City of Hope builds in Las Vegas

As the homebuilding industry prepares for the annual tradition known as the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas, amid the fanfare of Design & Construction Week, another tradition will attract a significant crowd on the eve of the show.

City of Hope’s 2016 Spirit of Life Award Reception will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Spa on Jan. 18. The spotlight will shine on Bob Tellier, president of Orchard Supply Hardware, this year’s Spirit of Life honoree.

City of Hope is the Duarte, California-based research and treatment facility for cancer and other diseases. Over the years, it has nurtured a close relationship with the building supply industry.

 “The Hardware/Homebuilding industry has been unwavering throughout the past 34 years,” said Kevin Courtney, City of Hope’s senior director for the hardware and home building industry. “Retail leaders and their vendor partners work together to support the groundbreaking research and cures developed at City of Hope.

“Not even the Great Recession could keep them down,” he added. “Since 1982, the industry has raised over $150 million.”

Courtney, a former USG executive, took on his current role last year upon the retirement of Al Olsen.

Past Spirit of Life honorees include: Robert Strickland (Lowe’s), Arthur Blank and Bernie Marcus (Home Depot), Maggie Hardy Magerko (84 Lumber), Paul Hylbert (ProBuild Holdings), and Peter Grace (W.R. Grace & Co.).

According to Courtney, bringing a competitive industry together under one roof to support City of Hope isn’t as difficult as one might think. “The industry group was founded on the notion that we’re competitors by day, but partners-for-the-cause by night. Consolidation in the Hardware/Homebuilding industry does create some challenges, but the legacy lives on in the dedicated volunteers who work on our behalf.”

The Spirit of Life Reception kicks off a year of fundraising activities for City of Hope. Other highlights will include events at Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, California; The Grand Del Mar Resort in San Diego, California; and Pebble Beach Resorts in Carmel, California.