Tag: Kevin Clayton

Clayton Hits the Jackpot in Vegas

Posted by Ryan Willis – April 25, 2011

Knoxville, Tenn. – Millions of people travel to Las Vegas each year in hopes of hitting a hot streak and winning big.  Recently, Clayton Building Solutions did just that.  The company received not one, but three prestigious Awards of Distinction at the Modular Building Institute’s (MBI) “World of Modular” annual meeting in Las Vegas. 

“This is quite an honor for our company, and we are thrilled to receive such high praise,” said Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes.  “Our industry is producing a number of truly amazing structures, and for us to be selected from the number of outstanding entries this year is a great accomplishment.”

Clayton Building Solutions is the commercial building arm of Clayton Homes and engages in a myriad of projects throughout the U.S. including military, multi-family, student housing, and light commercial construction. 

This is not the first time Clayton has been honored by the MBI, having received a total of seven Awards of Distinction between 2001 and 2011. 

Clayton received this year’s Judges’ Choice Award for its Fort Sam Houston project.  This premier award is given each year to the highest scoring entry.  Additionally, the company received first place in the Education category for the Fort Sam Houston project, while their Fort Hood project in Texas received honorable mention in the Institutional category.

“The entries in the MBI contest represent the best our industry has to offer each year,” said Doug Henriquez, Director of Clayton Building Solutions. “Modular construction is becoming widely recognized as the better way to build.”

According to Henriquez, modular construction offers several advantages over more traditional methods.  Projects are completed in less time and modular construction is typically more efficient, safer, “greener,” and offers higher energy efficiency and quality because components are constructed in a controlled environment.

The MBI Awards of Distinction is the commercial modular industry’s premier awards program, offering competition for MBI members, including building manufacturers, dealers, and product and service providers. Entries are temporary, permanent, and renovated modular buildings as well as industry marketing pieces.

Each entry is reviewed by an impartial panel of industry and non-industry volunteers including construction and code experts, architects and engineers, and marketing professionals. Building entries are judged on architectural excellence, technical innovation, cost effectiveness, energy efficiency, and calendar days to complete. Marketing pieces are judged on stated objectives, creativity, methodology, and results.

Other team members involved in these projects included Hensel Phelps, Jacobs-Carter-Burgess and the Warrior Group.

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s number one retailer of modular and manufactured homes.

Media Contact:
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

East Tennessee Facility Builds 25,000th Home

Posted by Ryan Willis – September 22, 2010

Knoxville, Tenn.– One East Tennessee facility has built enough homes over the past 16 years to house a sold out crowd at a Tennessee Titans game at LP Field. Clayton Homes’ Appalachia facility is responsible for providing 25,000 families across 17 different states with a place to call home.   

Clayton Homes’ Appalachia facility built their first home in 1994 in Andersonville, Tenn. Today, more than 200 team members at the Appalachia facility will celebrate the construction of their 25,000th home with a ceremony and lunch at the facility.  

“Clayton grew to be a large, national company because of the outstanding products that came out of facilities like Appalachia. The craftsmanship and work ethic that have been a hallmark of the facility are something we try and replicate in every one of our production centers,” said Kevin Clayton, President and CEO of Clayton Homes.  

“Reaching a milestone like this is a true testament to the hard work and dedication of so many – from our factory workers to the contractors, drivers, and the retail personnel – it truly is a team effort,” said Ronny Robertson, General Manager of the Appalachia facility. “We look forward to providing another 25,000 quality homes to families at affordable prices.”  

The Appalachia facility provides homes to retail home centers all over the Southeast, Midwest and Northeast. With production of the 25,000th home completed, the home will be shipped to a retail home center in Greer, S.C.  

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About Clayton Homes: A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s number one retailer of modular and manufactured homes.

Media Contact:
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Clayton Homes to Help in Haiti

Posted by Ryan Willis – August 6, 2010

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Clayton Homes, the nation’s largest modular and manufactured home builder, will soon be shipping classrooms to Haiti as part of an agreement with the Clinton Foundation…all part of an incredible humanitarian effort spearheaded by former President Bill Clinton. 

During the groundbreaking ceremony in Haiti with former President Clinton, Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes, announced, “We are delighted to work with the Clinton Foundation in participation with the UN, Red Cross, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank to help rebuild Haiti.  This program will help get children back in school and create much needed Haitian jobs.” 

