Nevada Rural Housing Authority works with many groups in order to pursue its mission of providing affordable housing throughout the State. In fact, sometimes, we help create grops that can further our goal.

In 2007, NRHA sponsored the creation of Desert Winds Development Group in order to pursue affordable housing development throughout rural Nevada. As a nonprofit 501c3 organization, Desert Winds is well positioned to pursue both public and private monies and partnerships.

This summer I interviewed Eddie Hult, a Board Member with Desert Winds Development Group.

What do you want people to know about you?

My philosophy about work, life and everything else is that as an old worn-out college football player, I learned that team-building is very important to me, my work, and my family. Positive team-building allows for not only needed structure, but allows participation at all levels. I have always valued my employees, my family, and my friends in each niche as “one” and I try to never work on hierarchy levels with these people so that everyone feels that they contribute to the “cause”, whether it is project-oriented, business strategies, family life, or even friendship building. The bigger the “crowd” participating, the better I like it. As I have helped instill into my company as a partner at TEC Engineering, “We Work Hard, but also do so to be able to Play Hard!”

What made you decide to go into finance/engineering?

I was always good with numbers and I have two older brothers who are architects in the Seattle area, so at the age of 12, I designed my first (inside) floor-plan of a house that won a project award in Tacoma school science fair. I have always understood numbers, but had a flair for building and architecture design. Now the rest of the story….

In 1992, had an opportunity to be the Controller of a Scottish-based Land Development firm after being an Accountant and Controller in the Manufacturing sector for over 8 years. That job, split into two roles as the Controller of both a large multi-faceted development and a retail Golf Course and Country Club operation, and then as the Project Manager for the development in Dayton, Nevada, now known as the Dayton Valley Master Plan & Golf Course community.

When this project was sold to another developer 6 years later, I was hired as the General Manager & Director of SummerWood Homes in Fallon-Fernley and over a three-plus year period, managed the growth of the largest subdivision in Fernley with over 200 homes built and one hotel (in Fallon) on my watch, whilst acting also as Controller and Development manager of this firm’s principals in trying to promote further projects in that area. During this stint, I also acted as President & Treasurer of the Fernley Builders Association.

At close to build-out of the Fernley operation, I then took an Operations Director position for a Carson City based horizontal Construction & General Engineering firm where I was able to work on another facet of construction. That opportunity was short-lived due to changes in the parent company, so I took a chance with TEC Engineering as their Director of Operations, where I helped the firm grow from one office and twenty-three employees, to as high as three offices and 86 employees. Due to the down-turn in the economy, we have closed all operations outside of Reno and changed our focus to what made TEC Engineering plausible: Water Rights and Subdivision Development.

With the above experience, as one colleague announced a few years ago, “Eddie Hult has worked or has experience in every slice of the pie in the construction industry, and that makes him a very well rounded Financial and Operations manager for all levels of Northern Nevada’s Development community."

What are you going to bring to Desert Winds Development Group?

My resume enables me to bring a real value in all bases of development and construction, not only in design logistics, but in financial analysis and valuation of real land, entitlements, engineering, building and marketing.

I also believe that in my 30+ years working in Northern Nevada, especially rural Nevada, I bring a list of contacts, project history and financial tools that can help Desert Winds “think-tank” and investment portfolio advance to further reaching projects and opportunities.

What is your main focus at Desert Winds? 

To bring a Builder-Engineer-Financier-Project Manager mentality to help Desert Winds understand the underlayment of direct project logistics, entitlements, and construction management to the operation.

Tell us something we don’t know about you.

Two interesting things:
First, I was born in Iceland while my dad was stationed there in the Navy (on a secret mission) watching the Russians and Cubans submarine activities during the early 60s “Bay of Pigs” activities.

Second, my love of football allowed me to play for many years through college, then coach up to the high school level, and then, the past eleven years as an official (referee, umpire, etc.) at first the high school level and now the collegiate level. Earlier this year I officiated my second college bowl game in California (small college) and have set my sights on someday moving up to the large schools. I love to watch “the boys” grow up on the football field as they work towards “team-building”, and the fact that they will use that philosophy going into live, makes it so very worthwhile in the time I have spent, playing, coaching and now officiating.