Craig Morrison, President of Cimarron Homes, an award-winning home building company based in Durham, has recently been named Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Durham, Orange, & Chatham Counties. This coveted award is presented annually to a builder member of the association who has demonstrated dedication to the home building industry through leadership and participation in industry-related events.

According to HBA Executive Officer Nick Tennyson, Builder of the Year is not awarded to the builder who builds the most, the biggest, or the most expensive houses. “The award is bestowed each year on the person or persons who provided the most significant service to the association,” says Nick. “While the service in that particular year is necessary to be recognized, it is not sufficient in itself. The award is also reserved for builder members who have provided SUSTAINED service over a number of years.”

Craig Morrison has done just that. Over the past 20-plus years, Craig has participated on and chaired numerous HBA committees. He has served as HBA Board Member, Executive Committee Member, and President. His company has supported countless community service projects, and has hosted seminars on many occasions to students in Durham Public Schools. And in 2005, Craig took the leadership position to build seven homes in seven days for the Durham Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. As a Board Member of both the HBA and Habitat for Humanity, Craig recruited builders to participate in the project, while also spearheading requests for donations of cash, materials, and in-kind services. Eight building companies stepped up to the plate:  Anderson Homes, Joe F. Berini Construction Company, Cimarron Homes, Claris Incorporated, J.D. Mahoney Construction, J.D. Morris Construction & Real Estate, Sun River Builders, and Westfield Homes. This phenomenal project raised a record-breaking total of $380,000 for Habitat, based on the contributions of each builder, vendor, and sub-contractor involved. As a result of such a large contribution, Habitat of Durham spent on average only $20,000 of their own funds to build each of the seven homes.

“The Home Builders Blitz, as we called it,” says Craig, “allowed homeownership to citizens of Durham who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to own a home. I was proud to be a part of the project, and I’m proud to be a part of an industry that has business owners so willing to give of their resources for such a worthy cause.”

A Durham native, Craig founded Cimarron Homes in 1982. Over the past 24 years, the company has built a solid reputation based on integrity, honesty and dependability. Cimarron Homes is currently building in the neighborhoods of Glennstone, Laurel Village, Panther Creek, Stagville at Treyburn, and The Village at Horton Hills in Durham, and at Ashbury and The Villages of Copper Stone in Mebane. Homes range in price from the $120s to the $300s.

Cimarron Homes has been the recipient of numerous industry awards in recognition of homebuilding excellence since the company’s inception. Cimarron employees have also been recognized for their contributions to the industry. Danny Winters, Estimator/Purchasing Agent for Cimarron was recognized by the HBA at the January meeting with a Presidential Service Award. In January of 2005, Carol Cheek, Cimarron Vice-President, was recognized with this same award. Apryl Watkins, Marketing Director for Cimarron, has been recognized with the Presidential Service Award a record three times. Craig has obviously surrounded himself with good people, who take serious their commitment to excellent service.

To learn more about Cimarron Homes, call (919) 382-2888 or visit www.cimarronhomes.com.