Tracy Hill, 68, of Cary, Homebuilder and Owner of Property Specialists Inc.

Tracy Hill, 68, of Cary, died Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012, at the Pepper Family Hopice Home in Barrington, surrounded by his family.

Tracy was born Oct. 2, 1944, in Evanston to the late David “Kimball” and Elizabeth Brewster (nee Tracy) Hill.

As a son of professional homebuilder Kimball Hill, Tracy was born into a family with a strong understanding and devotion to the Illinois housing market. Tracy and his older brother David grew up on construction sites, assisting in both the business and labor side of the industry. 

For almost 100 years, the Hill Family has worked to build and maintain vibrant communities throughout northern Illinois. While David went on to eventually operate Kimball Hill Homes, Tracy decided to take another route and establish his own niche within the Chicago housing market.

In 1975, Tracy formed Property Specialists, Inc., at that point a small boutique firm managing only a handful of properties in suburban Cook County. Under Tracy’s guidance, PSI grew from 10 communities to over 250. The firm is currently one of only five Illinois firms to have obtained the coveted Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC), the highest designation awarded by Community Association Institute.

A firm believer in continuing education, Tracy received his Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation, the highest designation afforded to an individual property manager by the Community Association Institute (CAI).

Tracy served on the Illinois Board for Epilepsy Research and donated heavily to Harper Community College for the purposes of establishing a center for the hearing disabled, both afflictions suffered by members of his immediate family. 

In 2001, then-Gov. George Ryan appointed Hill to the Joint Energy Advisor Commission of the Illinois General Assembly, where he reviewed proposed legislation for setting residential and commercial industry standards, while also serving as president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago.

Tracy was inducted into the Home Builders National Hall of Fame; 1989-2012 National Alternative and Life Director of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB); and was a founding member of the National Housing Credit Certification Board, a member of the Multi-Family Mortgage Finance Committee; as well as numerous other committees. 

Through the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago (HBAGC), Tracy served three terms as president; was a past president of the Multi-Family Housing Council of Illinois; was an inductee to the 2003 Court of Honor, and remains a life member of the HBAGC. 

Tracy also served as the director of the Home Builders Association of Illinois for 10 years. In 1996, Mr. Hill was appointed to the Legislative Review Committee and concurrently served as a State Director for the Home Builders Association of Illinois.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Community Association Institute, Illinois Chapter; as President of the Apartment and Condominium Council of Greater Chicago; as a past Chairman of the NAHB RAM Board of Governors and as a founding member of the Housing Credit Certified Professional organization.

Tracy is survived by his wife Sandi (nee Wiarda), whom he married May 9, 1992; children, T.K. (Stella) Hill of Rolling Meadows, Andrew Hill of Rolling Meadows, and Morgan Hill of Cary; granddaughters, Ashlee, Emma, and Lia Hill; sister, Georgia Walter of Elgin; father and mother-in-law, Dean and Ferne Wiarda; sisters-in-law, Diane Hill of Inverness and Judy (Larry) Buchan of Waterloo, IA; brother-in-law, Dennis Wiarda of Loveland, CO; nieces and nephews, Beth (James) Baranski, Kate (Ron Jones) Walter, Laura (Wes) Crain, Anne Roark, David Hill, and Shannon Buchan; and many great nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Tracy was preceded in death by his brother, David Hill.

Visitation is from 3-9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Davenport Family Funeral Home, 419 E. Route 176, Crystal Lake. Visitation will continue at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19, until the time of service at 10:30 a.m. at the Cary United Methodist Church, 500 N. First St., Cary.

Pastor David Lagos-Fonseca will officiate. Burial will be in Windridge Memorial Park, Cary.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Tracy’s name may be made to the Hospice Foundation of Northeastern Illinois, 405 Lake Zurich Rd., Barrington, IL 60010, or www.hospiceanswers.org.

You may leave online condolences for the family at www.davenportfamily.com, or call 815-459-3411, for information.