Three Builders Association of Minnesota (BAM) board members received awards from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) at BATC’s yearly awards ceremony October 15th, 2011.

Kathe Ostrom, of CN Ostrom & Son, received the Robert L. Hanson Industry Service Award created in 2006 to honor BATC members for their service to the home building industry. Winners are selected by previous winners from nominations made by association members and leadership.

Jeff Schoenwetter, owner of JMS Custom Homes, was awarded Builder of the Year. Jon Coty, of Fullerton Choice/A Fullerton Company, received Associate of the Year. BATC’s Builder and Associate of the Year Awards are selected by the companies with which they do business for their excellence in the areas of “trust, communications, and business ethics,” and is touted as the association’s most coveted awards.

BAM extends a big congratulations to all three award winners!

May 6, 2011 — Susan Marvin, president of Marvin Windows and Doors, was presented with the 2011 Distinguished Minnesotan Award by Bemidji State University during the May 6 commencement ceremonies.

First presented by Bemidji State in 1981, the Distinguished Minnesotan Award acknowledges the contributions of current or former residents of the state who have provided exemplary service to the people of Minnesota or the United States. Susan Marvin’s father, the late Williams S. Marvin, received the honor in 1990. Other awardees include transplant surgeon Dr. John Majarian, polar explorer Ann Bancroft, and television journalist Don Shelby.

“Susan Marvin is a stellar example of what the Distinguished Minnesotan Award is all about,” said Richard A. Hanson, president of Bemidji State University. “A product of northern Minnesota, she has remained firmly rooted in her commitment to the area while generously sharing her leadership talents with state and national organizations. She is a superb role model for our students, leading by example and proving once again that hard work and commitment to community are keys to success.”

As president of Marvin Windows and Doors, Marvin oversees the window and door business of the Marvin Companies including the Marvin, Integrity, and Infinity brands. Marvin servces on the board of directors for Hormel Foods Corp., Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., the Board of Trustees for the University of Minnesota Foundation and the St. Thomas College of Business Advisory Board of Governors. She is a member of the World Presidents’ Organization and Women Corporate Directors.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award,” Marvin said. “This recognition reflects the accomplishments of a larger community — the amazing group of talented people whose goal is to lead an industry and have succeeded in doing so… I am accepting this honor on behalf of my family and our community. The values I have lived by, the accomplishments, the success… they’re not mine alone. I am proud to share them with a long line of people who showed me that success is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. It is what allows us to make lives better for others.”

“I’m especially proud to be recognized by a respected institution of higher education,” Marvin said. “Both of my parents believed fervently that education, couple with hard work, is the key to success in life. I’m confident that this year’s graduates will once again demonstrate the truth of that belief.”

Marvin has been an active member of various industry associations including the Window and Door Manufacturers Association and the National Council of the Housing Industry. She was a member of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and in 1995 served as board chair. In 1995, Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson honored Marvin for her contributions to Minnesota business.

Marvin is a 1979 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she earned an undergraduate degree in journalism. She lives in Warroad and Minneapolis with her husband Keith Schwartzwald.