By Anne Ruisi
Volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity convinced Alicia Huey that early childhood education was not to be her career path.
Instead, it led to more than 30 years in the home building industry and in February, chairmanship of the National Association of Home Builders’ board of directors.
“I’m really enjoying my role. I hope I’m giving back in a meaningful way,” said Huey, a Hoover resident who is president of AGH Homes Inc., a custom home building company she founded in 2000.
Her company specializes in high-end custom homes for buyers on individual lots, and the company builds homes in Hoover and at several golf course communities in Vestavia Hills.
It was while attending the University of Montevallo and volunteering with Habitat that two life-changing events occurred: she met her husband, Don, and she decided to switch careers.
Home construction was and is an industry overwhelmingly dominated by men. Today, 21.3% of homebuilders in the country are women, while 73.7% are men, according to job and career development website zippia.com.
Huey said it was unusual when she started out, but she said she’s thrived, adding she learned about the business from “wonderful mentors.”
One of her duties as board chairman of the national association, which is headquartered in Washington, is to meet with members of Congress on issues affecting the home construction industry “and the American dream of home ownership,” Huey said.
These issues include legislation and regulations that can drive up the cost of building a new home as well as supply chain shortages.
“Every new regulation makes housing more expensive,” Huey said.
The national association also steps in to help when natural catastrophes hit the country, such as helping with cleanup after recent tornado strikes in Mississippi.
History of Service
Huey’s leadership role in the national association puts Alabama in the spotlight, Huey said. The Greater Birmingham and Alabama home builders’ associations are successful and are respected nationally.
Throughout her career, Huey has been active in the leadership structure of the national home builders’ organization at the local, state and national levels. Its elected senior officers serve on a multi-year leadership ladder, and she has served on the association’s board of directors for more than 15 years.
Huey has also chaired several national association committees, including BUILD-PAC, Professional Women in Building and membership. She’s also served on the state and local Government Affairs and Public Affairs and Association Communications committees, and as a member of the executive board. In 2008, she was named Professional Women in Building’s Woman of the Year.
At the local level, Huey was president of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders in 2013, was named the association’s Builder of the Year in 2012 and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2008. Huey was named as the Builder of the Year by the Home Builders Association of Alabama in 2014.
She’s also been active in her community. She volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for a decade, was honored as the organization’s 2011 Volunteer of the Year and served as chair of the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham from 2012-2014.
What she loves about home construction is that it is inspiring to “come together and make someone’s dream a reality,” Huey said.
She also said she enjoys “the whole experience of being outside” and learning something new every day.”
