EXECUTIVE
New BDASI CEO
On A Mission
Christian Evans is determined to ensure homes stay
affordable in Southern Indiana
By Lisa Hornung
The Building and Development Association of
Southern Indiana (BDASI) might seem like just
another professional association for an industry.
But the organization plays a vital role in the
housing of all people in Clark, Floyd, Harrison,
Scott and Washington counties, and its members
work tirelessly behind the scenes.
We recently spoke with the new CEO of the BDASI
Christian Evans about his job, his background and
his vision for the organization’s future.
Extol: What is the mission of BDASI?
Christian Evans: Since the 1950s, the (BDASI)
has been committed to promoting the region’s
homebuilding industry and educating
both our members and
consumers on the industry’s
standards and practices.
We have about 200
members, of which 80 are
builders and 120 associate
members. We are not a one
size fits all organization;
we tailor our membership
around the needs of our
specific members. Our work,
providing networking and
advocacy to our membership, is something we
take great pride in.
Extol: What was your path to becoming CEO
of BDASI?
Evans: I graduated from Western Governor’s
University with a degree in business
management. I began my post collegiate career
on the political landscape by assisting with
numerous State and Local campaigns. In 2019,
I was hired to work in the office under Charlie
Smith, longtime CEO of BDASI. Working
under Charlie was a great learning experience
and provided me with great insight into the
industry. When Charlie took his position as the
Sellersburg Town Manager, I took over as CEO.
Extol: What is your vision for BDASI?
Evans: Working with local governments to
develop plans and strategies to establish
principles of smart growth is an important
part of what I do. It’s more than just building
homes. By serving on the Scottsburg City
Council I am provided with an understanding
of how government works at the municipal
level so I can assist in bridging the
gap between regulations and
development. Providing
education to both parties
is essential in terms of
“smart growth”.
Extol: Explain what you
mean by smart growth.
Evans: Every community
is different – and it’s
not one-size-fits-all.
Southern Indiana
presents a very diverse landscape. Smart growth
is about what is needed in each community.
Fitting the needs of all homebuyers. When
governments raise fees on home builders, that
cost is passed on to the buyers. Smart growth
revolves around two simple principles, cutting
down on over-regulation and understanding
the needs and availability of the market. To
highlight the effects of over regulations, a recent
study showed that close to 25 percent of the cost
of building a home is spent before construction
begins, much of it on government fees. Our
builders take pride in offering what their
communities need, not every municipality or
county needs half a million dollar single family
homes, “smart growth’ is all about assessing the
market and using our expertise to work with
cities and towns in order to fill those voids.
Extol: What else do you want people to know
about BDASI?
Evans: It’s times like this, that truly highlights
what “home” means. We make sure we are
doing our jobs by giving people the opportunity
to live the American dream. I’m extremely
devoted and aware of the issues we are facing
as Americans in today’s society. Increasing
debt, and continually rising living costs make
it extremely difficult to live and own a home in
the greatest country in the world. I can speak
for our membership when I say that we take
pride in making sure our neighbors aren’t overburdened
and that OUR government is working
for us, not against us.
Connect with Christian Evans and the Building
Association of Southern Indiana (BDASI) by
visiting southernindianabuilders.com or follow
@BDASouthernIN on Facebook.
70 EXTOL : SUMMER 2020