Newsletter:  July 2006 a "Most of our volunteers are unskilled so we really need expertise for plumbing and the other trades." – Christine Dahl Silva, Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity Project Coordinator. Just across the street and just down the street from LeDuc & Dexter's corporate office at 2833 Dowd Drive are two up and coming commercial projects that LeDuc & Dexter are working on. For Tom LeDuc, President and CEO, and Art Dexter, Vice President and COO of LeDuc & Dexter Inc., trade organizations have been a source of personal and professional growth.

Habitat for Humanity's Builder's Blitz

Residential

Habitat for Humanity home at 121 Mera Court in Santa Rosa was built in five days during Builder's Blitz event. (click image to enlarge)

LeDuc & Dexter recently participated in Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity's Builder's Blitz. In a five day period from June 5 – 9, Christopherson Homes along with subcontractors and suppliers built a Habitat for Humanity home from the ground up. This event was nationwide with 1,000 home builders building 500 homes in 160 communities.

The new home is for a couple and their child that qualified for the Habitat for Humanity home by working 500 hours of "sweat equity" and demonstrating that they are capable of paying the mortgage for the home – this is not a home giveaway program. Christopherson Homes designated one of its best construction superintendents, John "Big Dog" Mathews, as the project leader, responsible for building the house in an unprecedented five days. "The biggest challenge in doing this whole thing is putting this program together," said Matthews.

One of two previous Habitat for Humanity homes LeDuc & Dexter helped to build at 118 Mera Court. (click image to enlarge)

LeDuc & Dexter also helped to build this Habitat for Humanity home at 117 Mera Court. (click image to enlarge)

One challenge, Mathews said, was convincing subcontractors to do the work following another high profile homebuilding event a few years ago. He said many subcontractors involved in the home built for a Penngrove family for the ABC television show Extreme Home Makeover were turned off to such projects due to the minimal recognition given to their companies. "My challenge was to get that bad taste out of everybody's mouth and say 'Hey, this is not for publicity, this is for Habitat for Humanity, and for the community,'" said Matthews.

Christine Dahl Silva, Sonoma County Habitat for Humanity Project Coordinator, said she's especially thankful for the professional trades that donate their time, "Most of our volunteers are unskilled so we really need expertise for plumbing and the other trades." LeDuc & Dexter also participated in building two other Habitat for Humanity homes on Mera Court off West Avenue in Santa Rosa where the Builder's Blitz took place. Five of six homes on Mera Court are now completed.

Good Buildings Make Good Neighbors

Commercial

The new Freeman Lexus building on Corby Avenue in Santa Rosa will feature a showroom up front. (click image to enlarge)

Just across the street and just down the street from LeDuc & Dexter's corporate office at 2833 Dowd Drive are two up and coming commercial projects that LeDuc & Dexter are working on. The new Freeman Lexus dealership building on Corby Ave. is framed and the Pacific Industrial Park mixed-use project's block walls are nearing completion.

Rich Hoaglund, LeDuc & Dexter Commercial Project Manager, is overseeing both projects, which are within walking distance of his office. "On the Freeman Lexus building we are basically handling the domestic side of the project," says Hoaglund, "We did the under slab sewer and drain waste lines and now we are doing the piping for hot and cold water and natural gas." LeDuc & Dexter's commercial department will soon be doing the trim for the public restrooms and the offices. Needless to say the building will reflect the upscale image of Lexus.

LeDuc & Dexter's Rich Hoaglund delivers materials to lead plumber James Dillard at the jobsite. (click image to enlarge)

LeDuc & Dexter installed this reduced pressure backflow preventer to protect domestic water from the non-potable water used in six swamp coolers in the auto repair shop. (click image to enlarge)

Down the street on Wiljan Court Pacific Industrial Park is close to having the cinder block walls completed for their buildings. "The rain slowed this project because they couldn't mortar the walls until we had dry weather," says Hoaglund. The project consists of two separate buildings with two sections in each structure. The bottom floors will consist of approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space with 1,400 square feet provided on the second floor for a "caretaker unit".

The "caretaker units" will be built out in the future as living space and/or offices. LeDuc & Dexter are installing the piping that can accommodate shower, toilets, sinks and kitchenettes for the second floor build-outs. Warehouse space, which comprises about 2/3 of the total project, is attached to both buildings adding to the project's versatile options for future business tenants to consider.

The auto repair shop is under construction in the rear of the building. (click image to enlarge)

LeDuc & Dexter have completed the under slab plumbing for the warehouse area. (click image to enlarge)

The Pacific Industrial Park building walls are near completion. (click image to enlarge)

Trade Organizations Offer Personal and Professional Growth

The Industry

For Tom LeDuc, President and CEO, and Art Dexter, Vice President and COO of LeDuc & Dexter Inc., trade organizations have been a source of personal and professional growth. Tom LeDuc is heavily involved in local, state and national trade organizations. He is on the Board of Directors of the California PHCC, he is Secretary/Treasurer of the local chapter, PHCC of the Redwood Empire, a member of the Board of Directors for the Wells Fargo Performing Arts Center, a member of the board of Directors of the North Coast Builders Exchange, of which he was formerly a two-time President, and a member of CCA, a national peer group affiliated with the PHCC National Association.

For Tom LeDuc (l), President and CEO, and Art Dexter (r), Vice President and COO of LeDuc & Dexter Inc., trade organizations have been a source of personal and professional growth. (click image to enlarge)

Art Dexter is the Past Chairman of the Board of Trustees of CCA and has found the experience to be rewarding, "I've made life-long friends at CCA. It's easy to relate to people in your industry and get to know them. They are forward thinking people who can help you get to your next step in business – they're a great resource. Dexter just recently attended CCA's fifth middle management meeting with Kristina Harris, LeDuc & Dexter Controller, who is attending her second CCA Controller meeting with Art Dexter.

Art Dexter (seated, center left) and Tom LeDuc (standing, center right) giving their "Contractors Spotlight" presentation to CCA member in Denver on Sept. 17, 2004. (click image to enlarge)

Tom LeDuc feels that his involvement in trade and community organizations has given him personal growth. "You're exposed to people who are very astute and you learn a lot from them," says LeDuc, "and in turn you're able to help other people in your industry. You get ideas and education that you can bring back to your company and everybody wins."