Best in American Living Awards™ Program Announces 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees

WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 26, 2017 –The Best in American Living Awards™ (BALA) program inducted its sixth class into the BALA Hall of Fame during the annual NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando. The Hall of Fame awards recognize innovative, well-respected individuals and companies in the building industry who have significantly affected residential design and construction.

The 2017 BALA Hall of Fame class includes:

Lita Dirks. Dirks, owner of Lita Dirks & Co. in Greenwood Village, Colo., is an award-winning, nationally recognized leader in model-home interior design and merchandising. She regularly judges national and regional interior design competitions, conducts lectures and seminars, and authors articles for national publications. She was honored with the NAHB Institute of Residential Marketing’s Presidential Award two years in a row and was the 1993 recipient of the Bill Molster Award for lifetime achievement in service to the association’s National Sales and Marketing Council. Dirks was selected for the Hall of Fame due to her long-time contributions to the industry. She is a leader in not only defining trends but also in innovation, particularly as it relates to 55+ housing and design.

Jerry Gloss. A senior and founding partner at KGA Studio Architects PC in Louisville, Colo., a residential architectural studio, Gloss’s leadership has created a legacy of excellence in residential design. His portfolio of work has garnered a long list of awards and recognitions during the firm’s 40-year history. He is recognized nationally as a housing industry speaker on market-driven design, builder/architect relationships and the design-build process. Gloss has a long history of success with BALA, and his peers site him as having contributed greatly to the success and prestige of the program.

Habitat for Humanity. Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit, working in more than 1,300 communities throughout the United States and more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a helping hand partner with Habitat to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

Additional information about the 2017 BALA Hall of Fame inductees can be found at bestinamericanliving.com.