Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW, named Builder of the Year by HBA

Kelly Ritz, president of Stone Bridge Homes NW, has been named 2017 Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland (HBA). The award is presented annually to an association member who distinguishes themselves on the basis of leadership, participation in the HBA, support of the home building industry and involvement in the community.

Ritz has led Stone Bridge Homes NW with distinction since founding the company in 2006. An outstanding leader in the business community, she was honored as a “Woman of Influence” in 2016 by the Portland Business Journal. She also has a long track record of service with the HBA, including being a two-time builder in the NW Natural Street of Dreams, serving on HBA’s Government Relations Committee and on the Professional Women in Building Council.

With semi-custom designs and a dedication to environmentally sensitive building practices, Stone Bridge Homes NW continues to build homes that have been a hit with buyers throughout the Portland area and also in Central Oregon and Southwest Washington. In 2017, Stone Bridge Homes NW ranked No. 6 among Portland-area single-family home builders in terms of number of new homes built in the metropolitan area, according to the Portland Business Journal.

This year, Stone Bridge Homes NW raised its profile on Portland’s east side, participating in the Street of Dreams and opening two new communities in Happy Valley. The company’s spectacular Street of Dreams entry, “The Oregon Dream 2017,” earned People’s Choice honors for Best Kitchen and Best Landscaping, and new homes are currently for sale at the company’s Happy Valley communities, Christilla Valley and King’s Landing.

Since launching operations in 2006, Lake Oswego-based Stone Bridge Homes NW has established itself the local leader for building semi-custom homes that are a great option for those looking to individualize a home without the hassle of building a truly custom home. “I love the fact that our customers get to be involved in the building of their home,” Ritz said. “It’s a great hybrid between a production or spec home and a custom home. It gives people a great sense of ownership of their home, and I think most people like the idea of putting their own personal fingerprint on it. This way nobody else is going to have exactly the same house.”

Ritz also has led a company-wide effort to recognize the importance of energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Stone Bridge Homes NW has partnered with local experts from The Earth Advantage Institute to educate building and realty staff on the importance of building and selling energy-efficient, environmentally sensitive homes and how that best fits the profile of a company operating in the Pacific Northwest.

Since 2012, nearly every home built in Oregon by Stone Bridge Homes NW has been certified by Earth Advantage for energy-efficiency and sustainability. For each of the last three years, Stone Bridge Homes NW has built more Earth Advantage certified homes than any other builder in the state.

For more information about Stone Bridge Homes NW, go to http://www.stonebridgehomesnw.com/.