Clayton, a Berkshire-Hathaway Company, has significantly reduced the cost of the classrooms in support of this important initiative. The company plans to also supply discounted homes, specially designed for international shipping. 

“Ultimately our goal is to help Haiti develop facilities where they can build classrooms and homes themselves,” said Clayton. “This will help meet their ongoing housing requirements and build a new local industry.”  Clayton also hopes the program can be a model for assisting other nations with their housing and school initiatives. “We have dozens of production facilities all across the U.S.,” he said. “We hope to use that expertise to help developing nations learn the quality, cost and eco-friendly benefits of this building process.” 

When former President Bill Clinton was named to head the relief effort, Clayton’s Director of International Development, Paul Thomas, called the Clinton Foundation to see if there was a way to help.  That led to the involvement with the UN and to the announcement today in Haiti. 

Such international efforts are not new to Clayton Homes.  Through its Building Solutions Group, the company has tackled such challenges before.  “We have been engineering and designing structures that can be shipped around the world since the 1980s,” said Thomas.  “We have the expertise to assist emerging economies with their affordable housing, right down to the coordination of on-site development.” 

“We agree with President Clinton’s assessment that this is an important and critical first step in a sustainable future for Haitians and we are grateful to be a part of it,” added Clayton.

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company with more than 12,000 employees at over 500 locations nationally. Learn more at www.claytonhomes.com.

Media Contact:
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Clayton i-house Unveiled in Evans

Posted by Ryan Willis – March 16, 2010

Evans, Colo. –  The new, Energy Star™ rated i-house from Clayton Homes has arrived in the Evans area and can now be viewed, toured and purchased at Clayton Homes of Evans.  The model i-house – one of only a few nationwide – was built at Clayton’s Albuquerque facility.  

The eco-friendly Clayton i-house, which is now available for purchase, launched nationally at the Berkshire-Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Neb. on May 2, 2009 when Warren Buffett showed the i-house to attendees.  Since that time, the i-house has been featured on numerous national cable television news shows and in newspapers and magazines across the country. 

The i-house is Energy Star™ rated, which means the home is at least 30 percent more energy efficient according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Although home buyers are likely to first notice the stylish design, cutting-edge color combinations and modern furnishings, the i-house also features solar panels, a rain water catchment system, high-end “low e” windows, a tankless water heater, low-flow faucets, easily renewable bamboo flooring and many other energy saving items. 

“The i-house will change the way people look at our products and housing in general,” said Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes.  “We build these homes in a controlled environment away from the weather, so there’s a huge quality benefit simply because of how we build a home.  We also have far less scrap in our building process than a traditional home, so there are tremendous cost savings we pass along to the homebuyer.”

Built with an exterior of cement board and architectural metal, the home’s most distinctive feature is the V-shaped roof over the primary living space that includes the i-house’s rainwater catchment system and solar panels. The primary living area includes a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, and a deck connects it to a separate living area that features a bedroom or den, a full bath and a roof-top patio.

Clayton Homes says the i-house’s energy costs are less than $70 a month, but that figure drops to less than one dollar per day when the optional solar panel system is installed.

The i-house is consistent with the overall environmental focus at Clayton Homes, which is in the process of obtaining LEED certification – the national benchmark for eco-friendly design – at its Tennessee headquarters.  Clayton has cut energy costs at its offices by 28 percent over the last two years, and has already started implementing many of the “green” features of the i-house into its traditional homes.

Although the i-house is expected to be a popular primary residence, it is also drawing considerable interest from people who wish to have a second home or vacation home because of its affordability, unique design and energy efficiency.  The $8,000 first-time homebuyer’s tax credit, is expected to attract many first-time homebuyers, many of whom will be drawn to the modern design and energy efficiency of the i-house. More information is available at http://claytonihouse.com. 

Clayton, the nation’s largest homebuilder, has built 1.5 million homes since 1934.  Clayton homes are precision-built in 35 state-of-the-art, climate-controlled facilities strategically located throughout the United States. 

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s leader in housing.  Visit Clayton Homes at www.claytonhomes.com. 

The i-house can be viewed, toured and purchased at Clayton Homes of Evans, 3455 W. Service Rd., Evans, CO 80620.  For more information call Mike Jansen at (970) 339-5500.

