For Doug Tarry Jr., homebuilding is more than a career, more than a passion; it is a family tradition, started by his father and carried on with pride by the next generation. But it was a circuitous route by which Tarry arrived at his 2015 OHBA Member of the Year award.

The Tarry family has played a vital role in shaping the city of St. Thomas, both figuratively and literally. Doug Tarry Sr. founded the family firm in 1954 and built thousands of homes as the city’s population exploded with the opening of the Ford assembly plant in the 1960s. He later served as mayor of St. Thomas from 1980-1985.

The younger Doug Tarry grew up working in the family business alongside his siblings, but decided to pursue another path. He graduated from the culinary arts program at Fanshawe College and spent eight years working as a chef throughout Ontario and Alberta.

“Our dad always wanted us to find our own way,” says Tarry. “One brother did go straight into the construction industry. My sister and other brother both became teachers. I decided to study culinary arts and became a professional chef.”

The death of his father in 1993 led Tarry to return to his roots as he and his siblings all moved home to help their mother with the company. He quickly became deeply involved with another of his father’s passions—hockey. The family acquired the London Knights and the London Gardens arena, launching a revitalization of the city’s downtown area that later led to the construction of the John Labatt Centre.

Tarry next turned his attention towards the marketing side of the family’s home building business and discovered he had a talent for home design, despite having no formal training in the field. As the director of marketing and lead designer at Doug Tarry Homes, he helped the company earn its reputation for quality construction, outstanding customer service and eco-friendly designs that led to it being named Energy Star Builder of the Year in 2007 and 2012. 

Tarry became an active leader within the industry as well, serving three terms as president of the St. Thomas-Elgin Home Builders’ Association and being named OHBA president for 2011-2012. He is the Chair of the OHBA-EnerQuality Technical Committee, a builder-member on CHBA’s Net Zero Energy Council, has served as a member of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing Building Code Conservation Advisory Council since 2010, and a member of OHBA’s Code and Construction Guide for Housing Steering Committee. Tarry has championed many builder issues concerning the Ontario Building Code and chaired a joint working group to provide recommendations to the Ministry regarding energy efficiency requirements for housing as of January 1, 2017.

That resumé and more helped Tarry earn honours as the Association’s Member of the Year during OHBA’s Annual Conference and Awards of Distinction, held in September at Huntsville’s Deerhurst Resort.

“I would encourage everyone to get involved with their local association. Whatever time and energy you invest, you will always get more out of it than you put in,” says Tarry. “It’s so important that we all work together. The home building industry is doing things voluntarily to move the industry forward and we should all be proud of how many positive changes we’ve made that make the industry a better place to be. We should all be proud of these accomplishments and let everyone know what we’re doing.”

“Doug Tarry has dedicated himself to our industry and our associations, and continues to be an active advocate for our industry,” said Ontario Home Builders’ Association President John Meinen when presenting the award. “He has championed many builder issues on the Ontario Building Code. Also noteworthy is Doug’s devotion to bringing the message to local associations about OHBA’s activities. As OHBA president, he coined the phrase ‘locals first’ and ensured the success of that mandate, which inspired subsequent association presidents to build upon that idea.

“Doug is always willing to lend support to our association, whether it is travelling to a local HBA to present an update on code issues or volunteering as a speaker at our builder forum or conference,” added Meinen. “He has been a long-time industry champion and consistent leader within his local, provincial and national association. Doug lends his talent and expertise wherever and whenever asked and continues to play a significant role in the success of our organization. He is proudly carrying on the tradition of excellence started by his father and is truly a deserving recipient of our Member of the Year award.”

Tarry was visibly moved during the ceremony. “This award is just an incredible honour. I was floored to hear my name,” he says. “It’s an affirmation of how much all my hard work has meant to other people; it’s very humbling. The number of people cheering when my name was announced was overwhelming. I don’t think I’ve ever been hugged by that many people in one evening before. I’m proud to have made a positive contribution to our industry. I try to do the same with work as my dad always told us when we were kids on canoeing trips in Algonquin: ‘Always leave your campsite better than you found it.’”

Mission accomplished: OHBA is clearly a better place for Tarry’s involvement.