FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liz Thompson
202-266-8495
ethompson@nahb.org
nahb.org
NAHB NAMES LEADING KITCHEN AND BATH DESIGNER 2013 CAPS EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27—Mary Jo Peterson, CAPS, one of the country’s leading kitchen and bath designers, has been named the 2013 Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) Educator of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) . Peterson was recognized for her successful efforts to educate builders, remodelers and other industry professionals about home modifications for aging-in place.
Peterson is president of Brookfield, Conn.-based Mary Jo Peterson Inc., a design firm that focuses on residential and commercial building projects and provides consulting support to major home builders nationwide, as well as the architects, developers and product manufacturers who support them. Peterson is a strong proponent of universal design, addressing the needs of people of all ability levels and walks of life, including those with disabilities and the aging.
An active member of NAHB and the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County, Peterson is popular speaker across the country, sharing her expertise on the active adult and aging-inplace markets. A past trustee of the NAHB 50+ Housing Council, Peterson helped write the Designing for the Active Adult course, which was part of NAHB’s Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing (CAASH) designation. Peterson also worked closely with NAHB Remodelers by contributing content to the CAPS courses and authored the two-day Universal Design/Build course. She is an approved instructor for the CAPS and Universal Design/Build courses.
Peterson has won numerous awards for her design work, particularly with GE Appliances. She also has been recognized by industry groups such as the NAHB 50+ Housing Council, National Endowment for the Arts and the Building Sciences Museum and from The American Institute of Architects, Easter Seals and Century 21 in the Easy Access Housing Awards for excellence in universal design. In 2009, Peterson was inducted into the National Kitchen & Bath Association Hall of Fame for her contributions to the industry.
“Mary Jo is one of the country’s foremost experts on kitchen and bath design and she has been an enthusiastic supporter of the CAPS designation and NAHB education,” said Joseph Irons, CAPS, CGP, CGR, GMB, GMR, chairman of the CAPS Board of Governors and a remodeler from Shoreline, Wash. “Mary Jo’s knowledge and passion for aging-in-place and universal design make her a superb instructor. Anyone who has ever listened to Mary Jo in the classroom can attest to that.”
Peterson and other leading industry professionals will be recognized on Feb. 3 at the Designation Achievement Reception during the 2014 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.
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ABOUT NAHB: The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB’s builder members will construct about 80 percent of the new housing units projected for this year.