Housing First Minnesota inducted its 2026 board chair at its annual meeting last month at the Golden Valley Country Club. John Kraemer, president of John Kraemer & Sons, Inc., was elected to serve as the association’s board chair and will lead a 25-member board during his year-long term.
As board chair, Kraemer will help provide strategic direction for the association’s over 900 member companies and affiliate partners during his term.
Kraemer brings more than 20 years of industry experience and seven years of dedicated board service to the role. An active and engaged member of Housing First Minnesota, Kraemer has contributed his leadership to the Housing First Minnesota Foundation, the Artisan Home Tour, and the association’s advocacy efforts. As a respected custom homebuilder, he possesses a deep understanding of craftsmanship, innovation, and the evolving needs of homeowners in Minnesota.
“I believe we’re once again standing at a defining moment for our industry,” said Kraemer. “Minnesota’s housing market faces both challenges and remarkable opportunities. And through it all, Housing First Minnesota will remain the steady voice for homeownership in our state.
The Housing First Minnesota board chair and board of directors work diligently with the engaged staff team to remove roadblocks to construction and support housing to provide homeownership opportunities for everyone in Minnesota.
The volunteer members elected to the 2026 board of directors include:
Executive Board
Board Chair: John Kraemer, John Kraemer & Sons, Inc., Edina
Builder Vice President: Jamie Tharp, PulteGroup, Eden Prairie
Secretary/Treasurer: Peter Martin, Pella Windows & Doors, Plymouth
Executive Board At-Large: Malorie Drugg, Marvin, Eagan
Executive Board At-Large: Jennifer McAlpin, McAlpin Marketing, Stillwater
Executive Board At-Large: Rebecca Remick, City Homes, LLC., Edina
Immediate Past President: Art Pratt, Pratt Homes, Vadnais Heights
Board of Directors Committee Representatives
Advocacy: Andrew LeJeune, GlassArt Design, Minneapolis
Ambassador: Katie Hronski, Cambria, Le Sueur
Artisan Home Tour: Amy Hendel, Hendel Homes, Wayzata
Large Volume Builders: John Rask, M/I Homes, St. Louis Park
Parade of Homes: Blake Swanson, Swanson Homes, Medina
Center for Housing Careers: Paul Grabow, Robert Thomas Homes, Inc., Lakeville
Housing Affordability Institute: Peter Coyle, Larkin Hoffman, Bloomington
Remodelers: Andy Michels, Michels Homes, North Oaks
Small Volume Builders: Joe Braun, Style & Structure, Stillwater
Housing First MN Foundation: Jeremy Larson, Hampton Companies LLC, Maplewood
Housing First MN Network: Tony Weiner, Cardinal Homebuilders, Inc., Oakdale
At-Large Member: Jarrett Parks, D.R. Horton, Lakeville
At-Large Member: Nathan Carlson, Highmark Builders, Inc., Excelsior
At-Large Member: Jim Fuschetto, Lyman Companies, Excelsior
At-Large Member: Ryan Hanson, Sustainable 9 Design + Build, Minneapolis
At-Large Member: Matt Holmstrom, Nor-Son Custom Builders, Eden Prairie
At-Large Member: Alex Lelchuk, Lelch Audio Video, St. Louis Park
At-Large Member: Rachel Paulose, Home Electronic Systems, Inc., Hudson, WI