Media Contact:
Ryan Willis
(865) 584-0550
rwillis@ackermannpr.com

Clayton Homes promotes Bourdeau to Zone Vice President

Posted by admin – January 13, 2010

Clayton-Homes-Logo2-300x125Magnolia, Texas – Clayton Homes announced today that Victor Bourdeau has been promoted to Zone Vice President. Bourdeau previously served as one of the company’s Regional Managers.

“We are pleased to announce the promotion of Victor to Zone Vice President. His dedication and expertise in the housing industry will certainly be valuable in this capacity and we know he can achieve impressive results with the retail outlets he will supervise,” said Kevin Clayton, President and CEO of Clayton Homes.

As Zone Vice President, Bourdeau’s responsibilities include working with the retail company’s management to establish and implement a strategic sales game plan for the company within his geographical zone. This new endeavor will require him to research target customers and industry competitors, drive new sales, service existing clients, direct budget development and implementation, and manage personnel development and recognition across a vast area, along with many other responsibilities.

Bourdeau’s territory as Zone Vice President includes 64 retail home sales centers throughout Texas and New Mexico.

“One of the most exciting elements of this new role is the prospect of establishing many new business relationships throughout the southwest zone. Our primary goal is to provide exceptional services for our customers and I plan to focus on this philosophy to continue to provide the greatest housing value in the market place,” said Bourdeau.

Bourdeau has been in the manufactured housing industry since 1982, managing and owning retail sales centers in several Texas metro areas. He began his career with Clayton Homes in 2001.

Bourdeau resides in Magnolia, Texas with his wife, Beth and five grown children.

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s number one retailer of modular and manufactured homes.

Media Contact
Clayton Homes                                 
Mike Cohen                                        
Ackermann PR                        
(865) 584-0550                                  
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Clayton Homes Expands Its Energy Efficient Housing Line

Posted by Erin Freeman – December 8, 2009

claytonehomelogo

New ehome Boasts Energy-Efficient Features in Affordable Setting

Clayton ehome interior

Clayton ehome interior

Maryville, Tenn. (December 8, 2009) – The nation’s largest homebuilder, Clayton Homes, is unveiling a new product in their line of energy-efficient housing, called the ehome. These fully customizable homes feature an Energy Saver Plus package which is proven to save homeowners money.  The Clayton ehome also leverages the environmentally friendly values of off-site construction.  “These homes are built in climate-controlled building facilities, which drastically reduces waste,” says Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes. “Having energy-efficient features is just one part of it; what sets us apart from any other builder out there is the building process.”  Clayton estimates that construction waste is less than half what a traditional site-built home produces.

The ehome also addresses the changing culture surrounding green building. Earlier this year, Clayton Homes launched the i-house and the response was overwhelmingly positive.  Clayton says, “We have confirmed that there is a demand for energy-efficient housing.”  He says the ehome is an extension of that, bringing green features to Clayton Homes’ core customer.  “We learned a lot in the i-house R&D process,” says Clayton.  “We’re taking those best practices and applying them in a more traditional home.”  Clayton Homes has been building manufactured homes since 1934.

The Clayton ehome

The Clayton ehome

From low “e” Energy Star® rated windows to compact fluorescent lighting, the Clayton ehome is equipped with energy-efficient features. “The cost savings that the home owner will enjoy are as much as $600 a year,” says Clayton.  Homeowners can maximize those savings by customizing their ehome, using the company’s online configuration tool.  The homeowner can select from a variety of floor plans, exterior cladding materials, color schemes, kitchens, baths, window placements, and interior design schemes with the click of a mouse.

The Clayton ehome is now available for purchase.  Customers can go to the dedicated ehome website and customize their energy-efficient home.  The price point is lower than the cost of the i-house, starting at under $49,000.  Model homes are open for tours in 100 cities throughout the United States; for a complete list, visit www.claytonehome.com.

Clayton is committed to energy efficiency not just in the homes it builds, but in all aspects of its operation. Its corporate headquarters was recently awarded LEED certification, one of only 14 certified buildings in the Southeast.

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About Clayton Homes: A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing.  With 35 home building facilities and more than 1.5 million homes built, Clayton is the leading home builder in the country.  Visit Clayton Homes at www.claytonhomes.com.

