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Meet your NAHB State Representative: Nick Scheel, Untamed Construction

by Janelle Guthrie

Communications Director

When people think of young professionals in the building industry, Spokane’s Nick Scheel is often top of mind. Active in the Spokane Home Builders Association (SHBA) for more than a decade, Nick has established a reputation as a leader, an innovator and a bit of an instigator. “Nick has been extremely active at our state association for the past decade and his personality has made him a well-known figure at BIAW board meetings,” said SHBA Executive Officer Joel White.

“Nick is one of the most reliable members the association has ever seen. His word is gold and he does what he says he is going to do.”

Nick started his career in the construction industry working with his family’s remodeling business, Arrow Contracting. He then evolved the business into a full-service design-build firm specializing in kitchen and bath remodeling before launching Untamed Construction, a specialty contracting company that designs, remodels and builds award-winning projects.

Pathway to leadership

Nick became more active in the SHBA during the recession when he stepped in as his company’s new representative to SHBA and its Remodelers Council. By 2012, he was chairing the council. Recognizing his leadership and impressed by his commitment to community service, SHBA recruited him to join its board as first vice president in 2014. He became SHBA president in 2016. Aware of the need to attract more young builders and associates, he helped create SHBA-NEXT, their award-winning young professionals group. A state director since 2012, Nick chaired BIAW's Remodelers Council in 2018 and was elected National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) state representative in 2020.

A voice for Washington

As voting members of the NAHB board of directors, state representatives keep NAHB leadership informed of key developments in their states that could have national implications. They also share information from NAHB with their respective local and state organizations.

Nick regularly attends state representative meetings then seeks input and shares information back to members in Washington. Concerned that, left unchallenged, NAHB can sometimes take questionable positions, he wants to ensure his fellow Washington state builders have a voice.

“Most importantly, I want to make sure I’m speaking for our members,” Scheel said. “While I have my opinions, and I’m not afraid to share them, I can be much more effective if I know I speak for all the builders in Washington. I’m concerned that some positions that have been taken are more about banking political capital than fighting against bad policy. I want to be a resource for members. Please reach out and let me know what you think.”

Read highlights from his report on the NAHB Fall Leadership Meeting in the November/December Building Insight magazine. Contact Nick Scheel at StateRep@biaw.com.