Current at: 05 May 2006
A man who took over a small North Queensland building company and transformed it into a state-wide concern with a growing business in NSW, was honoured with life membership of the Housing Industry Association today.
When Udo Jattke began work with Glenwood Homes as its sales manager in 1984 it was operating mainly in the Cairns area and building about 20 homes each year. Three years later he bought the company and within 12 months had guided it to 100 homes and a second office in Townsville.
Over the next decade the expansion continued until today Glenwood builds between 600 and 700 homes each year and has added a commercial division, Glencorp Constructions. In 2004-05 it was named in the top 10 of HIA top 100 builders in Australia.
Under his management Glenwood Homes and Glencorp have won 73 HIA awards.
Announcing the life membership, HIA's Regional Vice-President for North Queensland, Peter Hopper, said that through the years of rapid expansion Mr Jattke had been a firm supporter of the association.
"He was pleased to be nominated as HIA regional president in 1999-00 and is serving again in 2005-06," Mr Hopper said. He was also regional vice-president in 2003-04 and chairman of the Training and Professional Development Services Committee from 1997-2002.
"Udo is a passionate supporter of training and his company takes on many apprentices.
"He is possessed of a vision that has taken himself and Glenwood Homes further than ever expected. His intuitive feel for what people want in a home, combined with his practical experience ‘on the tools', created a philosophy that has driven Glenwood to its present position of market acceptance and success."
The life membership was conferred during HIA's annual Home and Building Expo, in Brisbane.