The President and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders is recognized for a 25-year climb through the association he now leads, from congressional representative to chief lobbyist to CEO of a 140,000-member federation, for directing NAHB’s political and legislative machine through some of the most turbulent housing policy years in decades, and for continuing to host the association’s own podcast on the industry issues he once lobbied on directly.
HG HomeClub has named James W. Tobin III, President and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), to its list of the 25 Most Influential Leaders in Home Improvement, Home Services and Outdoor Living.
The list, published by HG HomeClub, recognizes 25 leaders who are shaping these three industries in the right way. It spans manufacturing, distribution, retail, technology, franchising, contracting, media, capital and the associations that convene the trades. It is presented alphabetically and carries no numerical ranking, because the leaders on it exercise influence in fundamentally different ways, and comparing a keynote stage to a distribution network, or a franchise system to a product platform, would flatten what makes each of them consequential.
An internal promotion, not an outside hire, put Tobin in the chair. NAHB named Tobin its president and CEO on May 4, 2023, effective June 1, 2023, following a nationwide search that began with more than 200 candidates, before the board ratified the committee’s recommendation on May 3. He now leads a 140,000-member federation and a headquarters staff of more than 200, overseeing national events including the International Builders’ Show and Design & Construction Week that draw well over 100,000 industry professionals in a typical year.
Those are the numbers. The story is a career that never left the building, spanning 25 years and every rung of the advocacy ladder inside it.
A Congressional Staffer Long Before He Joined NAHB
Tobin arrived at NAHB with Capitol Hill experience already in hand. Before joining the association, he served as senior legislative assistant to former U.S. Representatives Frank Riggs (R-CA) and Gary Franks (R-CT), grounding him in the mechanics of federal policymaking before he ever represented the housing industry’s interests full time.
Twenty-Five Years, Building the Lobbying Machine From the Ground Up
Tobin’s climb at NAHB began at the bottom of its advocacy operation. He joined the association in 1998 as a Congressional representative for the western United States, then broadened into environmental and tax policy work before becoming Vice President for Federal Relations. In 2011, he became chief lobbyist, directing federal, state and local lobbying and political activities for NAHB, including the association’s political action committee, BUILD-PAC, and its grassroots network. He most recently held the title of Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Lobbyist before his promotion to CEO.
Succeeding a 22-Year Tenure Was Never Going to Be Simple
Tobin stepped into a job held for more than two decades by one person. He succeeded Jerry Howard, who retired after 22 years as CEO and more than 30 years with the association overall. “It’s a great privilege for me, as a longtime staff member who worked my way up through the ranks, to now lead this great team,” Tobin told ProBuilder of the transition. NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Alabama, credited his “proven track record of success in leading NAHB’s federal legislative advocacy” as making him “uniquely qualified to lead our association in the years ahead.”
The Credentials Behind the Title: CAE and IOM
Beyond his housing policy background, Tobin holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, widely considered the field’s top professional certification, as well as the Institute for Organization Management (IOM) designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, credentials that now appear alongside his name in NAHB’s own official materials.
Still Hosting the Podcast He Started as Chief Lobbyist
Rather than step back from NAHB’s public-facing media once he became CEO, Tobin kept hosting. He co-hosted Housing Developments, NAHB’s podcast covering the U.S. housing market, economics and policy advocacy, alongside Jerry Howard before becoming CEO, and now continues the show with NAHB Chief Operating Officer Paul Lopez, covering topics from tariff policy to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to on-site broadcasts from the floor of the International Builders’ Show.
Where Jim Tobin Goes Home at Night
Tobin holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Connecticut and lives in Falls Church, Virginia, with his wife and their two children, the same Washington, D.C.-area community NAHB itself calls home.
Why Does James Tobin Belong Among the 25 Most Influential Leaders in These Industries?
Influence in these industries takes several forms. Some leaders influence through a keynote stage or a book. Some through a franchise system that creates business owners. Some through a distribution network, a software platform, or the price of a pallet.
James Tobin influences through Washington itself. He spent 25 years building NAHB’s advocacy machine from the inside, first as a congressional representative, then as chief lobbyist steering the association’s political action committee and grassroots network, before rising to lead the 140,000-member federation and the annual gathering of well over 100,000 industry professionals it convenes each year. Continuing to host the association’s own podcast rather than handing it off, and doing the work of federal advocacy on tariffs, labor and housing supply that he has spent a career mastering, is exactly the kind of influence this list was created to recognize.
About HG HomeClub
HG HomeClub is a national media platform serving the home improvement, home services and outdoor living industries. Created to champion media back to its original purpose of informed transparency, HG HomeClub curates the top stories, headlines, rankings, videos, podcasts, webinars, events and professional recommendations across the industry and presents them in one consolidated, easily consumable destination, helping both homeowners and professionals make better-informed decisions. More information is available at hghomeclub.com.
About the National Association of Home Builders
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), founded in 1942 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., is one of the largest trade associations in the United States, representing the interests of home builders, remodelers, developers, contractors and associated businesses. NAHB is a federation of more than 700 state and local home builder associations, with more than 140,000 members nationwide. The association owns and operates the International Builders’ Show and, alongside NKBA, Design & Construction Week. NAHB is led by President and CEO James W. Tobin III. More information is available at nahb.org.
