Standout Moments from the 2026 Executive Summit

Last month, private home builders from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Breckenridge, Colorado, for the 2026 Executive Summit, our annual leadership training event designed for forward-thinking builders committed to growth, innovation, and long-term success.

The theme of this year’s event was competing smarter and leading stronger. Through a mix of presentations, peer panels, and interactive working sessions, attendees explored the strategies, systems, and technologies necessary to drive profitability, scalability, and sustained competitive advantage in an increasingly complex market.

In her opening remarks, Shinn Group President, Emma Wildermuth, encouraged attendees to “start with why,” sharing a quote from Simon Sinek: “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

We were pleased to once again welcome Zachary Nyberg of John Burns Research and Consulting to share his economic outlook. His session delivered a comprehensive and highly insightful deep dive into the market, equipping attendees with a wealth of data, context, and practical takeaways. His advice to builders was clear: adapt product, pricing, and land strategies to meet buyers where they are today.

Leadership That Moves Teams Forward

Our keynote speaker, Chris Laping, brought engaging, workshop-style energy to his session on day one of the seminar. Rather than a traditional presentation, the session encouraged open dialogue, with leaders in the room challenging assumptions and exchanging perspectives on what it takes to guide teams effectively.

At the core of Laping’s message was a clear reframing of leadership accountability: a leader’s role is to create an environment where teams can consistently move toward their goals. And when progress stalls, the responsibility sits with the leader, not the team. He unpacked common reasons employees resist change, pointing to lack of clarity around priorities and insufficient communication of the “why” behind decisions. Laping also emphasized the importance of involving team members in the process, urging leaders to ask for input and truly listen. By fostering clarity, trust, and inclusion, he demonstrated how leaders can build alignment and momentum, even in times of significant change.
 

Winning Combinations for Success

The focus of this year’s program was on market differentiation, business optimization, and leveraging technology to build a future-ready organization. We opened day two with a session on differentiation which included an insightful presentation by Jennifer Cooper, CEO of Evolution Marketing, on what sets builders apart and the benefits of a “builder or choice” marketing posture. Up next was an inspiring presentation on relational leadership by Steve Bricker, president of Baessler Homes. He shared a strong message about culture and caring, and how leaders can have control or growth, but not both.

In the afternoon of day two, Shinn Group consultants, Ed Hauck, Jim Weigel, and Paul Winegar, were joined by Jeremy Knicely, Vice President of StyleCraft Homes, for a session focused on strengthening businesses through strategic optimization. As a member of a Shinn builder group, Knicely stressed the value of surrounding yourself with people who hold you accountable and challenge you when performance falls short. He shared a powerful story of transformation that underscored how strong peer connections and leadership with accountability can drive meaningful business results. Knicely cited Daniel H. Pink’s book Drive as a major influence on his leadership style.

The technology session on day three featured a dynamic mix of perspectives, featuring speakers from a manufacturer, a technology company, and a builder. Matthew Sallee, Director of Marketing at Daikin Comfort Technologies, referenced the book Radical Candor by Kim Scott, and emphasized that to grow your business, you must first grow yourself while creating opportunities for your team to grow alongside you. Jared Rogers, Senior Director of Sales at Higharc, shared a story about survival and transformation. He pointed to the 2008 recession and how the “Big Three” U.S. automakers had three vastly different responses to the crisis (freeze, retrench, transform). The takeaway for builders: a downturn is the best time to change and innovate. From the perspective of Thomas Berrington, Chief Information Officer at French Brothers (and now a member of the Shinn Group team), AI in home building is not robotics. It is the systematic elimination of operational waste. The builders who win in the next decade will not out-build competitors. They will out-measure and out-correct them.

A Memorable Night of Celebration

Always a highlight, the awards banquet delivered an evening of celebration and well-deserved recognition. Sego Homes emerged as a standout this year, earning dual honors as Employer of Choice and Partner of Choice, an accomplishment that speaks to its people-first mindset and partnership-driven approach. Accepting the awards on behalf of the company were Dallin Corbridge and Spencer Corbridge.