Media contact
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Clayton Homes Receives LEED Green Building Certification

Posted by Erin Freeman – November 23, 2009

ClaytonGreenLogo

Maryville, TN – Clayton Homes announced today is has been awarded LEED certification, established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.  LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green building. President and CEO of Clayton Homes, Kevin Clayton says, “We are very honored to have received this certification, but even more excited about reducing our impact on the environment.  That’s something our team members here at Clayton Homes can be proud of when they come to work every day.”

Today’s certification makes Clayton Homes only the 4th LEED-certified building in the state of Tennessee, and the 14th in the Southeast.  Clayton Homes achieved LEED certification for its existing headquarters by maximizing operational efficiency, while minimizing environmental impacts.  “We use LEED standards as a road map to sustainability.” says Jason Langston, Clayton Homes’ LEED project coordinator.  “Some great examples include our onsite restaurant offering healthy choices called “The Greenway” as well as other environmental and healthy amenities. The result: team member do not have to leave the facility resulting in less environmental impact and healthier people.”

“Clayton Homes’ LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” says Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair of USGBC.

Fedrizzi is pleased the Berkshire-Hathaway company is sharing some of its best practices in its Home Building Facilities and Model Home Centers around the country.  “Sustainability is something we’ve been interested in for years now, and we are using some of these same principals in the homes that we build for our customers,” says Clayton.  Clayton Homes is the nation’s largest home builder, with more than 1.5 million homes built.

Clayton-i House 4

The Clayton i-house

Earlier this year, Clayton Homes unveiled the Energy Star™ rated i-house, featuring solar panels, a rain water catchment system, high-end “low e” windows, a tankless water heater, low-flow faucets, and easily renewable bamboo flooring.  Clayton Homes was also recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Systems Building Research Alliance and the Manufactured Housing Institute with five 2009 ENERGY STAR® Leadership in Housing Awards.

Clayton Homes is in good company with other LEED-ED Certified headquarters around the country, including McDonald’s World Headquarters in Illinois, Starbucks Center in Washington and the MGM Tower in California.  “The green building movement offers an unprecedented opportunity to respond to the most important challenges of our time, including global climate change, dependence on non-sustainable and expensive sources of energy and threats to human health,” says Fedrizzi.

LEED certification of Clayton Homes was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community.  These features include:

  • Achieved 50% in water savings
  • Achieved overall 33% in real energy savings
  • Recycling 53% of waste stream.
  • Purchasing 60% of materials that include at least 10% post consumer content a sustainable and economical practice
  • Optimizing the building indoor air quality, through measuring and balancing outside air intake
  • Establishing metrics for the impact that our on-site GreenWay restaurant, exercise facility, outdoor amenities and GreenWay-to-Go programs have had on the reduction of carbon emissions from the availability of these enhancements
  • Offering recycling containers for TM’s to bring in their home recyclables.  We have established metrics that account reductions in carbon emissions by offering this benefit
  • Changing to eco-safe cleaning materials and cleaning equipment
  • Produced a complete operations manual (S.O.P.) based on our existing culture of being proactive in all building systems
  • Developed plan for complete site erosion and sedimentation control and complete site maintenance.  202 acres are currently under the GreenBelt Tax designation with 60 acres designated for hay

According to the USGBC, an initial sampling of other LEED-EB certified buildings found that an average return on investment is 2.6 years and annual net savings totaling more than $170,000.  “While the ROI is meaningful, the real reward is in making a difference; no matter how big or small the changes, the more we can make a positive impact on our planet, the better,” says Clayton.

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Clayton Homes

A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s in housing.  Visit Clayton Homes at www.claytonhomes.com.

U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

With a community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBA is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010.  The USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity.  Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

LEED

The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.  The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system is the preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.  35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries.

By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive.  Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation.

Clayton Homes adds social media to public relations strategies

Posted by Erin Freeman – October 6, 2009

Clayton Homes Logo

Knoxville, Tenn. – Clayton Homes is adding social media to the public relations duties handled by Ackermann PR, the manufacturer’s national Agency of Record. The firm will now include social media strategic development as part of public relations efforts on behalf of the company.

Ackermann’s work for the Berkshire-Hathaway company in promoting the launch of the Clayton Homes i-house was highlighted in the October 2009 issue of PR Week. The traditional public relations media campaign also included outreach to bloggers and social media platforms. The resulting efforts helped generate thousands of customer inquiries through the company’s phone and mail centers and through online venues, including a featured story on Yahoo.com’s front page.

