After two decades scaling high-volume operations for public builders focused on primarily on first-time and entry-level homebuyers, Randy Mickle is bringing a different kind of ambition to his new role at Drees Homes.

Now Southeast Regional President, Mickle joins a multigenerational, family-led company as it pushes to diversify its offerings — including more affordable, smartly sized homes — while retaining the customized, move-up experience that has defined its brand.

Mickle succeeds Dave Hausfeld, who retired earlier this year after a remarkable 45-year career in homebuilding, including 24 years with Drees. Hausfeld joined the company in 2000, when Drees acquired Zaring Homes, and ultimately led operations for the Southeast region. Based in Raleigh, he was widely respected not only for his tenure but also for his influence on the broader building community, having served as President of the Homebuilders Association of Durham, Orange & Chatham Counties and as a board member for the Raleigh/Wake County chapter. His leadership leaves a lasting imprint on Drees and the Southeast homebuilding landscape.

Joining Drees, a company with a storied history and strong reputation, is an exciting milestone in my career,” Mickle says. “What truly stood out to me is the incredible tenure of its employees. Their loyalty speaks volumes about the culture and leadership here.”

Headquartered in Fort Mitchell, KY, Drees Homes operates across 12 metropolitan areas, including Jacksonville, Raleigh, Washington, D.C., and Nashville—the four markets now under Mickle’s leadership.

With its 100th anniversary approaching in 2028, the company is pushing toward a goal of 300 closings annually in each division.

Mickle knows that scale requires operational precision, land strategy discipline, and cultural alignment — all elements he helped drive during his tenure at Lennar, where he oversaw a 300% increase in sales in Nashville over five years.

There’s so much that goes into it, but at the core, it’s about operational excellence,” Mickle says. “If you’re running a great operation, then your inputs are solid enough to underwrite land deals and pursue growth with confidence.”

He credits Drees for blending its long-standing relationships and internal capabilities with a fresh openness to operational evolution.

Drees is a long-standing company with a ton of tenured people, which has been incredible to get to know. They’ve built great relationships. The opportunity now is to leverage those, bring in some new tricks, and press the pedal down a little to grow these divisions,” Mickle says.

Mickle, who was six weeks into his new role when we spoke, is still in the early days, but he’s already impressed by what he describes as a solid operational foundation.

In my short time here, I have been incredibly impressed by the systems, processes, and technology Drees has put in place to do what they do well: capturing that move-up homebuyer and delivering on our Custom+Construct promise,” he says.

That Custom+Construct strategy—Drees’ signature build-to-order model—relies on architectural excellence, an expansive design offering, and deep customer personalization, all underpinned by operational efficiency.

Mickle sees this model as differentiating in the Southeast market, where discretionary buyers are looking for something more tailored than price-driven entry-level homes.

We can be a speedboat,” Mickle says. “We can be a lot more nimble and move with what best fits a submarket. You can get into one part of a county and find a specific buyer type you need to serve. We can meet them where they are, with a product they want to buy.”

Mickle's leadership is already being shaped by both Drees' legacy culture and its future-forward growth plan. He speaks with reverence about the value system David Drees continues to champion, especially the centrality of customer service.

On many occasions, in talking with David Drees, there is no question that number one for him is customer service and the customer,” Mickle says. “That’s helped set the company up for success in the past and will in the future. If we know we have a great reputation and great people out there communicating with customers, we’re going to put our best foot forward.”

That customer-first mindset, paired with increased demand for customization and personalization, has become all the more critical as market dynamics create buyer hesitation—not just from pricing or interest rates, but from general uncertainty.

Drees is betting that personalization, trust, and flexibility will be the differentiators that carry its brand forward, even in a competitive, interest-rate-sensitive climate. That includes elevating its “Elevate” on-your-lot homebuilding program and expanding into smartly sized and attached homes to meet buyers where they are.

Product diversification is a big part of how we’ll reach our goals,” Mickle says. “We’re still focused on the move-up buyer, but we know we need to also meet demand for more affordable, right-sized homes. That means new townhome offerings and expanding Elevate into new markets.”

One of Mickle’s challenges will be to balance injecting new thinking without disrupting the high-performing cultural DNA that defines Drees.

Though I have three builder names on my resume, it’s really just one,” he says. “I came through Ryland, CalAtlantic, then Lennar. This was a tough move to make, but it was the right one. The appeal was coming into a place where people want to stay a long time, and bringing with me some outside perspective and urgency to help pull this already strong organization forward.”

He laughs, recalling his wife’s reaction when she learned he was being interviewed by The Builder’s Daily.

She said, ‘Why are you being interviewed?’ I told her, ‘Because I guess I made it!’”

Mickle is still in what he calls the "honeymoon period," but he knows that in the coming months, strategic planning with President Tim Terrell and alignment with each division’s goals will be essential.

Tim and I have talked. After 90 days, we’ll sit down and lay out the strategic goals together,” Mickle says. “I haven’t been here long enough to define success, but I’m eager to learn and adapt to what the company needs most. The ambition here is real, and I’m excited to be part of it.”