A huge loss in the homebuilding industry
Sue Goodrich of Cachet Homes was a friend and colleague to many in the industry
BY PAULA HUBBS COHEN
A Legacy of Homebuilding Excellence
If you drive past a construction site, you’re bound to see a bevy of tradespeople hard at work on your new home. Tall cranes lift trusses onto rooftops and crews of craftspeople put up drywall, nail down roof tiles and pour concrete foundations. What you won’t see are the gold-standard marketing professionals who research advertising strategies, create consumer-centric online and printed information, conduct sales training, direct focus groups and develop rubrics related to design, merchandising and so much more.
Sue Goodrich, Vice President Sales and Marketing of Cachet Homes, was one of the best of these homebuilding marketing heroes, earning a wealth of accolades from colleagues, clients and industry partners. Sue recently lost a years-long battle with metastatic breast cancer creating a massive hole in the hearts of her family, friends and associates not only at Cachet, but throughout the homebuilding industry.
Known as a compassionate friend and dedicated colleague, Sue was funny and spirited but also exuded a calm and reassuring demeanor that inspired confidence and trust. Those closest to her described her as “deep in character and generous in spirit” and “someone who would stick to her principles regardless of the cost.” These qualities and more helped Sue keep Cachet Homes on the proverbial map during recessions, interest-rate hikes and summertime sales lulls. One colleague said that she would “always go the extra mile to ensure that what is honorable and right is what happens — no ifs, ands or buts.”
Matt Cody agrees. Cody is the Founder and President of Cachet Homes and considers it a privilege to have worked alongside Sue for more than 24 years. “I suspect I spent more than 10,000 hours interacting directly with her,” he said. “We experienced the highs and lows so familiar to all of us who run a business, but more importantly, we celebrated a litany of life events, from raising children to losing parents and welcoming grandbabies. I came to know Sue well, including her approach to relationships, which was both genuine and heartfelt.”
Cody describes Sue as a good judge of character with a great eye for detail. “She was incredibly talented and her work ethic was second-to-none,” he said, adding that she wasn’t addicted to her work, “she simply wanted the team to succeed.”
Just sayin’
Even today, it seems Sue’s influence is all around, as Cody explains with a story that begins with a grief-stricken young boy who likes to fish and ends with a nod to Sue Goodrich.
“When I was 10 years old, my Grandpa died. Not too long after his passing, I went fishing with my uncle on the St. Croix River. We were catching bass left and right and I vividly remember my uncle stating that Grandpa was under the water hooking fish on the line. I knew it wasn’t true, but it was a heartwarming thought.”
Cody continues: “Fast forward to today. Notably, Sue and I despised July when it came to sales — it’s hot, school’s out and buyers are generally sparse. Well, recently we enjoyed a huge flurry of sales activity, truly out of character for the season. It’s fun to think that Sue may have given us one last sales boost, putting the fish on the line, so to speak — just like Grandpa did at the old fishing hole.”
A long list of loved ones
Sue is survived by Tim, her husband of 37 years; son TJ; daughter Jenni; son-in-law Michael; and cherished grandchildren, Cassy and Carson. She also leaves behind her mother Joan, sister Lisa and an incredibly long list of friends.
