A Lasting Tribute
To some people, a job is just a job, something you do to pay the bills or to pay for your hobbies. Doug Mayo never saw it that way. He loved his job at Kitchen and Bath Ideas, the construction industry, and the people he met because of it. Making sure the industry stayed strong and drew talented young people for years to come was one of Doug’s passions. It became one of his legacies.
Doug was such an active member of the home building profession in Central Iowa, it’s hard to find someone who didn’t know him, work with him, or know about him. So when he passed away last fall, some of those closest to him suggested finding a special way to honor their friend.
“We started talking about it at his visitation, about how much Doug loved to golf and how important the HBAI scholarship program was. And we just decided combining those two would be the perfect way to pay tribute to him,” says Jay Iverson, Executive Director of the Home Builders Association of Iowa (HBAI).
And so the 1st Annual Doug Mayo Memorial Golf Invitational was born. Held at Copper Creek Golf Course in Pleasant Hill in late June, the day’s events included a full 18 holes of golf, prize drawings, and dinner, all sponsored by businesses and friends eager to support Doug’s memory.
“Our main goal was to make this an annual, premier event that would draw people not just for Doug but for the foundation that meant so much to him,” says Doug’s wife, Leslie. “But it wouldn’t have been as successful if Doug weren’t the person he was.”
A man who always had a smile and never wanted to take the spotlight, Doug put his generous heart into creating the Home Builders Association of Iowa Educational Foundation so talented young people interested in learning the construction trades could afford to pursue that training. The nonprofit foundation, started in 2004, was so well-designed and so successful, the national HBA honored Doug for it that same year. This year $7,500 in scholarships was awarded to nine recipients. The Doug Mayo Memorial Golf Invitational raised another $15,000 for the foundation.
“The committee did such a wonderful job on the Invitational,” says Leslie. “They created a logo, put together swag bags for everyone with giveaways. It was just a fantastic turnout.”
Iverson adds, “It was really pretty easy to put it all together. Everyone we approached wanted to participate or sponsor because Doug was such a great guy. I had people come up to me that day and sign on for next year already.”
It was obvious to anyone who met him that Doug Mayo loved his work and that the home building business continued to excite him. It was never just a job.
“He was an amazing person,” Leslie says. “He just always put others in front. That’s how much he kept quiet about himself.”
Thanks to the Doug Mayo Memorial Golf Invitational, it’s no secret anymore. Not only will Doug continue to be remembered for what he meant to the building industry in Iowa, but hundreds of future building professionals will have the opportunity to love this work, too.