Joe is the president and owner of Elite Homes, Inc. which he founded in 1976.   Elite Homes builds 40-75 homes a year ranging from $250,000 to over $1,000,000 and is one of the largest locally-owned home building companies in Louisville, Ky. Elite Homes has built over 1100 homes in the greater Louisville area over the last 35 years.  Elite Homes is currently developing 8 subdivisions in the metro area.

His company also does extensive remodeling, and was recognized at the 68th largest full-service remodeler in the country by Remodeling magazine in the August 2010 issue.

Joe has been involved in the Louisville community for over 3 decades.  In 1993, he brought Homearama to Smoketown, which were the 1st new homes built in Smoketown in over 50 years.  In 2003, he organized a rescue package to help save the Louisville Orchestra and subsequently served as the president of their board from 2005 - 2008. In 2007 and 2010, his company built a home for the Extreme Makeover:  Home Edition T.V. show. 

SERVICE IN HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY:

  • Life Director for National Association of Home Builders
  • 1985 – Present: Board of Directors for Home Builders Association of Louisville
  • 1986 – 1989: Trustee on NAHB Remodeler’s Council
  • 1986 – 1993: Board of Directors for Home Builders Association of Kentucky
  • 1990 & 1992: President of the Home Builders Association of Louisville (only person elected as president twice in 62 yr history of association)
  • 1990 – 1993: State Pac Chairman
  • 1990 – 1993: Kentucky Trustee for the Home-building industry’s National Pac
  • Kentucky's #3 spike leader with over 990 spike credits (New Members Recruited)
  • Started “Louisville’s Best New Homes” T.V. show for the Home Builders Association
  • Built 31 Homearama Homes

AWARDS, RECOGNITION IN HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY:

  • 3 Time winner (1984, 1985, 1986) of the Howard C. Reeves Award for membership recruitment by Home Builders Association of Louisville
  • 1987: Named one of the “Big 50” Remodelers by Remodelers Magazine
  • October, 1987: National Remodeler of the Month
  • 1993 & 2003 Builder of the Year – Home Builders Association of Louisville
  • 2002 Home Builders Association of Louisville – Best Supporting Builder –Louisville’s Best New Homes in recognition of creating the show and its 500th episode
  • 2004 Remodeler of the Year – Home Builders Association of Louisville
  • 2005 Winner of the Hearthstone Builder Lifetime Public Service Award
  • 2005 Builder Magazine – Fast Track – 54th Fastest Growing Home Building Company in the country
  • Won Grand Award in Homearama 23 times
  • 2007 and 2008 Pacesetter Award by Custom Home magazine
  • 2008 Winner General Elmus S. Ussery Presidential Leadership award- Home Builders Association of Kentucky

SERVICE IN COMMUNITY:

  • Member of the 1989 – 1990 Leadership Louisville class
  • 1990 - 1993: Section chair for the Metro United Way
  • 1990 - 1993: Board of Trustees at Humana Hospital Suburban
  • 1991 - 1994: Board at Channel 15 (Public Television)
  • 1992: Chaired Task Force for Jefferson County Public Schools (planning a construction academy)
  • 1993: 1995: Board at Center for Educational Leadership
  • 1993: Bingham Fellows III
  • 1993: President of the Chamber of Commerce – Area Council “3”
  • 1994 -1999: Board at the Family Place
  • 1996 -1998: Board at Metro YMCA
  • 1998: Courier Journal/Forum Fellow
  • 1999 - 2001: Board at Presbyterian Community Center
  • 2003 - Present: Board of the Greater Louisville, Inc. (formerly Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce) Also, 1993 - 1998
  • 2003 – 2009: Advisory Board of Salvation Army
  • 2003 - Present: Board at Louisville Orchestra – Elected President 2005-2008
  • 2003 – Present: Board at Evergreen Foundation
  • 2004:  Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force
  • 2004 – 2005: Eastwood Task Force
  • 2005 – 2011: Board at Leadership Louisville
  • 2005 - Present: Board at Fund for the Arts
  • 2007 - Tocqueville Society Cabinet Member – Metro United Way
  • 2007 - Present:  Board of Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame
  • 2007 - Present:  Board of King Southern Bank
  • 2007 - 2010: Vice-Chair GLI-TRC Campaign
  • 2008 - Present: GLI Public Policy Committee
  • 2008 - Present: Co-chair- 21st Century Parks
  • 2008 - 2010: Individual Campaign Chair- Fund for the Arts
  • 2011 - Chair - American Heart Assoc. Heart Walk
  • 2011 - 2012 Campaign Chair for Fund for the Arts Campaign

AWARDS, RECOGNITION IN COMMUNITY:

  • 1991 – 2002: Finalist - Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year
  • 1994: GLI Metro Chamber of Commerce – Top Producer in Annual Membership Campaign
  • 1996: GLI Metro Chamber of Commerce –Honored for Outstanding Community Service for making Showcase Greater Louisville the Nation’s Largest Tradeshow in its Inaugural Year. 
  • 2001: Family Place Gold Medal Recipient for Volunteerism
  • University of Louisville – Induction in Parrish Circle
  • 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006: Business First Fast Fifty
  • 2003: Salvation Army – Outstanding Service Award
  • 2003: Leadership Louisville – Spirit of Yes Award
  • 2005: Optimist Club – Citizen of the Year Award
  • 2005: Republic Bank – We Care Award
  • 2005: Business First – Finalist – Small Company Business Leader of the Year
  • 2006: Louisville Magazine #33 of Top 50 Power People in Louisville
  • 2007:  Business First – Winner – Small Company Business Leader of the Year
  • 2008:  Catholic Education Foundation – Community Service Award
  • 2008:  GLI – Fleur De lis Award
  • 2008:  Public Relations Society of America, Bluegrass Chapter- Communicator of the Year
  • 2008: GLI - 1st Place TRC Campaign- Top Team Over Goal - Elite Homes, Inc.
  • 2010: Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Louisville Chapter