Inside the 2025 Fred Case Award: VL Builders Experience as a Finalist

In January, our founder and CEO, Victor Lebegue, and our Director of Brand and Operations, Ann Weinheimer, traveled to Bethesda, Maryland to spend a day at the offices of CASE Architects & Remodelers alongside fellow finalists of the 2025 Fred Case Award. It was one of those days that's hard to fully capture in words, but we're going to try.

The Fred Case Award

The Fred Case Award is given each year to a remodeler who embodies entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and a genuine commitment to innovation. Victor was named one of the four finalists this year, recognized for two initiatives that are central to how we operate at VL Builders: our Build It Forward community service program and The VL Builders Way, our internal project management system.

Being recognized for those two things felt right. They represent what we actually care about ... taking care of our team, taking care of our community, and building a business that runs with clarity and purpose.

Build It Forward

Build It Forward started as a simple idea: what if we paid our team to volunteer together? Every quarter, our whole crew (office and field alike) spends a day giving back to a local organization. We've worked at food banks, assisted living homes, animal shelters, and a charity that provides housing for children in need.

No one has ever opted out. And what we've seen since launching the initiative is a team that's more connected, more engaged, and genuinely happier. That's not a coincidence. When people feel like their work is part of something bigger, it shows.

The VL Builders Way

The VL Builders Way is our proprietary internal management system, built on Monday.com, that maps every client's journey from first contact through final warranty. Victor built it with one goal in mind: create a company that doesn't depend on any one person for every answer.

It breaks the client experience (and our internal processes) into four phases ~ listen, plan, build, and enjoy ~ and brings together the functions of multiple tools into a single, clear hub. Less chaos, more headspace, better work.

A Day of Real Conversations

At CASE, Victor and Ann joined fellow finalist Matt Jenkins (and team) of MJ Kitchen & Bath for a full day of presentations and open conversation with Bruce Case, Bill Millholland, and the broader CASE team. They covered marketing, lead generation, sales, project management, and more. But what made the day memorable wasn't the content, it was the honesty.

Everyone in the room shared freely: what's going well, what's been a struggle, and what they're still figuring out. That kind of openness is rare, and it's exactly what makes events like this so valuable.

Victor's biggest takeaway was something we've long believed but don't always say out loud: strong fundamentals, good pay plans, and flexible processes can empower creative teams rather than constrain them. Seeing that philosophy reflected in one of the industry's most respected firms was a real reminder that we're on the right track.

We came home with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and a deeper appreciation for the community we're part of. Congratulations to 2025 winner Steve Tankersley of Tankersley Construction, and to fellow finalists Matt Jenkins and Paulina Hospod. We're proud to be in such good company.

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