Phil grew up in Tonawanda, NY – a suburb of Buffalo. After receiving his Engineering Degree from Rochester Institute of Technology, Phil moved his wife and 2 yr old son Jason into their first home; “a drafty old two story built back in 1916” says Phil. “I didn’t know it then, but that was the start of my remodeling career. I remodeled, rebuilt and refinished every square inch of that place before we finally packed up to move to Indiana.”
Phil and family moved to the Center Grove area of Greenwood, Indiana to work in his uncle’s home building business. “I learned so much in my 10 years working for my uncle. So much in fact that I got the fever to try it on my own” says Phil. So in 1987 he went in a different direction than new construction. Although Gettum Associates started out doing new homes they always did remodeling projects too. In fact, it was after building two homes back to back in the Indianapolis Home Show that the direction of remodeling really took off.
In 1993, Gettum Associates designed and built The Center Piece Home for The Home Show and won the Better Homes for All America award from Better Homes & Gardens. It was a home called the Generation Home and it was designed with pre-planned expansions to accommodate a growing family’s needs. “It was fun watching Martha drag Harry through the show house while saying -”Look Harry, we could do this to our house” smiles Phil. And so it was that new construction took a back seat to the remodeling, rebuilding and expansion projects that Gettum Associates has become known for.
Phil has been very involved within the industry. He served for ten years as the Chairman of The Buildings Codes Committee for the State of Indiana and for the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis. He also served eight years as the Governor’s appointee to the State Fire and Building Safety Commission and was the 1994 President of the Remodeler’s Council of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis. He is currently a member of the National Association of Homebuilders, Indiana Builders Association and The Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis where he was recognized as The Associate of the Year in 1987.
In addition, Phil has earned the prestigious CGB, CGR and CAPS industry designations. The CGB is awarded to Graduates of the Builders Institute and the CGR and CAPS designations are awarded to individuals who have passed classes to become Certified Graduate Remodelers and Certified Aging in Place Specialists.
Away from the office, Phil enjoys working as well as playing ice hockey with all four of his boys.
