Foundation President Darryl Searer congratulated the honorees, saying “All of them have had or are having outstanding careers and are richly deserving of this high honor.”
Searer said the nominating committee faced a difficult task in choosing 10 finalists from the list of nearly 60 highly deserving candidates. He said, “I was especially impressed with the committee’s work for the diversity of this year’s class, not only in the inductee’s gender, but also in the diversity of regions within the U.S.” The honorees were also chosen based on industry segments such as suppliers, manufacturers, dealers and association executives.
The Manufactured Housing inductees are:
Patricia Fiederer
Latham Homes of Oneonta New York
MH Retailer and Manufactured Home Community Developer
Since 1972, Patricia has worked at Latham Homes of Oneonta New York and now serves as president. She has also been the park developer of several MH communities. Her volunteer work includes being a member of the New York Housing Association for 40 years and on its board of directors for 33 years.
Jerry James
Franklin Homes, Alabama
MH Manufacturer
Jerry founded Franklin Homes in Russellville, Alabama, and for more than four decades, he has been both a trailblazer and innovator, pressing manufactured housing forward to reach its full potential. His company offers homes that are not only affordable, but also renowned throughout the industry for their advanced designs and features.
Joe Kelly
Iowa Manufactured Housing Association
Association Executive
As executive director of the Iowa Manufactured Housing Association (IMHA) for more than 33 years, Joe is responsible for 114 changes to Iowa laws that support the MH industry and ensure access to safe, affordable housing for Iowa’s working class. Kelly has had an amazing track record of having legislation passed, blocked or modified in a way that benefited MH business owners and consumers.
Richard A Mendlen
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington DC
Government Administrator
Rick served with integrity and professionalism during his four decades of service at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As the chief engineer in the Office of Manufactured Housing, Rick was the primary author of the HUD Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards, which became effective in 1976 and contributed immensely to the high quality and acceptance of manufactured housing as a significant source of single-family housing.
Robert West
Fuqua Homes/ California Manufactured Housing Institute
MH Manufacturer and Association Executive
Robert’s laudable accomplishments cover nearly four decades. As president of Fuqua Homes, and later, Westway Homes, in California, Robert’s products were not only known and respected for their quality and innovative designs, but also for their standard-setting commitment to customer service.
RV Inductees included:
Bert Alanko – MBA Insurance of Arizona, Inc., Arizona, RV Rental Insurance.
Sherman Goldenberg – RV Business Magazine, Indiana, RV Journalist.
Paul Hanser –HWH Corporation, Iowa, Supplier.
Bill Thomas – Bill Thomas Camper Sales, Missouri, RV Dealer.
The Class of 2015 will be officially inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame at the Annual Induction Dinner on Monday, August 3, 2015, in Elkhart, Indiana. ##
Related articles: A Cup of Coffee with…Joe Kelly.
(Photo and Graphic Credit: RV/MH Heritage Foundation)
