Two industry leaders have been inducted into the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) Hall of Fame, established in 1984 to recognize association leaders and the crème de la crème of community builders who have planned, designed and built homes across the GTA.

Julie Di Lorenzo, president of Diamante Urban Corp, a leading Toronto builder, was at the front lines during Toronto’s development boom in the 1990s with projects like One Balmoral, One City Hall, Phoebe on Queen and Domus in Yorkville. She also served as president of BILD’s board of directors in 2005 and became a “voice of intensification” when provincial growth planning policies were emerging.

“She was a visionary and a pioneer,” adds BILD Chair Steve Deveaux. “Most of all, during a time when members of the home building and land development industry were uncertain about growth plan objectives she provided leadership, engaged members in the discussion and brought government partners to the table.”

Al Longo, one of the association’s longest-standing members, is the second inductee. He began his career as a labourer in his father’s construction business, and started his own business making concrete blocks by the time he was 20 years old. When he was 23, Longo opened a construction company with his brother and built apartment buildings, schools, churches, factories and office towers across the GTA. He served on the BILD’s Board of Directors in the 1960s and was elected president in 1971, helping to rally support for the National Home Show, which the association is the sole owner of today.

“Al is part of a generation of community builders who literally built our region from the ground up,” says Deveaux, adding, “and this is one small way we as an industry association can recognize that achievement.”