“The interest generate on our web site from the Yahoo feature was historic for our company,” said Clayton President and CEO Kevin Clayton. “As our online activity expands, adding Ackermann’s duties to include social media is a natural addition to our relationship.”

“It is not surprising to us that Clayton Homes recognizes the long-term importance of adding social media strategies as part of a successful PR plan,” said agency President and CEO Cathy Ackermann. “Our focus is on helping them stay out in front of these new trends.”

The Ackermann PR digital and social media division, led by Katie Allison Granju, represents a rapidly growing segment of the firm’s work. In recent months, Ackermann has added a significant number of new clients, representing a wide variety of industry sectors, including tourism, hospitality, entertainment, sports, healthcare, manufacturing, and non-profit.

Ackermann PR is a full-service, integrated marketing communications firm providing strategic public relations and marketing. It is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, and serves clients across the United States.

Media Contact
Mike Cohen
(865) 584-0550
mcohen@ackermannpr.com

Revolutionary Clayton i-house Arrives in Atlanta Area

Posted by Ryan Willis – September 21, 2009

Atlanta, Georgia – The new, Energy Star™ rated i-house from Clayton Homes has arrived in the Atlanta area and can now be viewed, toured and purchased at Clayton Homes of Jonesboro.  The model i-house – one of only a few nationwide – was built at Clayton’s Bean Station facility just north of Knoxville.  

The eco-friendly Clayton i-house, which is now available for purchase,Clayton-i House 4 launched nationally at the Berkshire-Hathaway Shareholders Meeting in Omaha, Neb. on May 2, 2009 when Warren Buffett showed the i-house to attendees.  Since that time, the i-house has been featured on numerous national cable television news shows and in newspapers and magazines across the country. 

The i-house is Energy Star™ rated, which means the home is at least 30 percent more energy efficient according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Although home buyers are likely to first notice the stylish design, cutting-edge color combinations and modern furnishings, the i-house also features solar panels, a rain water catchment system, high-end “low e” windows, a tankless water heater, low-flow faucets, easily renewable bamboo flooring and many other energy saving items. 

“The i-house will change the way people look at our products and housing in general,” said Kevin Clayton, CEO of Clayton Homes.  “We build these homes in a controlled environment away from the weather, so there’s a huge quality benefit simply because of how we build a home.  We also have far less scrap in our building process than a traditional home, so there are tremendous cost savings we pass along to the homebuyer.” 

Built with an exterior of cement board and architectural metal, the home’s most distinctive feature is the V-shaped roof over the primary living space that includes the i-house’s rainwater catchment system and solar panels. The primary living area includes a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, and a deck connects it to a separate living area that features a bedroom or den, a full bath and a roof-top patio.

Clayton Homes says the i-house’s energy costs are less than $70 a month, but that figure drops to less than one dollar per day when the optional solar panel system is installed.

The i-house is consistent with the overall environmental focus at Clayton Homes, which is in the process of obtaining LEED certification – the national benchmark for eco-friendly design – at its Tennessee headquarters.  Clayton has cut energy costs at its offices by 28 percent over the last two years, and has already started implementing many of the “green” features of the i-house into its traditional homes.

Although the i-house is expected to be a popular primary residence, it is also drawing considerable interest from people who wish to have a second home or vacation home because of its affordability, unique design and energy efficiency.  The $8,000 first-time homebuyer’s tax credit, is expected to attract many first-time homebuyers, many of whom will be drawn to the modern design and energy efficiency of the i-house. More information is available at http://claytonihouse.com. 

Clayton, the nation’s largest homebuilder, has built 1.5 million homes since 1934.  Clayton homes are precision-built in 35 state-of-the-art, climate-controlled facilities strategically located throughout the United States.  

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About Clayton Homes:  A Berkshire-Hathaway Company, Clayton Homes is a national, vertically integrated housing company. Through its family of brands, Clayton Homes builds, sells, finances, leases, and insures a full spectrum of affordable housing and is the nation’s leader in housing.  Visit Clayton Homes at www.claytonhomes.com. 

The i-house can be viewed, toured and purchased at Clayton Homes of Jonesboro, 8500 Tara Blvd, Jonesboro, GA.  Contact Derrick Black at (770) 478-9942 for more information.

Media Contact:
Ryan Willis
(865) 584-0550
rwillis@ackermannpr.com