2024 National Housing Hall of Fame Special Induction Ceremony for Jerry Howard

The National Housing Center Board of Governors presented a special National Housing Hall of Fame installation ceremony for former NAHB CEO Jerry Howard during the 2024 International Builders’ Show on Saturday, Feb. 24, in Las Vegas.

Howard, a South Carolina native, 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 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.

History of the National Housing Center Awards

The National Housing Center Awards include the National Housing Hall of Fame and the Exemplary Service to Home Building awards.

NAHB established the National Housing Hall of Fame in 1976 to recognize those individuals whose spirit, ingenuity and determination have changed the face of housing for the better, making America one of the best-housed nations in the world. Being named to the National Housing Hall of Fame is the highest individual honor bestowed by the housing industry.

The first National Housing Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in May 1977. Since then, more than 200 individuals have been elected.

In 2014, the National Housing Center Board of Governors established the Exemplary Service to Home Building awards to honor individuals for specific industry achievements.

The National Housing Hall of Fame induction ceremony and the Exemplary Service in Home Building recognition will be held every three years during the Spring Leadership Meetings.