Proven Habits of Award Winning Builders
Homebuilders are operating in a market where every decision, process, and leadership habit matters. With demand under pressure and margins harder to protect, the practices that helped businesses succeed in stronger markets may not be enough on their own today.
Join Tom French, Co Founder of French Brothers Homes, as he leads a candid conversation with experienced leaders from award winning homebuilding organizations about the habits they rely on to navigate challenging conditions, strengthen their teams, and build better businesses over time.
Through real world examples, the panel will explore the leadership and business practices that matter most right now, including how strong company culture can become a repeatable part of the way an organization operates.
You will also hear perspective from Jeff Eschliman, Executive Director of the National Housing Quality Award, on what distinguishes high performing builders and how companies can turn reflection and assessment into meaningful improvement.
Designed for homebuilding owners, executives, VPs, and senior leaders, this one hour conversation will leave you with practical ideas you can take back to your own organization.
Complete the form to reserve your spot or access the session.
- Date and time:
- October 20, 2026 | 1:00 pm
- Audience:
- Homebuilding owners, executives, VPs, and senior leaders focused on strengthening operations, leadership, culture, and overall business performance.
- Duration:
- 60 minutes
Featured Speakers
Tom French
Tom French is a seasoned homebuilding executive with over three decades of experience leading through both booming markets and economic downturns. He co-founded French Brothers Homes in 1994, growing it into one of the most respected builders in the Southwest. Under his leadership, the company has earned three National Housing Quality (NHQ) Awards for operational excellence and organizational culture. Earlier in his career, Tom worked as a plant manager for BP on Alaska’s North Slope, where he became a certified facilitator of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He developed and taught a highly regarded evening training program that equipped teams with practical leadership tools and personal development strategies. Today, Tom brings together his deep experience in business leadership and personal development to help other builders lead more effectively, build stronger companies, and create lasting impact. His presentations are grounded in real-world experience, rich with actionable insights, and always focused on helping leaders grow—professionally and personally.
Kevin Rosinski
Kevin Rosinski joined Camelot Homes as Chief Operating Officer in 2020, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the homebuilding industry. In his role, Rosinski oversees the day-to-day operations of Camelot Homes’ sales, marketing, land acquisition, land development, construction , trade relations, human resources, customer service, purchasing and design studio services. Utilizing his industry and market expertise, Rosinski oversees the company’s strategic growth, including managing the luxury homebuilder’s current communities while planning out the long-term direction. Prior to joining Camelot Homes, Rosinski was a member of the Toll Brothers team for more than 21 years, rising through the ranks from construction manager to senior vice president, earning a number of architecture and design awards with his team along the way. Rosinski is motivated every day by the opportunity to work with a team of professionals dedicated to serving their customers. As COO, his goal is to create best-in-class homes where life-long memories will be created, streamlining the process and enriching people along the way. Rosinski earned his bachelor’s degree at Ferris State University in Michigan before leaving the Midwest to embrace the homebuilding industry and the Arizona lifestyle.
Bob Kehlor
Bob Kehlor is a seasoned homebuilding executive with more than 30 years of industry experience spanning supply chain, operations, field operations, and trade partner relationships. He began his career at IBM, where he spent 10 years in large account sales and sales leadership before transitioning into homebuilding. Throughout his executive career, Bob applied lean manufacturing principles, innovative sourcing strategies, and a strong focus on trade partner relationships to improve operational performance. His leadership at True Homes contributed to the company earning the National Housing Quality Gold Award in 2018, becoming one of only three homebuilders in 31 years to receive Gold on its first attempt. Bob also brings more than 25 years of experience teaching and applying principle based negotiation strategies. Now retired from his executive role at True Homes, he continues to share his experience through consulting and mentorship.
Gene W. Myers
Gene Myers is the founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Thrive Home Builders, a Denver-based company renowned for its leadership in green building and healthy home innovation. Since its inception in 1992, Thrive has set industry benchmarks with over a dozen U.S. Department of Energy Housing Innovation Awards and multiple EPA Indoor airPLUS Leader Awards. Under Gene’s guidance, Thrive pioneered the integration of energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and carbon reduction in production homes. Gene’s leadership philosophy emphasizes purpose-driven innovation. He believes that differentiation is key for smaller builders, stating, “The riskiest thing you can do is to be just like everybody else.” His commitment to sustainability and community well-being has positioned Thrive as a model for balancing environmental responsibility with business success. Beyond his role at Thrive, Gene contributes to the broader building community through his involvement with The Challenge Foundation and as a speaker at industry events. His work continues to inspire a shift toward healthier, more sustainable housing nationwide.
Monica Wheaton
Monica Wheaton is vice president of Customer Success, Residential Construction Division for ECI Software Solutions, a global provider of cloud-based business management software and services. Wheaton brings over 25 years of experience in both the construction industry as well as the software and technology space to her role, where she’s focused on helping small- and medium-sized businesses find success through education and resource development. Previously, Wheaton served as CEO for nearly 14 years at Builder Partnerships, the authoritative resource that connects builders, manufacturers and service providers to improve profits, relationships and knowledge.
Jeff Eschliman
Jeff Eschliman is Executive Director of the National Housing Quality Award, the homebuilding industry's premier benchmark for operational excellence. With over thirty years in residential construction, including serving as a senior-level executive overseeing more than $500 million in operations at a top homebuilder, Jeff has spent his career helping builders sharpen performance and build teams that deliver consistent quality. Through NHQA's Feedback Report process, he now helps builders turn rigorous self-assessment into a roadmap for measurable growth.
