Leadership

Don Thieneman, President

Don is the owner of Thieneman Group in Floyds Knobs. He served as a two-term President of the Building and Development Association of Southern Indiana and has over 30-years of building experience.

Brett Harter, Vice President

Brett is the President of Freeman & Harter Custom Homes in Leesburg. He is a two-term President of the Builders Association Kosciusko-Fulton Counties and a successful builder and remodeler with over 25 years of experience.

Jeff Thomas, Treasurer

Jeff joined the land development business in 1990. He has originated numerous subdivisions and manages the entire planning process from concept to completion working with city leaders, builders and contractors to create affordable, family oriented and beautifully landscaped environments to call home. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Finance and Marketing from Butler University.

Paul Schwinghammer, Secretary

Paul is president and owner of Hallmark Homes, Inc., specializing in on-your-lot custom homes throughout Indiana. He has served multiple terms as president of the Madison County Builders Association and has 35 years experience in the housing industry. He is a graduate of Ball State University.

Rick Wajda, Chief Executive Officer

rick@buildindiana.org
(800) 377-6334 ext. 204

Rick Wajda is the CEO for the Indiana Builders Association, a trade association representing over 3,000 member companies across the state. The Indiana Builders Association is the state affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, based in Washington, DC.  Rick joined the Indiana Builders Association for the second time in 2005 after a two year stint as the Associate Director of the Indiana Petroleum Council and Ohio Petroleum Council, trade organizations that represent the major oil companies with assets in Indiana & Ohio.  As the IBA’s chief lobbyist, Rick works with members of the Indiana General Assembly and Indiana’s regulatory agencies to insure housing affordability is taken into consideration when policy makers craft laws and regulations for Indiana’s citizens. Rick is also the Chairman of the Association to Build a Better Indiana, IBA’s political action committee and serves as a spokesperson for the industry on housing related issues.  Rick previously worked for the Indiana Builders Association for six years as the Association Services Director and Governmental Affairs Director.  Mr. Wajda is a past President of the Governmental Affairs Society of Indiana and currently serves on the Board for Habitat for Humanity of Indiana.  Rick is a graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing.

Carlie Hopper, Governmental Affairs Director

carlie@buildindiana.org
(800) 377-6334 ext. 206

Carlie Hopper started with the association in 1999 after graduating from Indiana State University where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science. She served as Member Services Director then transitioned to Regulatory Affairs Director in 2008 and moved into the Governmental Affairs role in 2016. As Governmental Affairs Director, she will be responsible for working with members of the Indiana General Assembly and the Governor’s Office on policies that promote and protect housing affordability in Indiana.

Chris Fisher, Member Services Coordinator

chris@buildindiana.org
(800) 377-6334 ext. 205

Chris serves as the IBA member services coordinator. Chris is a 1994 graduate of Purdue University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering. After graduating, Chris worked for General Motors as a production supervisor until having her first child. She then chose to take a break from her professional career to raise three beautiful children. Along the way, Chris worked in Members Services at the YMCA and the last few years at the Lilly Orchard Café. Her responsibilities for IBA include maintaining committee and membership databases, as well as managing education and designation programs.

Past Presidents

1952-53 *Andrew S. Place, South Bend

1954 *Gale Corley, Valparaiso

1955 *Ralph Shirmeyer, Fort Wayne

1956 *Charles Bartel, Muncie

1957 *Robert Meyers, Evansville

1958 *Clarence Baldwin, Highland

1959 *Ed Schroyer, Sr., West Lafayette

1960 *John Phrommer, Hammond

1961 *Albert E. Thompson, Indianapolis

1962 *Vern Ayers, Fort Wayne

1963 *Walter Leonard, Greenwood

1964 *David Augustus, Indianapolis

1965 *John E. Smith, Lafayette

1966 *Donald F. Overbay, Bloomington

1967 *Robert E. Zeager, Indianapolis

1968 *W. Howard Highsmith, Anderson

1969 *John P. Bullard, Griffith

1970 *John C. Hart, Sr., Indianapolis

1971 **R. Lee Smith, Fort Wayne

1972 *Otto Gibson, South Bend

1973 *W. C. “Bud” Bussing, Evansville

1974 **Charles Wilmore, Connersville

1975 *Charles Pechette, Indianapolis

1976 **Harold Palmer, Fort Wayne

1977 *Thomas B. Laycock, Indianapolis

1978 *John Davids, St. John

1979 *Harold Wiggins, Michigan City

1980 *Robert Stephens, Indianapolis

1981 Jud Motsenbocker, CGR, CAPS, Muncie

1982 *Roy Foster, Newburgh

1983 ***Floyd Estes, Greenwood

1984 Richard Jenkins, Terre Haute

1985 **John Waltz, Arizona

1986 Larry Swank, Mishawaka

1987 **Dean Crook, Vincennes

1988 *Frank Spivey, Indianapolis

1989 **Chuck Fortino, Elkhart

1990 Mike Ullery, Kokomo

1991 *Leon Calvert, Daleville

1992 Bob Coolman, Valparaiso

1993 **Bill Roach, Brownsburg

1994 **Phil Garrison, Indianapolis

1995 **Dennis Henderlong, Valparaiso

1996 **Dennis Wilson, Texas

1997 **Jake Wagner, Valparaiso

1998 *Carl Shepherd, Evansville

1999 **Charles Daub, Goshen

2000 Herb Delagrange, CGP, CAPS, Fort Wayne

2001 Joe Zehr, Fort Wayne

2002 Steve Heidorn, CGB, CGR, CGP, CAPS, Chandler

2003 David Kovich, Lafayette

2004 Larry Coplen, Warsaw

2005 Mike Bell, CGR, CAPS, CGB, CGP, GMB, Westville

2006 Mike Hannigan, Jr., Carmel

2007 Stephen Robinson, CGB, CGR, New Castle

2008 David Compton, Indianapolis

2009 Dennis Spidel, CGB, CGP, CGR, GMB Angola

2010 Andy Place, Sr., CGB, CGP, South Bend

2011 State Rep. Doug Miller, CGB, Elkhart

2012 Will Wright, Carmel

2013 Greg Furnish, CGP, Memphis

2014 *Tom Mullen, MIRM, CMP, CGB, CGP, Indianapolis

2015 State Sen. Linda Rogers, Granger

2016 State Rep. Jim Pressel, LaPorte

2017 Lance Swank, Mishawaka

2018 Patrick Richard, Lafayette

*Deceased, **Non-Voting