After the awards presentation, the fun continued with the always-popular prize drawing. Once again, our generous sponsors came through with some fabulous prizes including a room air purifier, Meta Wayfarer glasses, an Orin Swift wine gift set, an executive travel kit, and a Yeti GoBox (just to name a few).

At the end of the regular prize drawing, all entries went back into the basket for a chance to win the grand prize: a free model home pool (including installation and equipment) from Latham, The Pool Company. "Latham has enjoyed the partnership with Shinn Group/Builder Partnerships since we started last year,” said Roman Berry, National Sales Manager at Latham. “The Executive Summit was another opportunity to meet the builders and learn valuable insight into what homebuilders are implementing to be successful in a competitive environment. What stood out is the need for differentiation and consistency. That certainly matches Latham, the Pool Company's value proposition. We thought about what better way than to provide a real-life example by giving away a pool system to one of the attendees. We were happy that Brian Bosgraff of Cottage Homes was the fortunate recipient. Our products fit perfectly for his business model, and we are very excited that they are also participating in our new Latham Homebuilder Alliance (LHA) program where Latham provides training as well as the ability to purchase our products direct at wholesale pricing and install themselves, controlling the time schedule, revenue, and much need margin and consistency for their homes. Could not have asked for a better partner in Cottage Homes and thank Shinn Group/Builder Partnerships for bringing this to fruition. Can't wait to see the results. Stay tuned...!"

Meaningful Connections and Shared Insights

One thing we consistently hear from attendees is how much they value the connections and collaboration that happen throughout the event. That’s exactly why we place such a strong emphasis on creating an environment where meaningful networking and relationship building can happen.

As always, the sharing of valuable insights isn’t limited to the training sessions. Whether it was during meals, between sessions, or at the evening gatherings, candid conversations and the free exchange of ideas were a defining part of the experience. 

It was a pleasure to have Matthew Baehr from Homes for HOPE join us again. In a recent blog post, he shares a thoughtful perspective on the experience and what made it meaningful.
 

Lasting Takeaways

From competing smarter and improving operational efficiency to exploring how new technology can support decision-making, our focus was on delivering content that was both relevant and actionable. Attendees walked away with practical ideas they can apply right away.

Just as important, attendees left with a clearer sense of where they can improve and what steps to take next. That kind of clarity is hard to come by in day-to-day operations, and it’s one of the reasons we continue to hold this transformative leadership event.
 

Grateful Appreciation

We’re grateful to the attendees, speakers, and sponsors who made the 2026 Executive Summit such a meaningful and impactful experience. The success of the event is a direct reflection of the collective energy, insight, and engagement of everyone involved.

We extend our sincere thanks to our distinguished lineup of guest speakers, whose expertise and perspectives elevated the experience and left a lasting impression on all who attended:

• Chris Laping, Founder & CEO, People Before Things, Inc.
• Thomas Berrington, Chief Information Officer, French Brothers
• Steve Bricker, President, Baessler Homes
• Jennifer Cooper, CEO, Evolution Marketing
• Jeremy Knicely, Vice President, StyleCraft Homes
• Zachary Nyberg, Vice President, Consulting, John Burns Research and Consulting
• Jared Rogers, Senior Director of Sales, Higharc
• Matthew Sallee, Director of Marketing, Daikin Comfort Technologies

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our trusted partners and sponsors: Daikin Comfort Technologies, Cornerstone Capital Bank, Guild Mortgage, Higharc, ECI Software Solutions, NoviHome, ProHome, Bluebird Branding, Homes for HOPE, Latham, The Pool Company, and TK Design.

Looking Ahead

The 2026 Executive Summit reinforced the power of bringing together dedicated leaders who are committed to pushing their businesses and the industry forward. As market conditions continue to evolve, we hope the insights, connections, and strategies that attendees gained during the event will serve as a strong foundation for continued growth and success.

Thank you to everyone who joined us. Events like this only work because of the people in the room. We’ll keep striving to make each Executive Summit a worthwhile and valuable learning experience, and we’re looking forward to continuing the conversations in the months ahead.