Modern Home Builders Issue 135 October 2024 | Page 47

_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Happe

Homes that is cohesive , functional , and meets the

needs of our clients ,” Jake highlights .

Core values

As our conversation nears its end , Jake shares some exclusive insights into his own professional journey in the homebuilding industry . “ I started working the summer before my 8th grade year , and I was quite young – only about 12 years old . My job was to clean up job sites , so I was essentially the grunt worker . However , I enjoyed it and continued to work in the industry every summer , winter break , snow day , or holiday I had off school . By the time I graduated high

school , I knew I wanted to pursue a career in construction as I had found a passion for it and was good at it . Thus , I got a job with a large local homebuilder as a framer and was soon running multiple crews for them . Approximately one year after graduating , I established Happe , and here we are , 21 years later ,” he recounts .

Looking to the future , Jake is positive that Happe will continue on its current trajectory and remain true to its core values . “ As a homebuilder , I have always valued the personal relationships we have with our homeowners , subcontractors , and everyone else involved in the homebuilding process rather than aiming to build as many homes as possible . While we are currently building fewer homes than we have in the past , this slower pace has allowed us to focus on improving our processes . Our mission now and into the future is to put smiles on people ’ s faces and continue to do what we love , while sharing our passion for homebuilding with others ,” he ends . ■

happehomes . com

BLDR . COM 5631 NE 17th St • Des Moines , IA • 515.635.6080

modernhb . com 47