August 2007 Executive Moves

Orlando, Fla.-based giant Park Square Homes, ranked No. 73 in this year's Giant 400, has named Alan Wilson vice president of finance. He'll report directly to Park Square president Jim Bagley. The firm has 13 communities in the Central Florida resort market. Wilson spent the previous 12 years with Morrison Homes.

Roseville, Minn.-based The Rottlund Co., ranked No. 112 in this year's Giant 400, has settled a hotly-contested $30 million copyright infringement lawsuit begun six years ago against Chicagoland giant Town & Country Homes (which has since been acquired by No. 6-ranked Hovnanian Enterprises, based in Red Bank, N.J.) and Des Moines, Iowa-based BSB Design. Rottlund claimed the defendants copied Rottlund's design of a best-selling townhouse plan. The defendants won in U.S. District Court in 2005, but in June, 2006, a three-judge panel of the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the lower court judge erred in allowing testimony by an architectural expert called by Town & Country. The defendants recently settled, signing a licensing agreement for an undisclosed amount. Rottlund builds in Tampa, Fla., and Des Moines, Iowa, in addition to the Twin Cities market in Minnesota.

Rowland "Tre" Giller, president of condo developer Don Kenney's Village Communities based in Westerville, Ohio, is looking to follow the model established by another central Ohio condo builder — No. 63 Epcon Group of Dublin, Ohio — by franchising the firm's products to builders around the country. Epcon's franchise network reached $500.8 million in 2006 revenues on 2,782 units closed by 135 franchisees in 30 states. Village closed 359 units in 2006 for $58.5 million in revenue, up 30 percent over the previous year. One difference in the Village franchise offer: it will include two-story townhouse product as well as fourplex ranch buildings similar to Epcon's.

Steve Parker, formerly president and CEO of Morrison Homes (and a member of the board of directors for parent George Wimpey PLC), has been named president of U.S. operations for Mattamy Homes. Mattamy's U.S. Group, based in Jacksonville, Fla., has divisions in Minneapolis; Charlotte, N.C.; and Phoenix, as well as Jacksonville.

Tonya Farina has been promoted by Azek Building Products (Scranton, Pa.) to vice president of marketing. She previously served as regional manager for the mid-Atlantic territory. Azek produces lines of PVC millwork and decorative trim, moldings, gates, fences and railings.

Carl B. Hedlund, president and CEO of Maumee, Ohio-based Therma-Tru Doors for the past seven years, has announced his intent to retire at the end of this year. Scott Phillips, formerly an independent marketing consultant, has been named vice president, marketing, by Therma-Tru Doors. Phillips will report to Hedlund. Phillips spent 16 years with Whirlpool Corporation before launching his SHP Consulting firm that was based in St. Joseph, Mich.

John Staines has been named senior vice president of human resources by housing supernova KB Home, ranked No. 5. Staines, 45, will be responsible for human resources strategies across the 15 states and 40 housing markets in which KB Home operates. He will report directly to KB president and CEO Jeffrey Mezger. Staines comes to KB from DaVita, a major operator of kidney dialysis centers across the U.S., where he was senior vice president of human resources.

Send your Moves news to bill.lurz@reedbusiness.com.

Morrison Homes' merger with Taylor Woodrow creates a new contender for the Top 10 of the American housing industry. The United Kingdom parents of the two — publicly traded goliaths Taylor Woodrow PLC and George Wimpey PLC — recently combined their worldwide operations to form Taylor Wimpey PLC, the world's new No. 5 home builder. The merger places the new North American company (with operations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Texas and Canada) just behind No. 13 Meritage Homes and ahead of No. 14 Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Co. in combined 2006 housing revenues of $3.33 billion from 8,839 closings. John Landrum will lead the new company as president and CEO from headquarters in Bradenton, Fla. It will maintain both the Taylor Woodrow and Morrison brands. But in a quirky move, the new parent corporation decided the North American operation will retain the name Taylor Woodrow Inc. rather than adopt the parent's name in the U.K.