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But to Wilson, who owns Alaska Renovators and Alaska Insulators, being active in the organization is part of his job.

"I think regardless of what profession you are in, everyone owes something back to that profession," he said. "My way of doing that is through the Home Builders Association."

Steve Burnett, who owns Burnett Construction, was named Alaska builder of the year in 1994. Wilson held the distinction for the first time in 1997, Portwood said.

Wilson, 44, has been in the construction business since he was a child in northern California, where he worked for his grandparent's concrete company, he said. When he graduated from high school, he worked construction during what was supposed to be a year-long break before college.

"I never went back," he said. He educated himself on the job and in continuing education courses, required to keep his license in California.

Wilson worked in California until 1992, when he and his family moved to Juneau to be closer to his wife's family, he said. He first worked for Northern Technology, a window company that is no longer in business, then for Gary Ogden, who owns Ogden General Contractors.

For several years Wilson picked up the occasional remodeling job on his own, and he eventually decided there was a market for a new remodeling business in Juneau. He started Alaska Renovators, which he co-owns with his wife, Sydney Mitchell, in 2000.

"It's more challenging work," Wilson said of remodeling. "Every house is different. Every time you open up a wall you find all kinds of things. ... New construction is just the same type of thing over and over and over again."

Wilson appreciates the creativity involved in remodeling, especially in remodeling older homes in Juneau, he said. Many of his favorite projects have involved working with historians and architects and interior designers to turn what is "old and funky" into something historical and functional.

Another benefit of remodeling, as opposed to constructing new homes, is that customers already have an accurate mental image of what the final product will look like, so they're less likely to be disappointed with the results, Wilson said.

If Wilson has found one niche as a contractor in the Juneau building market, he's also found another in the organization that unites the contractors.

The board of directors of the Home Builders Association of Juneau has elected Wilson to serve a second consecutive term as president, said Jeff DeSmet, a board member and local contractor.

"We're really pleased with his leadership and we want him to continue for another year," DeSmet said. "That kind of speaks to what we think of his work on the board."

Since Wilson joined the JHBA in 1992, he has been active in political issues affecting the construction industry in the state, DeSmet said. Those issues include the high cost and sometimes unavailability of general liability insurance in Alaska, and the extremely high rates for workers' compensation insurance.

In his second term as president of the association, Wilson plans to focus on educating the public on the importance of hiring licensed contractors.

Contractors who do not have a license from the state may not have proper insurance coverage, which could leave the home owner liable for accidents on the construction site, Wilson said.

He will also see the organization through a name change to the Southeast Alaska Building Industry Association. The new name will reflect the membership of commercial builders, as well as builders in Sitka and smaller villages in Southeast.

• Christine Schmid can be reached at cschmid@juneauempire.com.