This article initially appeared in the November/December 2025 issue of Pro Builder
There are an increasing number of words in our industry and our society that are bandied about a little too loosely for my taste, diminishing their value to near irrelevance.
“Quality” comes to mind (and is a particular pet peeve of mine), as does “super” (as in “super excited” or “super weird” or “super cute”), as well as “iconic,” “legit,” and “literally,” among several others I’m sure you can conjure in your own mind, find in your emails and on social media, and overhear at a coffee shop and in movies and television.
To be honest, I’m guilty of using one or more of those terms occasionally ... though mostly sarcastically or ironically (see headline above), which doesn’t really count.
Another word that’s overused and losing value is “legend,” which you might have noticed is on the cover of our November/December issue. I can assure you that we are not using that term casually (or ironically) or to be in any way flippant.
In fact, just the opposite, specifically in reverence to those we’re recognizing for their career contributions to the housing industry, along with a group of “young guns” who are well on their way to earning sincere legendary status.
What inspired me to rebrand our longstanding and popular “Forty Under 40” program to include industry Legends? It was during a committee meeting at the International Builders’ Show last February, where I made a short presentation about what I saw as the current issues affecting the housing sector.
When my talk was over, a builder sitting across from me made a thoughtful and earnest point about the pressure being put on builders and homeowners by property insurance carriers, an issue I’d neglected to mention.
I glanced at his name on the card in front of him, recognized itn as someone with a long and distinguished track record, and two things immediately popped into my head: I’m an idiot, and that guy’s a legend.
Despite the first thought, the second one evolved into how Pro Builder might find and recognize men and women who’ve dedicated their careers to making housing better, not just in how homes are built, but also in the lives of the people who build and live in them, and those with that dream.
This year’s Legends certainly meet that standard, and my hope is that by holding them up others will come forward in the years to come, including the builder who rightfully corrected me at that meeting. And not as a cap on their careers, but as a roadmap for those coming up in our industry to define and follow.
Stay Connected to Pro Builder
- The website version of the 2025 Young Guns & Legends article features exclsive online content, including videos and links to the bios of those being honored
- Applications for the National Housing Quality Awards are now being accepted. Are you up for the challenge to make your business better?
About the Author
Rich Binsacca, Head of Content
Rich Binsacca is Head of Content of Pro Builder and Custom Builder media brands. He has reported and written about all aspects of the housing industry since 1987 and most recently was editor-in-chief of Pro Builder Media. [email protected]