The Lewis Cenker Scholarship fund is a non-profit organization created in 1977 by HBAG to honor the late Lewis B. Cenker - an outstanding Georgian and a national industry leader. Scholarships are awarded to qualified students seeking a career directly related to the home building industry.
 

Austin McKinney is just one of many past recipients of the Lewis Cenker Scholarship.

Austin McKinney

When asked how the scholarship aided him in pursuing a career in the building industry Austin stated, "The Lewis Cenker Scholarship was instrumental in making my degree in construction management a reality. Without true direction when I entered college, I believe this scholarship encouraged and enabled me to see the construction industry as an option." Austin attended Auburn University and now works as a Project Engineer at Robins and Morton and resides in Sylva, North Carolina.
 

Although Austin was introduced to the building industry at a young age, this didn't make his career choice any easier. Austin credits the Lewis Cenker Scholarship for giving him the nudge he needed to take the steps towards obtaining a career in the construction industry.
 

"Construction has been in my blood from an early age. My father was, and still is, a custom homebuilder in the metro Atlanta area. [Austin's father, Mac McKinney, is a past president of the HBA of Midwest Georgia] Like it or not, I was introduced to the industry at an early age when I was taught how to operate the business end of a push broom. Additionally, my mother has also always been involved with design and interior design/buildout. This early exposure led me to look into colleges that offered a construction management degree. After 2 years at Auburn University, I decided to finish my two remaining years as a co-op student. This led me to taking a job with a large General Contractor and spending 24 months in Augusta, Maine on a $300 million dollar hospital project."
 

One of Austin's past projects

Austin loves what he does on a daily basis, despite some of the negatives that come along with having a career in the construction industry.
 

"The construction industry is fast paced, and it takes a great amount of effort to stay on the cutting edge. Staying abreast on technology, new contract structures, material costs, and industry trends is a must. You must also be passionate about this career, oftentimes long hours and difficult situations may arise. However, given the inevitable challenges, the reward you get from taking a bare site into a functional facility is truly unique. Handing over the keys on a quality project that you can honestly stand behind is extremely rewarding."

What advice would Austin give to students pursuing a career in construction? "Keep your options open and let this career take you to locations you may have otherwise never gone to. Find a niche market that others may shy away from and become a professional at it."
 

Most importantly, Austin says, "Enjoy what you do."
 

Applications for the 2015/2016 Lewis Cenker Scholarships are now being accepted. Deadline for applications is Monday, March 2, 2015. Visit the HBAG website or call the HBAG office at 404-763-2453 for more information regarding the scholarship and for copies of the contribution forms and scholarship application form.

Lewis Cenker

The following have established special funds by making substantial contributions:

Mark Herbert Family Fund
Ray M. Wright Fund
Bill and Barbara Beazley Fund
Jack Bowles Family Fund
John H. Cowart Family Foundation, Inc. Fund
Dan & Beverly Saye Fund
John Wieland Fund
 

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP

Lewis Cenker was an Atlanta builder and lawyer who served as President of NAHB (the National Association of Home Builders) in 1974. He is the only Georgian to have served in that position. He was a founding member of HBAG in 1955. He was President of the Home Builders Association of Atlanta in 1960 and served as President of HBAG in 1969.

AWARDS/FUNDING

Awards will be made in an amount established by the Trustees of the Fund. Funding is obtained by contributions from local home builders associations and individual members. Donations may be in the form of cash, bonds, stock, real estate, etc. Individual, family or company funds may be set up within the Lewis Cenker Scholarship Fund and will be designated as special funds. Special named and recognized funds require a minimum contribution of $35,000. This amount is set by the Trustees of the Fund. All local home builders associations are encouraged to make annual contributions to set up a special named fund. Donations may be made with the stipulation that they are for endowment purposes only, and they shall not be disbursed. Currently, 5% of the value of assets at year end determines the amount of scholarship funds that will be disbursed in the following fiscal year.