Launch Slideshow

My Flip

Play Slideshow >>

My Flip

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/f6a70c80-3b40-4f89-8939-dd0b1a05b3b6_tcm10-420216.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Hanley Wood CEO Frank Anton adresses the crowd at the 2008 Hearthstone BUILDER Humanitarian Awards ceremony at the Hard Rock Cafe in Orlando, FL.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/6941aaa0-6bf9-4a94-bc19-745497e7ea78_tcm10-420217.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Hearthstone President and CEO Tom Bruin.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/fc15f634-f71e-4d70-82ea-f7beb6abdf98_tcm10-420219.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    BUILDER Magazine Editorial Director Boyce Thompson had the honor of presenting the awards to this year's winners.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/e347a239-e239-44d8-89be-b0419c06e1cb_tcm10-420221.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Boyce Thompson presents Thomas Gipson with the night's first award. Gipson was honored for his work organizing the 2006 Builder Blitz with Habitat for Humanity International.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/8243a831-7127-4774-86dd-4952eda22019_tcm10-420223.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    The night's second honoree, Jeffrey Rutt. Rutt is founder of Hope International, an organization he founded that has built homes for poor people in 13 countries around the world.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/775b46c4-1205-469b-9539-6ba7969a897c_tcm10-420224.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Hanley Wood CEO Frank Anton congratulates Jeffrey Rutt on his award.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/aa3f7d89-f681-4b52-a702-a51d762bcc8b_tcm10-420226.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    David Weekley, Chairman of the Board for David Weekley Homes.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/a2b7fe95-7019-4da1-8991-df8763318f9a_tcm10-420228.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    The entertainment was provided by the gymnastics and dance troupe Anti-Gravity.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/dfee1476-93d0-4bee-bc5a-c865982c30ff_tcm10-420230.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Jeffrey Rutt celebrates with friends and family.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/0a196217-3dc9-4529-9850-1847d5dff3b0_tcm10-420232.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    Frank Anton and Jay Lund of Andersen Windows.

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/d1de7030-4842-488b-8d88-57d36a2ea90b_tcm10-420234.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    (l to r) Deb August, national accounts manager, DuPont, Jeff Calore, publisher, Builder Magazine and Laura Dwyer, residential marketing manager, DuPont

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/0f3b8dd3-b4d6-4e54-8004-113190c09768_tcm10-420236.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    (l to r) Lillie Goodrich, sales manager, Windjammer Construction Corp., Ted Mahoney, president, Windjammer Construction Corp., Steve Maltzman, president, SMA Consulting and Roger Glunt, president, Homebuilding Community Foundation

  • http://www.builderonline.com/Images/bd3b50f1-1ada-4443-a77a-2843feeea068_tcm10-420237.jpg

    450

    Photo by Kyle Gustafson

    After the entertainment, guests were treated to a variety of deserts, including this chocolate fountain.

Celebrating builders defying gravity and doing great deeds in the midst of a downturn was the theme Thursday night as Builder Magazine held the 9th Annual Hearthstone Builder Humanitarian Awards dinner at the Hard Rock Café in Universal Studios.

The two honorees were Thomas Gipson, who organized the 2006 Builder Blitz with Habitat for Humanity International and Jeffrey Rutt, founder of Hope International, an organization he founded that has built homes for poor people in 13 countries around the world.

Gipson will donate $150,000 to the charity of his choice for being the Hearthstone Builder Award Honoree and Rutt will donate $200,000 to the charity of his choice for being the James Z. Pugash Humanitarian Award Honoree.

The February issue of BUILDER has a more in-depth look at the humanitarian efforts of these two builders.