MHI Members Honored at RV/MH Hall of Fame on August 2

The RV/MH Hall of Fame inducted its 2010 class in Elkhart, Indiana on August 2. Included in the class were several current and former MHI members. They are:

Jess Maxcy, California Manufactured Housing Institute – Jess began his career in the manufactured housing industry in California in 1962. His extensive background ranges from production worker to division vice president. During his many years in the industry, he has been instrumental in the development and promotion of manufactured housing. Jess joined Redman Industries, a leading manufacturer of manufactured homes, in 1962. He has also worked for Divco-Wayne Industries and Fleetwood Homes. He has managed manufactured housing factories in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Arizona, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado and Ohio. He has dynamically led the California Manufactured Housing Institute as a board member and president since 1986. He was the 1992 recipient of the prestigious Jack Wells Award presented by the California Manufactured Housing Institute.

Jeff Wick, Wick Building Systems – Jeff served as a long-term member of the MHI Board of Directors and was Chairman of MHI in 93 and 94. He led an effort to provide financial support by MHI for the RV MH Hall of Fame during some crucial developmental years. Jeff led the effort to establish wind zones for HUD wind code standards providing significant savings to the manufactured housing industry. He has been a strong proponent for a customer focus in manufactured housing design and production. He pioneered panelized home and commercial building construction, building homes and motels in panelized format, including motels with over 100 units.

Jim Boyts, Skyline Corporation – For nearly 50 years, Jim was involved in national and international sales of manufactured homes. He was responsible for representing Skyline Corporation on over ten state and national association boards and, for many years, was his company's representative to MHI. He served on many major show committees. He was instrumental in leading a strategic planning conference creating a separate RV Council within the Indiana MHA which gave the RV industry equal footing in the state association. He was the 1987 recipient of the prestigious Jack Wells Award from the California Manufactured Housing Institute.

In addition to MHI members mentioned above, the following individuals were also inducted into the RV/MH Hall of Fame from the manufactured housing industry.

Raymond Bassett, Parkwood Homes – Ray served on the boards of MHMA (which later became MHI), Fleetwood, Champion, Redman and others. A highly regarded industry inventor and visionary, he patented a knock-down "mobile home" which was stacked for overseas shipment and erected on site. He also developed full length factory made screen-room additions for Florida park models, and developed a transport system for early park models. Ray and his companies were active members and supporters of state associations and trade shows in the industry.

Jerry Haggadone, Champion Homes – Jerry is a long term member of the North Central MHI board and the state associations for South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, and Oklahoma. A Nebraska State Motor vehicle Licensing Board member, he has been a key leader in getting legislation to bring modular homes into acceptance throughout the North Central region. He served over 22 years as a Kansas City Manufactured Home Show board member and helped establish the Omaha Manufactured Home Show. He is a retired RV/MH Heritage Foundation board member.

Morris Hylton, Jr., Hylton Homes – Morris is a 30 year member of the Kentucky Manufactured Housing Institute serving 4 terms as its President where he lobbied both national and state legislatures successfully for many manufactured housing issues. For many years he has been a member of the Louisville Show Committee. Morris served as the KMHI representative to the National Manufactured Housing Federation, and as President of the East Kentucky Homebuilders Association. He is a long time promoter of 100 percent customer satisfaction as a guide for his business. He worked tirelessly to adopt blanket permits for transporters delivering homes in Kentucky providing significant savings for industry companies.