Wilson credits the architects he works with for the breathtaking creations that dot the mountainsides around Sun Valley. “My homes are designed by [outside] architects. I tell clients that I'm just the messenger,” he insists. He notes that the collaborative spirit between architects, interior designers, and his firm is also a factor in his business success.

Wilson is the point of contact on every job. He needs to be, with the discerning clients he courts. “The level of quality they demand is just astounding. ... We work cost plus a fee, so we have to document every penny and every hour spent,” he says.

It is perhaps his company's reputation for stunning craftsmanship that inspired Wilson's yearlong goal of making what the NAHB offers more outstanding. It's not unlike catering to demanding homeowners: They want to know they are getting value for their dollar.

Addressing Ills

Though membership growth is job one, Wilson will also address affordability. “Here, in a resort town, we can't build houses for our employees. Some drive as far as 80 miles to get to work. It's ludicrous,” he complains, noting that he plans to foster the association's “impressive relationship” with the Bush administration to further affordable housing issues and to push through the single-family tax credit.

Wilson blames excessive regulations and fees for a big part of the affordability crisis. “I've often said that bricks and sticks cost the same. But when you double the cost of a permit, it affects affordability. ... [Municipalities] are hurting the people we are trying to get into housing. What I find incredible is that [officials] say, ‘We are going to take it out of the pockets of rich developers.' But it doesn't come out of our pockets. It comes out of the consumers' pockets.”

Eye On The Prize

Dave Wilson has a quick 365 days as the head of the building industry's most influential group. If it goes as planned, he will beef up the membership rolls and lend a new glow to programs and benefits painstakingly assembled by former leaders.

“It's time for stewardship,” Wilson emphasizes. “It's time to show members we are doing a better job every day and not deviate from that.”

Cati O'Keefe is a freelance writer based in Cincinnati.

Dave Wilson At A Glance

  • Business: Wilson is the owner and president of Ketchum, Idaho–based Wilson Construction. The company, which builds high-end homes and light commercial and does major remodeling jobs, was founded in 1982.
  • Education: Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from California State University, Los Angeles.
  • Association service: Wilson was president-elect and first vice president of the NAHB in 2004, vice president/treasurer in 2003, and vice president/secretary in 2002. He also served as president of the Wood River Building Contractors Association and the Idaho Building Contractors Association. He completed stints as chairman of Idaho's Registered Master Builders Program and on numerous local and state association committees. In 1993, Wilson was named Idaho's Home Builder of the Year, and in 1997 and 1999, he received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Profound Influence on the Economics, Social and Political Atmosphere of the Building Industry. Active in the NAHB at the national level, Wilson served as a national representative, as a national vice president, and on a number of association committees, including the Budget Committee and the Federal Government Affairs Committee.
  • Family: Wilson and his wife, Trish, have 24-year-old twin daughters, Katie and Regan.
  • Hobbies: Wilson takes advantage of Idaho's plentiful hunting, fishing, skiing, and golf opportunities.

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