NARI’s Busy April: Accredits Its First Remodeling Business and Gives Lifetime Achievement Award

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry has been busy this month. D&J Kitchens and Baths in Sacramento was named the nation’s first NARI Accredited Remodeling Company, and Judy Mozen, president of metro Atlanta-based Handcrafted Homes, was awarded this year’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

The first announcement comes only weeks after NARI unveiled its new accreditation program – which instead of focusing on individual remodelers, as had long been the norm, represents a guarantee that a given remodeling business as a whole consistently employing best practices.

A First for the Association, and the Industry

“We are proud to be the first NARI Accredited Remodeling Company and isrepresent the Sacramento Area,” said Darius Baker, owner and CEO of D&J Kitchens & Baths, a company that’s been in business since the early 80s. “We hope this will improve results with our clients and the community as a whole.”

One of the factors that helped Baker’s company get approved so quickly, is that he new the program inside and out. He was a member of the team that helped NARI develop the accreditation standards.

“Darius was part of the team that helped us determine the governance of the program. He’s made a lot of good recommendations and really helped us make sure the program was done right,” said NARI Director of Education Dan Taddie.

When NARI put the call out for accreditation applications, D&J Kitchens and Baths wasn’t the only one to submit, but it was the first to meet the qualifications.

“It’s a tough accreditation,” Taddie said. “I’ve had a ton of people who’ve wanted their business accredited, but they’ll have an issue here or an issue there – things they need to take care of before we can accredit them. But it was really easy to accredit Darius. D&J has all the stuff we’re looking for.”

A Lifetime Achiever

The latter announcement, regarding Mozen, comes as a surprise to no one familiar with her work.

“Judy Mozen is an exemplary member of NARI and represents the embodiment of NARI’s prmose – ‘Remodeling Done Right’ – in all that she does,” said NARI CEO Fred Ulreich.

Managing her own business for 40 years, the decorated remodeler, who was the 2015-2016 NARI president and has held and currently holds a number of professional board positions and certifications, and who has received a number of industry awards, including the Sales and Marketing Council of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s first-ever “Remodeler of the Year” OBIE Award in 2016, has long been an advocate for the industry (hence the heavy involvement with NARI).

“Judy has served NARI on both the national and local level for many years, and is well-deserving of this prestigious honor,” said Jesse Morado, executive director of NARI Atlanta.

Mozen’s most recent accomplishments, Morado pointed out, include her spearheading one of NARI Atlanta’s “most successful annual education event,” called Cutting Edge, and participating in the area’s Tour of Remodeled Homes, which is also an annual event.