He has recently been invited to join the editorial board of “El Nuevo Constructor,” a publication for Hispanic builders throughout the country He also holds CAPS, CGB, CGP and CGR designations.
“The education and designation programs at NAHB strive to improve professionalism and innovation in the home building and remodeling industries,” said Mary Schroeder, CGB, CGP, of Miller Homes, Inc. in Brookfield, Wis. and 2009 chair of the CGB Board of Governors. “These five individuals fully embrace these ideals and stand out as leading professionals in their fields, incorporating innovative practices and techniques, which ultimately benefits their customers and shines a positive light on our industry.”
Winners were selected by the Certified Graduate Builder Board of Governors for successfully promoting their professional designations to consumers and members through innovative techniques, elevating the image of the designation in their community through charitable work or community projects, and in mentoring activities that focused on helping others start or complete a professional designation.
The NAHB University of Housing offers 16 professional designation programs on topics ranging from green building and remodeling to sales and affordable housing to help those in the housing industry advance their professionalism and business knowledge.
For more information, call The NAHB University of Housing Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154.
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