Former NAHB CEO and President Jerry Howard was recently honored for his contributions to the housing industry prior to the International Builders’ Show on February 24 in Las Vegas. Howard was installed to the National Housing Hall of Fame during a special induction ceremony following the NAHB Board of Directors meeting.

National Housing Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to recognize individuals whose spirit, ingenuity and strength of character have changed our nation’s housing for the better. Their determination, resourcefulness and hard work has improved home building and the quality of life for all Americans.

“Jerry Howard — longtime leader, chief executive officer and leader of the industry for over two decades — is a prime example of an honoree deserving this award,” stated Barry Rutenberg, chairman of National Housing Center Board of Governors, during the ceremony.

Howard’s prolific career in the housing industry has spanned more than 40 years. A South Carolina native, he saw the home building industry from an early age, working alongside his father, a developer. Earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Vermont and his Juris Doctorate from the University of South Carolina, Howard used his legal education to return to the housing industry, practicing real estate law in South Carolina.

Feeling called to advocate more directly on behalf of housing, Howard pursued association work, first as a tax issue-focused legislative analyst for the National Association of Realtors, then as the chief lobbyist for the National Council of State Housing Agencies. There, he was instrumental in the development of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) as part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

Howard joined NAHB in 1988, initially serving as tax counsel and ultimately rising to the role of chief executive officer, a role he held for more than 20 years. Throughout his tenure as CEO, Howard led the association through some of the biggest booms and challenging busts of the last half century. Keeping the association and the industry moving forward during the Great Recession is one of his greatest professional achievements.

But his proudest achievement is the family he has built with his wife, Christina, and their children Eirann, Meaghan and Sean. Howard has left a lasting legacy for his family, the housing industry and the nation.

Learn more about the National Housing Center Awards at nahb.org. Nominations for the next class of inductees are due Sept. 6, 2024.