|
Blea spends her time off at the lake with her family, though now her eldest son Michael has graduated from Tufts University and lives in Boston. Sean is a senior at Sandia Prep. Wheeler, the family dog, was found on the soccer field at Prep. Of course, Sean brought the dog home and promised to keep him only “until we can find him a good home.” Blea was not happy initially, but Wheeler has turned out to be a wonderful companion around the house. He is quiet, friendly, and obedient. He also adds a relaxed, comfortable touch to Blea’s home. In addition to her commitment to family and business, Blea has long been active in community service. She has served on several boards including those at Sandia Preparatory School, the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico, the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and most recently, the New Mexico Cancer Center. Blea along with other members of the Home Builders Association, was involved in remodeling the kitchen and dining area at All Faiths Receiving Home in Albuquerque, and won a national award for that project. Her commitment to excellence has benefited the whole community. Blea’s favorite aspect of the home building business is working with her clients and getting to know them, their lifestyles, and their needs in a home. Blea works very closely with her clients to make their dreams come true. Clients Frank and Pepsi Cordova say, “She takes a personal interest in each house she does - even going with us to choose colors and designs.” Dan and Jo Hovious say that Homes by Marie “was the perfect match to attain our goals of maximum livability in an open, light, high quality Santa Fe-style home—and Betty was responsive to our need to remain within our budget.” A visit to Blea’s Web site is all you need to see why her clients are so pleased with her fabulous work. However, satisfied clients are not the only people who recognize Blea’s remarkable attention to detail. She has been a regular honoree as one of New Mexico WOMAN ’s Top 25 women-owned businesses in New Mexico. In 2001, Betty was awarded the “Trailblazer Award” by the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women. This award goes specifically to successful women leaders in non-traditional fields - those that are less than 25 percent female. Blea has recently been featured in Woman’s Day , and Sunset Magazine named her one of two top New Mexico builders. Awards from the New Mexico Home Builders Association Las Casitas include: “Best Kitchen Design,” “Best Bathroom Design,” “Best Special Feature,” and two “Best Custom Homes.” In addition, she has won numerous awards from the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico ’s Parade of Homes. Blea was also named “Builder of the Year” in 1999 and “Feature Home Builder” in 1998 by her peers. Last year, Homes by Marie accepted the Home Builders Association of Central New Mexico’s bronze award for a 3,300-square-foot home in the Tierra de Corrales subdivision. The three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home features Southwestern styling, a state-of-the art kitchen, and outdoor living spaces equipped with a built-in gas grill, fountain, and a fire pit. Expansive views of the majestic Sandia Mountains add to the elegantly crafted outdoor environment. Blea will show three homes in the Parade of Homes this year. The 3,300-square-foot home in Oxbow North is designed with “touches of Tuscan,” while a similar size home in the East Mountains at Nature Point features Southwestern elements. The third home Blea will show is a 3,400-square-foot residence with a ranch-style rustic theme in the San Pedro Overlook. The homes feature large, open kitchens for easy and informal entertaining, much like Blea’s own home in the North Valley. The Blea’s home is a 4,500-square-foot three-bedroom house featuring Southwestern and Tuscan elements. She incorporated comfortable open spaces, subtle shifts in color, wrought iron decorative pieces, rich wooden doors, and several nichos in her design. There are four baths, a workout room, a pool, and a balcony that makes viewing the Balloon Fiesta a spectacular event. Blea doesn’t really need anything formal, just very useable space. “We live in the kitchen and great room,” she says. Just down the hall from these two rooms, Blea has positioned her workroom and a warmly-decorated office where she displays her numerous awards and various recognitions for excellence. Blea tackles a wide range of building projects. She recently finished an 18,000-squarefoot home in Magdalena, New Mexico, and is currently working on a clubhouse of similar size. Typically, Blea builds residences that range from 2,400-6,500 square feet, and some begin in the $500,000 price range. Standard features in these homes include exposed vigas, decorator wood doors, decorative stained glass, Pella windows, granite, slate, ceramic tile, radiant heat, and refrigerated air. Every project is unique depending on the clients, but the attention to detail and distinction is paramount in Blea’s style. Amazingly, Blea undertakes many of these projects simultaneously. For instance, her own home was built while she was working on six others! “That was a long year,” she sighs. She did have to put her own home on hold while she finished clients’ homes, but what is most important to her is getting the job done, getting it done right, and on time. The consistent personal determination she possesses to provide excellent service and workmanship makes her the successful businesswoman that she is. Blea’s next project is a subdivision on the west side called La Cuentista where she will work with six other local builders to design 2,500- to 3,500-square-foot houses with her elegant blend of Tuscan and Southwestern elements (yes, she is the only woman builder involved). An exciting feature of these new homes near the petroglyphs is that they will all be constructed with environmentally friendly or green features. The development is being touted as Albuquerque’s first “all green” home community. The plan is to build homes that are nestled in the natural landscape, taking advantage of existing arroyos, recycling much of the stone and gravel found on the site for landscaping, together with preserving indigenous vegetation and adding only native plants. Open space and recreation areas are planned to create an inviting atmosphere for surrounding communities. La Cuentista Chapter One construction begins this fall and will eventually offer 140 new homes. Blea looks forward to the friendly competition and camaraderie she enjoys within the building community. Blea has established herself in a traditionally male-dominated field by adhering to a philosophy of excellence. She says, “Do what you say, and perform as you promise. After all, the contract is only as good as the person behind it.” Following these maxims has made Blea’s dream of owning a successful business come true, which inspires all of us to make our dreams come true, too. Homes by Marie, Inc.
|
Within her own home-building enterprise, Blea is quick to acknowledge those who support her business, including all her mentors and friends at First Community Bank, her field supervisor, Charles “Breck” Breckenridge, and her family. Her husband Jim was not initially involved in Homes by Marie, Inc. In the beginning, he made adjustments to his work schedule in order to accommodate the needs of their two sons, Sean and Michael. Eventually, the boys were old enough to help out by holding open houses or managing computer needs. Jim, who Blea refers to as her “backbone,” is now fully involved in the business.
Lisa Ragsdale lives in Albuquerque with her husband Tim and their four children. She teaches English at Central New Mexico Community College.