Lori Graf leads an organization of 1,150 member companies representing 85% of Maryland’s building industry. Graf joined the Home Builders Association of Maryland in 2007 as chief operating officer before assuming the role of acting CEO in January 2013, during which time the association achieved membership growth and its first balanced budget in four years.
In September 2014, she was appointed CEO of the newly merged Maryland Building Industry Association. She previously served as director of operations at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee in Washington, D.C. Graf holds a Master of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University and a degree in business administration from Salisbury University.
What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?
The housing industry is being squeezed from multiple directions at once, creating a perfect storm of affordability pressures, limited supply and rising costs. High interest rates remain the biggest drag, keeping both buyers and sellers on the sidelines and locking up inventory as homeowners cling to their lower-rate mortgages. At the same time, home prices and rents continue to outpace incomes, deepening an affordability crisis that leaves many households struggling to enter or stay in the market. Builders face their own hurdles — expensive materials, scarce labor and a shortage of developable land all push construction costs higher and slow new supply. Layered on top of this are broader economic uncertainties, climate‑driven insurance spikes and shifting buyer expectations, all of which make planning and development more difficult. Together, these challenges create a market that is tight, expensive and increasingly difficult to navigate for buyers, renters and builders alike.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish” is a reminder that beginnings don’t define you — your persistence, your resilience and your ability to adapt do. Plenty of people stumble early, take detours or move more slowly than they hoped. What separates those who succeed is the willingness to keep showing up, keep improving and keep pushing toward the version of themselves they want to become. A rough start can turn into a remarkable finish when you refuse to let the opening chapters dictate the ending.
How do you define success?
Success to me is living a life that aligns with your values while steadily becoming the person you’re aiming to be. It isn’t about a flawless beginning or even constant forward motion — it’s about the resilience to keep going, the humility to learn and the courage to finish strong. Success shows up in the quiet choices you make every day, the impact you leave on others and the sense of peace you feel when your actions match your intentions. It’s less about trophies or titles and more about knowing you stayed true to yourself while moving toward something meaningful.
