Page 5 - Ashton Woods Trail Blazers 2017

The Fruits of Our Labor
This year, we’ve really seen all of our hard work pay o . We’re getting invited into projects that other builders just can’t touch because of our reputation for cutting-edge design, unrivaled options for personalization, and for
just consistently getting it done and done right. A perfect example is Aria, an Atlanta community with a massive scope and groundbreaking vision. From the onset, the seller wouldn’t even consider other o ers – Ashton Woods was the only builder they would work with on this unique, mixed-use project. Aria, the largest deal in the history
of Ashton Woods, should prove to be the most impressive project the city has seen in some time. We’re getting into more projects like Aria because people know we’ll make good on the promise of our brand. And the more we do this, the more opportunities we can expect to get in the future, continuing to fuel our growth in the years ahead.
Aside from new projects, we’ve also seen more recognition for the communities and spaces we’ve created. We picked up an unprecedented 70 sales and marketing awards across the country this year, most notably at the Nationals where we won Best Design Studio in the country. Of course, the best awards are strong sales and happy homeowners, which is what it’s really all about.
The Harp – our rst model opened at the unique live-work-play community of Aria Atlanta
Our Strength is Our People
Our success is the result of one thing. This team. You
and your teammates are what make us tick. We have the strongest culture in the industry with a passion to do right that comes from the ground up. Whatever new endeavor we embark upon, I never lose an ounce of sleep over it. Whatever the challenge, our people will solve it and do an amazing job. Whether it’s starting Starlight, creating the best design studios in the world or tackling a project on a bigger scale than we’ve ever encountered, we go full force and do it well. I love the fact that even as we get bigger, we’re still
prepared to take advantage of the best opportunities and deal with any challenges head on. That’s what innovation and pushing boundaries mean at the stage we’re in today.
Our people are passionate about what we do and want our company to be successful. What de nes us is, and has always been, our people. You’re the reason we’ve come so far and the reason why we can all be so optimistic about our future.
That’s why, even in an industry where labor continues to
be a huge challenge, we’re investing in our people more than at any time in our history. We’re expanding our college recruitment e orts to keep up with our growth pace. We’re growing from within as well, creating new opportunities
for our people to challenge themselves in their careers. This year, we had over 50 internal promotions both within and across divisions and corporate. We’ve created a construction training program for Starlight that will soon
roll out for Ashton Woods. And through it all, we’re maintaining our culture and continuing to be a top
place to work in our markets.
Atlanta and Corporate teams forming a “bucket brigade” as they volunteered in HomeAid Atlanta’s restoration of the city’s Covenant House shelter
We’re Stronger than Ever
It seems like we set new records every day. This year, we exceeded 3,000 sales for the rst time in company history. Our $1.2 billion in revenue, also a company record, is the result of building a strong foundation, with solid teams
that will continue to help us drive signi cant growth in
the years to come. To help fuel this continued growth, we secured an additional $250 million of capital in August that will pave the way for our growth initiatives on the horizon.
New Trails Ahead
I’ve said it before and will continue to say: we have a lot
to look forward to. The industry is healthy. We’ve worked hard to form a foundation built on best-in-class design and personalization and world-class talent. And now, we continue to build on this foundation. The stage of growth we face today presents a new set of challenges, and requires a new kind of innovation, but the times are no less exciting. We’ve worked hard to get here, launching Starlight to reach a whole new segment of the market, breaking sales records, winning design awards and making our homeowners, and our people, really, really happy. Nothing could make me happier than that. Thanks for a great year.
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