Bob Benedict, President and Owner
A Northern Virginia native and graduate of Virginia Tech, Bob has been in the remodeling industry for over 25 years. Bob volunteers extensively in the local community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Herndon Dulles Chamber of Commerce, a past board member and active member of the Herndon Rotary Club, a Herndon Youth Soccer coach, and a past Scoutmaster and current assistant Scoutmaster of a local Boy Scout troop. A nice guy with a good sense of humor, Bob has been married for 28 years and has four children.
Bob has extensive industry credentials. He is the Qualified Individual on Northwood Construction’s Class “A” contractors license. He is National Association of Remodeling Industry (NARI) Certified Remodeler #3042 and NARI Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler #0140. Bob is a past instructor for NARI’s “Certified Lead Carpenter” course and an instructor for NARI’s “Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler” course, an active member of NARI’s Metro DC Chapter’s Education Committee, a member of the Remodeler’s Advantage Roundtables and has been quoted in the Washington Post and Remodeling Magazine.
Joe Burke, CR, Director of Design and Business Development
Joe is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he earned a BS degree in Architecture. He has over 25 years experience in the residential design/build remodeling industry. Prior to joining Northwood, Joe held the Director of Design position with two prominent local remodeling firms. He is a NARI “Certified Remodeler” and the winner of several regional “CotY” awards for whole-house renovations. A recognized leader in the industry, Joe has been a guest speaker at Hanley Wood’s (Publisher of ‘Remodeling’ magazine) Remodeling Business Symposium and Washington’s Design for Living show. Additionally, he is a member of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce and the Middleburg Business and Professional Association. Joe lives in Fauquier County with his wife, two children and two dogs. He is involved in travel soccer and is a committee member for his son’s Boy Scout troop. In his free time, Joe loves to backpack/camp/RV with family and friends, play basketball and strives to improve his golf game.
Don Claeys, Production Director
A 32-year resident of Northern Virginia, Don brings over 40 years of experience in the construction industry to every engagement. A critical part of our team, Don coordinates each project from preconstruction to completion. He graduated from Bradley University with a BS in Construction Management and holds a Virginia Class “A” contractors license. Married for 32 years, Don has 4 children and coaches girls’ softball in Loudoun County.
Julie Hassell, Office Manager
A graduate of Chelmer Institute of Higher Education in Essex, England, Julie develops and implements our office procedures. An 8-year Northwood Construction veteran, she keeps our business running with clarity and efficiency. (We like her accent, too.)
Connie Gatz, Bookkeeper AP/AR/Payroll
Connie has been with Northwood Construction for 16 years. A graduate of NC State in Accounting she always makes sure everyone is paid, all funds are collected, financial analysis is performed and makes sure the Project Managers’ are current on their paperwork. She is an invaluable asset to Northwood.
Senior Field Staff
Chris Henwood, Project Manager/Lead Carpenter
Chris has been with Northwood Construction for 23 years and brings over 27 years of carpentry experience to every project. He is a NARI Certified Lead Carpenter.
“We especially want to call your attention to the excellent performance by your project manager, Chris. Chris went out of his way to ensure that the unavoidable disruption of major construction was not an aggravation to us. His manner and ‘customer relations’ are first rate. He looked out for our interests when dealing with subcontractors and suppliers. He scheduled work around our priorities. Plus, he is an outstanding craftsman, which allowed several unexpected conditions to be handled smoothly with excellent results.” — Mrs. S.
Mark Evans, Project Manager/Lead Carpenter
A 18-year veteran at Northwood Construction, Mark has over 22 years of experience in the remodeling industry. Mark is a NARI Certified Lead Carpenter.
Mark is a true professional, hard working, dedicated to his skill, conscientious, and clearly motivated by excellence. I have nothing but praise for Mark as his work and craft were beyond expectation. Mark’s great personal integrity, outstanding character and kindness make him an exceptional person and member of your professional team.” — Mrs. N.
Jim Jenkins, Project Manager/Lead Carpenter
Jim has over 20 years of remodeling industry experience and worked for 20 years in construction product sales. Jim has worked at Northwood for 10 years.
“Jim is a valuable asset to your company. He was very diligent, very particular about attention to detail and responded positively to requests for changes. Also very knowledgeable about all aspects of renovation.” — Mrs. K.
Subcontractor Relationships
We build long-term relationships with our subcontractors. When our subcontractors are on your project we expect them to live up to Northwood Construction’s high standards. We will never hire a subcontractor if we don’t have complete confidence in their skills, values, and ethics. In our industry, subcontractors rarely work for long with a single company. At Northwood, we believe that only by building long-term relationships with our subcontractors can we provide a consistent, high level of service to our customers.
