Ricky Hayes - Building up the Points

Ricky Hayes was born in Gainesville, GA.  His family relocated from Hall County to Lumpkin County when Ricky complained about Gainesville at age two.  Dahlonega was agreeable with Ricky as he has never left except to build houses and for an occasional (every weekend) race.  He graduated from Lumpkin County High and worked at a local hatchery during high school which kept him from participating in sports.  After graduation Ricky became the hatchery manager over chickens that produced over 30,000 eggs a week.  The eggs were shipped via air out of Atlanta with some going international through Miami.  Ricky burned out frequently working seven days a week and decided that this job was for the birds.  He entered the industrial revolution of North Georgia working for five years at Torrington Bearings.  Ricky ran a machine that chopped wire into roller bearings.  This became just as boring as the job for the birds.

Ricky had a passion for painting and remodeling and dreamed of starting his own business.  The dream was “to build houses and manage my own money”.   A local banker took a chance on Ricky in 1990 when he built him a spec (not under contract and not presold) house.  His homes became known for their quality craftsmanship and were delivered at “a great price”.  Ricky’s son joined him fifteen years ago forming a team that, to date, has build over five hundred single family homes  in Dawson, Forsyth, Lumpkin, Habersham and Hall counties across North Georgia.  They provide quality homes so that is what they named the company, Quality Homes.  Ricky and his son have developed nine sub divisions during their tenure together.  He has never advertised as all his clients are “word of mouth” referrals.  His clientele base is retirees seeking value and rustic homes in the North Georgia Mountains.  Ricky soon learned that the general population was not increasing and jobs in North Georgia were shrinking.  The only new blood of potential home buyers was old worn out retirees from other states that were potential competition for the senior members of the running community.  

Not all times have been good in the home building business.  The 2008-2009 housing slump caught Ricky with nine spec houses built and over a hundred unsold building lots.  Unlike many of his competitors who were less conservative, Ricky weathered this slump and currently has three homes under construction but still is the proud owner of over eighty unsold building lots.  At the peak of the pre housing slump era, Ricky had as many as ten homes under construction at one time.  The industry is recovering but is a long way from being as robust as it once was.  Ricky’s cousin, southern charmer author Ronda Rich, has a book currently being published titled “There’s a Better Day A-Comin” .  It tells the stories of people she has known that have overcome great adversity.  Ronda has a chapter devoted to Ricky.

Ricky began to run four years ago and did so consistently until he accidently cut his leg with a chain saw. Fearing that he would be unable to run again, he doggedly began to walk and finally run again. Don McClellan and I encountered Ricky at the Black Bag Race Series event, the Dawson Dash Young Life 5K, two years ago.  We found him later that same day at another BBRS race in Jefferson, the Speed Read 5K. Realizing we had met a mentally unstable person who was a borderline potential Black Bag Race Series multi race participant, we encouraged him as did his friend Lauren Freeman.  Ricky ran fifty two races in 2012 and to date has run one hundred and eight y races in 2013, currently being third overall in male Black Bag Series points to Lauren Freeman and Roger Keel.  His best 5K time is 21:40 and best 10.4K time is 51:20.   

Bob checking out from the back of the pack.  Look for the profile on Sara Wishnietsky and Ricky’s friend Lauren Freeman, and later on 4-H’s Jocelyn Davis.