Things have changed at the Home Builders Association of Kitsap County. Ten years ago the organization was medium-sized, semi-disorganized, and politically nowhere. Today, its membership has nearly doubled, totaling almost 600 active builder and associate member firms, its office is as organized as any corporation, and it has evolved into a true political and social force in the county.

Much of this is due to the association’s executive vice president, Art Castle, who, for the last decade, has guided the local organization from a small-time, local group to a nationally recognized, forward-thinking association.

“Art’s got a great energy and passion for this industry and small business owners,” said Tom McCabe, executive vice president of the Building Industry of Washington (BIAW). “I liked him the day I met him.”

“Working with Art I’ve found him to be very straightforward and flexible,” said County Commissioner Jan Angel. “I’ve always appreciated his balance in aiding business through builders while also being a supporter of protecting the environment.”

Castle, who celebrated his 10-year anniversary at the Homebuilder’s Association of Kitsap County in May, got his start in the industry in 1988 in Bellingham, where he headed the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County.

“Art turned that association around,” said McCabe. When Castle started at Whatcom County, the association was a small group of 59 members. When he left it was, as McCabe describes, a “high-energy organization” of 250 members with its own office building.”

While in Bellingham, Castle attracted the attention of the Kitsap HBA’s past presidents, Larry Ward and Bill Parnell. A major embezzlement by a past executive vice president had come to light and been dealt with, but the association was still in organizational and financial disarray. The pair convinced the board that not only was professional management absolutely essential, but that Castle was just the man for the job.

“He’s an entrepreneur,” said Ward at the time, passionately pitching the HBA board on hiring Castle. “He knows what he’s doing, he thinks like a businessman and he knows our industry. He’s a natural for us and we’d be fools not to hire him.”

“I saw what a leader he was in Whatcom County and thought he was just what we needed here,” said Parnell. “He was very honorable as well. We approached him at the NAHB convention, but he said he was there representing his association and it would be inappropriate for him to discuss a position with us at that time, so we called him when we got back.”

“I recommended him highly,” said McCabe. “I think he got a lot of recommendations from a lot of people.”

When Castle joined the Kitsap HBA in 1994, he recalled, “We had nothing.” The office was lacking some of the most basic business processes. It had no accounts receivable, no membership tracking, and no organized financials.

“We would send out an invoice and if it got paid, great! We’d take the money and put it in the bank,” Castle said.

Castle spent a good part of his first year getting the association organized, so that it would run as a business should, including solving some lingering tax problems. Today, the business is a non-profit success.

“We’re not rich, but we’re solvent,” said Castle. “And we’ve got a modest reserve.”

During Castle’s tenure the HBA increased its staff from three to five, added networked computers for each staff member, and even developed its own custom software to manage its membership database and tracking.

“When the business end operates properly, suddenly the organization can take the step to the next level,” said Castle. “It becomes possible to expand and add programs.”

The next step for the association was for Castle and the volunteer leadership to put new management tools in place and to work to develop a shared strategy, vision, and goals.

“The volunteer leadership in the organization changes each year,” said Castle. “With a management strategy in place, each year the organization can build on the success of the last.”

With this solid foundation in place, the HBA was now positioned to grow into a real force in the community, both socially and politically. Some of its notable accomplishments include the Build a Better Kitsap Program, now called Built Green, which was started in 1996.

The program advocates using techniques and materials to build comfortable, safe, environmentally friendly homes. It was the first program of its kind in the country, and has been widely recognized and emulated. In 1997 the Washington State Department of Ecology hailed Built Green as being the “Most Innovative Program for Waste Reduction and Recycling,” and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center used Kitsap’s Built Green as the model for its national “green” building program for its local associations.

“My relationship with Art goes way back to when he called me in on the Built Green program,” said Rick Courson, current president of the HBA. Courson is a strong proponent of green building practices and recognized as a national authority on the subject. “He has a unique vision, and he keeps us focused.”

Castle oversaw the revitalization of the HBA’s annual home show, held at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds. The current show has only stopped growing because there is nowhere left to expand it to.

He helped create the association’s charitable foundation, established last year to use for the many charitable contributions the association makes. Over the last decade the association has worked with social service groups and organizations, such as the Make A Wish Foundation, and Holly Ridge Center as well as supporting various other charitable causes.

Soon the HBA, in cooperation with the Silverdale Breakfast Rotary, will unveil a new veteran’s memorial in Old Town Silverdale. Castle is proud to note that the project, which would have cost nearly $200,000 if commissioned traditionally, has cost much less and was built primarily by volunteers.

“There’s been a massive amount of volunteer support for this project,” said Castle. “When completed, it will be the only memorial in Washington dedicated to all branches of the service.”

The HBA is also now a potent political force, and improving government affairs and the local business climate for his members has been a priority in which Castle has had a huge hand. Politics is in his blood, going back as far as helping elect Florida gubernatorial candidate Ruben Askew in 1972, and the HBA has been more politically active under Castle’s guidance than ever before.

He was instrumental in the creation of a staff position strictly for governmental affairs, and the group’s Legislative Policy Committee is now one that most politicians know is mandatory to meet with if they intend to get elected.

The association even has a political action committee, the Affordable Housing Council, which is the largest and richest PAC based in Kitsap County. Using funds raised at its annual auction in September, the association contributes to political candidates and issues that the organization decides is in its interest to support.

The HBA’s Builder Breakfasts, started in the late 90s, are very popular events. “We invite government officials to come in and talk about issues,” said Castle. “We do one about every month or so, each time in a different city, or commissioner’s district.”

The HBA also has a board meeting agenda item where officials from the Department of Community Development (DCD) attend and report on new rules and regulations and other items of interest, to the industry. Board members also get to express their concerns face-to-face to DCD officials so win-win solutions can be found, often before problems are created.

Just this year the association started the Developer’s Council, a group that meets to identify development issues in the county and discuss potential solutions. Similarly a new Builder’s Council was also formed, to discuss issues related to building codes, government affairs issues, and so on.

Under Castle’s leadership, a Remodelor’s Council was established several years ago. The purpose was not only elevate the level of professionalism in the local remodeling industry by providing ongoing specialized education for members, but also to be a resource where the public can get referrals to Remodelor’s Council members that assure them of dealing with reputable business people.

The list goes on and on.

One thing most people like to kid Castle about, and he is self-depreciating about, is his penchant for conversation, especially about politics. According the Shanna Baird, who has served as Castle’s right-hand person for a number of years, “When you finally realize you have to ask Art a question you must preface the question with, ‘In ten words or less Art,” she laughs.

Dale Armstrong, head of the Remodelor’s Council and incoming president of the organization, chuckled when he said, “Never ask Art a 30-second question unless you have an extra two hours.” And immediate past president John Armstrong quipped, “Engage Art in a conversation and watch Art change the subject and talk! talk! talk!”

All were said with affection, as was a comment from HBA membership director, Fae Smith, who added with a grin, “Art who? I have so much respect and love for this man... I must, I’ve now worked for him twice!”

Castle has received numerous awards and recognition for his work. His office walls are lined with plaques and awards. More rest on shelves, chairs, and any other available flat space. Other homebuilders associations around the country have used the programs developed by Kitsap’s HBA as a guide for their own organizations.

“It’s really meaningful for me to be recognized by others in the industry,” said Castle. “It’s a great feeling when some else thinks what you have done is special enough to emulate.”

For all his success, though, for Castle what’s most important about the association is its members.

“The key to being successful in this industry,” he said, “is to treat the organization like you own it, but realize that you don’t.”.