Our People
Gene Hughes
Gene Hughes spent 34 years as a manager for DuPont, the nation’s leading science-based products and services company, before dedicating his life to his passion: Building homes.
A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Gene had always been interested in building. Fortunately he was handy with tools, so when he decided to build his own house while working at DuPont, he was able to do much of the work himself. The 3,000 square foot Williamsburg style country house turned out beautifully. So much so, a friend asked that he build him a house too, which he did, and then another friend, and so on...
Gene was never satisfied with building an ordinary house. The house had to have that “look.” He was born with a talent to draw which may explain why he wanted each house to have its own personality. He worked with each client to reflect their feelings for their home and turned their home into something special. He wanted each house to be built with the utmost quality and looked for subcontractors that could meet his high standards.
After retiring from DuPont, Gene teamed up with his son-in-law Bryan Edwards, and formed Hughes-Edwards Builders in 1997. Gene has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from the University of South Carolina. He and his wife, Ruth have three children and five grandchildren.
Bryan Edwards
Bryan Edwards knows how to take an intangible vision and convert it into a viable reality. Pair this with his appreciation for “Old World” architecture and it is understandable why Bryan founded Hughes-Edwards with his father-in-law, Gene Hughes. With his strong background in finance, Bryan handles the operational side of the business.
Bryan grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Upon graduation from The McCallie School, he went to Millsaps College where he earned a degree in Business and Accounting and subsequently became a CPA. During this time while studying abroad at Oxford University, he was exposed to the gothic revival architecture.
After college, Bryan began his career at Arthur Andersen. The best part about his time there was that he met his wife Sharon. He then transitioned to the Health Care Industry and became Director of Development for HealthSouth Corporation in the Surgery Center Division. He solidified his interest in the construction field as he developed and constructed Freestanding Ambulatory Surgery Centers. He mastered the ability to seamlessly and successfully interact with realtors, developers, architects, contractors, attorneys, physicians and owners to achieve the ultimate goal of an operational surgery center.
Bryan currently serves on the board of directors of the Middle Tennessee Homes Builders Association. A dedicated family man, Bryan and his wife have been married for 19 years and have two daughters, Elizabeth and Hillary. They reside in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Bryan and Sharon spend their free time supporting their children in their plethora of activities. Additionally, he has completed two Country Music Half Marathons.
Chris Hughes
The discipline of an Army captain and the passion for “getting it right,” make Chris Hughes a valuable member of the team at Hughes-Edwards Builders. As project manager, Chris is charged with the responsibility of overseeing all sub-contractors, materials, and ensuring all timetables and deadlines are met. Chris also works closely with the homeowners to ensure that all their ideas, needs and specifications are met.
A Hendersonville High School graduate, Chris attended the University of Tennessee on an Army ROTC scholarship. Upon receipt of a Bachelors of History degree, Chris was commissioned into the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant. He served four years and achieved the rank of Captain. Chris then returned home to work in the family business with his father, brother and brother-in-law.
Chris and his lovely wife Scottie Nell have a son named Houston and a daughter named Alexandria. He and his family reside in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Chris also serves as a Sumner County Commissioner representing the 9th District and is a member of the Hendersonville Rotary Club.
Edna Bailiff
Edna Bailiff has more than three decades of experience in accounting, office management and customer relations. Prior to joining the Hughe-Edwards team, Edna spent 20 years with Beaman Automotive Group, one of the largest automotive dealerships in the Middle Tennessee area. During that time, she worked closely with the president and vice president of the company as well as department managers from multiple locations with daily office operations. She assisted in developing programs to improve customer, employee and manufacturer relationships. These experiences helped her develop strong organizational and communication skills which she uses in her position of managing the daily office operations at Hughes-Edwards. In addition to managing the office, Edna works directly with customers to ensure their expectations are being met.
A Nashville native, Edna graduated from Maplewood High School and attended Middle Tennessee State University. She met Wayne, her husband of 40 years, during high school and married one year after graduation. They live in Hendersonville and spend their time away from work with family and church activities.
