NA HB R EMODELER OF T HE MON TH
Local Leader
A former cabinetmaker entered the remodeling
market intent on learning the business;
10 years later he’s an industry leader.
By Pa t r i c k L . O ’ To o l e
T
o know that Tom Ashley of a wide range of remodeling
is the current president of projects. But in the process of
Ashley, far left, with the team that
the Capital Region earning three professional des- aware of the recession.” made improvements to the home of
Builders Association (CRBA), a ignations — Certified Graduate Ashley’s commitment to Carl Falconer Sr. They earned a CADRE
1,250-member organization, and Remodeler, Certified Aging-in- carving out a niche as an aging- Award for Community Service in 2008.
that he is currently a member of Place Specialist and Certified in-place specialist involved tak-
the NAHB board of directors on Green Professional — Ashley ing work that many remodelers behalf of a local Good Samaritan
the national level, or that he once learned that a focused approach would consider too unprofitable. who had lost his legs while
served as the chairman of the on aging-in-place and green Through a state-run Medicaid helping fix a tire for a stranded
CRBA remodelers council for would best match his skills with program that helps disabled citi- motorist. That project received
two years, is to also know these the local market opportunity. zens make modifications to their funding from the accounting
positions are a byproduct of only The niche strategy worked. residences to enable them to stay firm KPMG along with $23,000
10 years of dedication to the Expand Inc. grew from under in their homes, Expand Inc. has in donated materials. The firm
remodeling industry. $300,000 in remodeling revenue learned the ropes of filling out has also done work on behalf
Ashley, the owner of Expand during its first few years to nearly the paperwork and the tight bud- of the March of Dimes, a local
Inc., near Baton Rouge, La., $1 million in revenue by the end geting this work requires. Alzheimer’s research group, and
entered the remodeling industry of 2008. Ashley also acknowl- “One of the reasons we got the Children’s Miracle Mansion.
with his brother Randy, focused edges that some of his growth into the waiver work was that In the for-profit realm, Ashley’s
on growing a f ledging business, is based on a spike in repair people had seen us on TV,” firm also won a national “Homes
period. Toward that end he and restoration work related to Ashley explains. “This is a group for Life Award” this past fall for
joined an association thinking he natural disasters — Hurricane of people in the community who a bathroom remodel that enabled
would benefit from networking. Katrina in 2005 and Gustav in do not have the funds to do the a couple to stay in their home.
But he soon found the education-