2026 L E A D E R S H I P a wa rd s
ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Lauding leadership WINNERS OF THE 2026 CHBA ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP AWARDS
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very year, volunteer members, HBAs and their staff work tirelessly to build strong communities, strengthen the industry and give back to cities, towns and neighbourhoods across Canada. The CHBA Association Leadership Awards honour the leaders within our Association – both individuals and our local and provincial homebuilders’ associations. This year’s honours were given out during CHBA’s Home Building Week in Canada in Quebec City. Congratulations to the very deserving recipients, whom you can learn more about below.
Member of the Year – Sue Wastell
The prestigious Member of the Year award is a long-term achievement award, and it was presented this year to Sue Wastell. She has made outstanding contributions to CHBA at the local, provincial and national levels through her leadership, advocacy and dedication to members. She is a former President of CHBA, and was in high demand from local and provincial associations across the country to speak at events. Wastell chaired CHBA’s Urban Council from 2018 through COVID and beyond, providing continuity and valuable expertise as a developer. As inaugural and current Chair of the Women in Residential Construction Council, she is helping strengthen representation and support for women in the sector. Through her leadership roles, Wastell has been a committed presence at CHBA’s Day on the Hill, where members help advance policy recommendations to government to support homeownership and industry growth. Her commitment over the years makes her a very deserving recipient of the Member of the Year award.
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SUMMER 2026
Rooftopper Membership Recruitment Champion – Reza Kamrani
Reza Kamrani, a member in HAVAN, is the 2026 Rooftopper Membership Recruitment Champion for his exceptional efforts to grow his local HBA. Over the past year, he recruited 20 new members through regular event participation, personal outreach and thoughtful conversations about the value of membership. A long-time Chair of his Membership Committee, he has shown sustained leadership in recruitment and retention. Through his company, he has also supported key networking and membership-building events. Hats off to Kamrani.
Executive Officers of the Year
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE YEAR – SMALL HBA (FEWER THAN 200 MEMBERS) – CRYSTAL INGRAM Crystal Ingram, EO of the Nova Scotia Home Builders’ Association, has been a valuable steward for the association. Through strong
fiscal management, she expanded programs and advocacy efforts on key issues such as housing affordability and supply, development charges, infrastructure, zoning reform and building code amendments. She strengthened her HBA’s credibility with government by preparing formal submissions, briefing notes and technical feedback that informed regulatory reviews. Ingram also grew membership through direct outreach, improved retention through effective communication, and created more opportunities for engagement across companies of all sizes. Her collaborative leadership has strengthened relationships with volunteer boards, committees, industry partners, government departments and community stakeholders, leading to a doubling of partnership agreements. In addition, she increased her HBA’s media presence and helped raise public awareness of the industry’s economic and social value through consistent messaging, national participation and by sharing best practices with peers.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE YEAR – LARGE HBA (MORE THAN 200 MEMBERS) – JARED ZAIFMAN Jared Zaifman, EO at the London Home Builders’ Association, has modernized his HBA, fostering strong relationships with government officials and driving impactful policy advocacy. He has played a pivotal role in resolving critical challenges, such as improving relations with the City’s building officials, increasing density and height allowances, expanding urban growth boundaries and introducing innovative solutions such as creating a building connector concierge role to improve the permitting
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