The 25 Most Influential Leaders in Home Improvement, Home Services and Outdoor Living
Presented alphabetically. There is no numerical ranking; each leader is recognized for influence exercised in a distinct way.
- Doug Black — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, SiteOne Landscape Supply (Outdoor living)
- AJ Brown — Co-Chief Executive Officer, Apex Service Partners (Platforms)
- Paul Burleson — Senior Account Executive, Westlake Royal Building Products (Home improvement)
- Jenilee Common — Chief Executive Officer, Leaf Home and Erie Home (Home improvement)
- Greg Cummings — Chief Executive Officer, Power100 (Media)
- Bill Darcy — Global President and Chief Executive Officer, NKBA and KBIS (Associations)
- Mike Davis — Chief Executive Officer, Neighborly (Franchising)
- Ted Decker — Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Home Depot (Retail)
- Marvin R. Ellison — Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lowe’s (Retail)
- Aaron Erter — Chief Executive Officer, James Hardie (Manufacturing)
- Daniel Gluck — Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Renuity (Home improvement)
- Ken Goodrich — Chairman; Founder, Goettl; The Goodrich Organization (Home services)
- Brian Gottlieb — Best-Selling Author and Speaker, Beyond the Hammer (Speaking and authorship)
- Maggie Hardy — Owner, President and Chief Executive Officer, 84 Lumber (Distribution)
- Brad Jacobs — Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, QXO (Distribution)
- Kurt Kane — President and Chief Executive Officer, TruGreen (Outdoor living)
- Ara Mahdessian — Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ServiceTitan (Technology)
- Matt Malone — Founder and Executive Chairman, Groundworks (Home services)
- Tommy Mello — Founder and Chief Executive Officer, A1 Garage Door Service (Home services)
- Heidi G. Petz — Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sherwin-Williams (Manufacturing)
- Asher Raphael — Co-Chief Executive Officer, Power Home Remodeling (Home improvement)
- Dave Regnery — Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Trane Technologies (Manufacturing)
- Marcus Sheridan — Founder, Marcus Sheridan International (Speaking and authorship)
- Dan Tinker — President and Chief Executive Officer, SRS Distribution (Distribution)
- James W. Tobin III — President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Home Builders (Associations)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is HG HomeClub, and what is this list?
HG HomeClub is a national media platform serving the home improvement, home services, and outdoor living industries. It was created to return media to its original purpose of informed transparency, curating the industry’s top stories, headlines, rankings, videos, podcasts, webinars, events and professional recommendations in one place for both homeowners and professionals. The 25 Most Influential Leaders in Home Improvement, Home Services and Outdoor Living is one of HG HomeClub’s editorial rankings, recognizing the people shaping these industries in the right way across manufacturing, distribution, retail, technology, franchising, contracting, media, capital and the associations that convene the trades.
- Is the list ranked from one to 25?
No. The list is presented alphabetically and carries no numerical order. The leaders recognized exercise influence in genuinely different ways, through enterprise scale, growth, product innovation, franchising, capital, authorship, keynote stages, advocacy and media, and HG HomeClub declined to impose a hierarchy on work that is not comparable. Every leader on the list is recognized equally.
- Who is James Tobin?
James W. Tobin III is President and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), a position he has held since June 1, 2023. He joined NAHB in 1998 as a congressional representative, became chief lobbyist in 2011, and most recently served as Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Lobbyist before his promotion. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Connecticut and lives in Falls Church, Virginia.
- Why was James Tobin selected for this list?
Because he rose over 25 years through every level of NAHB’s advocacy operation, from congressional representative to chief lobbyist to CEO, and now leads a 140,000-member federation, directs the association’s political and legislative machine, and oversees national events including the International Builders’ Show and Design & Construction Week that draw well over 100,000 industry professionals annually.
- How did James Tobin become CEO of NAHB?
NAHB named Tobin its president and CEO on May 4, 2023, effective June 1, 2023, following a nationwide search that began with more than 200 candidates and was conducted by a committee representing all segments of the association’s federation. He succeeded Jerry Howard, who retired after 22 years as CEO and more than 30 years with the association overall.
- What roles did James Tobin hold before becoming CEO?
Tobin joined NAHB in 1998 as a congressional representative for the western United States, later expanding into environmental and tax policy work and becoming Vice President for Federal Relations. In 2011, he became chief lobbyist, directing NAHB’s federal, state and local lobbying and political activities, including its political action committee, BUILD-PAC, and its grassroots network. He most recently held the title of Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Chief Lobbyist.
- What credentials does James Tobin hold?
Tobin holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the American Society of Association Executives, the field’s top professional certification, as well as the Institute for Organization Management (IOM) designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
- What is NAHB’s Housing Developments podcast?
Housing Developments is NAHB’s podcast covering U.S. housing market conditions, economics and policy advocacy. Tobin co-hosted the show with then-CEO Jerry Howard before his own promotion, and now continues hosting it alongside NAHB Chief Operating Officer Paul Lopez, including live broadcasts from events such as the International Builders’ Show.
- How large is the National Association of Home Builders?
NAHB is a federation of more than 700 state and local home builder associations with more than 140,000 members nationwide, supported by a headquarters staff of more than 200 in Washington, D.C. The association owns and operates the International Builders’ Show and, in partnership with NKBA, Design & Construction Week, events that collectively draw well over 100,000 industry professionals each year.
