2004 Media Releases & Alerts
Military Housing Leader Joins NAHB Research Center as Director of Military
Housing Division
Assistive Technology and Aging in Place Demonstration Program Targets
Innovative Approaches for Supporting Adults' Independence As They Age
March 16, 2004, Upper Marlboro, Md. - The NAHB Research Center
has hired Robert Harris, a U.S. Naval Reserve Officer with over 20 years of
military construction and contracting experience, as its Military Housing
Division Director. Harris has extensive knowledge of Department of Defense
contract administration issues and responsibilities, as well as a background in
architecture. His hiring will expand the NAHB Research Center's role as a
leader in building technology consulting to the U.S. military and enhance the
company's overall housing assessment capabilities.
The NAHB Research Center has been providing expert building technology
consulting, research, housing inspections, cost estimating, program master
planning, and data analysis services to the Housing Headquarters of the U.S.
Military Services since the mid-1980s. Michael Luzier, president of the NAHB
Research Center, said of Harris, "His extraordinary military project management
and contract administration experience will help the NAHB Research Center
maximize its ability to bring the best of private sector housing practices to
the U.S. Armed Services."
Prior to joining the NAHB Research Center, Harris worked for defense
contractors, where he managed ongoing Design/Build and public-private venture
housing projects, and a power plant repair effort in the Philippines, among
other tasks.
Harris has served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps for the past 20 years,
on active duty and as a reserve officer, and currently holds the rank of
Commander. His present assignment is as Executive Officer of the Naval
Facilities Expeditionary Logistics Center in Port Hueneme, California. While on
active duty, he served in the Officer in Charge of Construction/Southwest
Pacific organization, where he was responsible for the quality control of
contracted design projects with commercial architectural/engineering firms. He
also served as project design architect for U.S. military housing in the
Philippines. Prior to this position, Harris was the Assistant Resident Officer
in Charge of Construction in Subic Bay, Philippines where he administered Navy
construction contracts, including turnkey housing, schools, and industrial
facilities. He also supervised 30 architects and engineers in planning studies
and design projects while at the Public Works Center, Subic Bay, Philippines.
Harris has received numerous awards and commendations. His personal awards
include the Navy Commendation Medal (2 awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal
(3 awards). As a DoD contractor, additional armed service awards include the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Design Merit Award (2000) and the U.S. Air Force
Air Mobility Command Design Award (1999) for Military Family Housing projects.
Harris received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from The Cooper Union in New
York City and is a spring 2004 MBA candidate at the University of Texas. He is
a registered architect, and a member of the National Council of Architecture
and the American Institute of Architects.
3/04
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