Real Experience, Proven Success
FAM Workforce Housing was founded by Brian Lash, founder and former CEO and Chairman of Target Hospitality (Nasdaq: TH). Across a 35+ year career in hospitality, logistics, and workforce accommodations, Lash has conceived, built, and operated complex housing and support environments in some of the most logistically demanding settings worldwide.
His work has supported a wide range of large-scale deployments, including housing more than 15,000 Harley-Davidson owners during the company’s 95th and 100th anniversary events; providing accommodations and operational support for the FBI, EUCOM, and NATO during the Athens Olympic Games; housing over 2,500 British, American, and Iraqi soldiers in Basra, Iraq for the U.S. Department of Defense; and delivering workforce housing solutions for tens of thousands of industrial workers across North America. These efforts supported major private-sector operators in energy, mining, and infrastructure, as well as numerous U.S. federal agencies.
Lash is widely recognized for transforming workforce housing from a low-quality, high-risk necessity into a performance-driven hospitality product. His approach introduced elevated food programs featuring fresh ingredients, upgraded sleep environments with premium bedding, and purpose-built fitness and recreation facilities. Equally important were strict operational standards, including controlled access, prohibitions on weapons, alcohol, and drugs, enforced quiet hours, and clear behavioral policies.
These standards were implemented with a singular objective: improving worker readiness, safety, and productivity by ensuring residents returned to their job sites each day well-rested, well-fed, and fully capable of performing at a high level.
Case Studies
Iraqi Border Guard Training Camp, Basra, Iraq
United States Dept. of Defense
2003-2011
Hurricane Katrina,
New Orleans, LA
US GOV'T Agencies.,
Air Products
August 29th, 2005
One of the costliest and deadliest tropical cyclones in history left New Orleans and the surrounding communities devastated. Brian Lash managed the second cruise ship brought to Louisiana, with more than 1,200 beds to house students and faculty from Tulane, contractors from the Shaw Group, and U.S. government personnel from FEMA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Three meals per day, housekeeping, and all maintenance were provided for more than six months while the vessel was docked behind the New Orleans Convention Center, giving those on board convenient access to the Warehouse District, downtown, and the French Quarter.
Simultaneously, Mr. Lash was hired by Air Products, the global leader in the production and distribution of hydrogen, to build workforce housing for more than 600 men and women in Orleans Parish. This location was the primary producer of fuel for the space shuttle and had been under 20 feet of water. During the eight-month operation of this temporary facility, five meals daily were provided to support the three shifts per day needed to reopen this crucial supplier to NASA. On the day the facility became operational, the CEO of Air Products arrived by helicopter to present Mr. Lash and his team with an award for their performance under catastrophic circumstances, which included installing generators for power, coordinating the daily arrival of trucks carrying fresh water, and installing and managing a temporary waste system.
Among the other projects undertaken in the aftermath of Katrina was the design, manufacturing, and installation of more than 100 new dorm rooms for Tulane University on parking lots located on high ground in the center of campus.
Desert Sage Lodge, Morenci, Arizona
Freeport-McMoRan
2007-2012
Built in 90 days for the world’s largest copper producer, this 425-bedroom workforce housing facility supported multi-shift operations in the intense heat of the Arizona desert and operated for more than six years. Food service scaled to nearly 2,000 meals served daily for men and women working around-the-clock schedules. To support retention and readiness, the lodge included full fitness and recreation amenities alongside free laundry, housekeeping, and guest services designed to maximize comfort. A small conference center was added to host daily safety briefings and training workshops.
Halliburton
2012-2016
Carrizo Springs Lodge, Texas was also built for Halliburton but on a “shoestring” budget in 2012. Oil prices were predicted to decline (as they did precipitously in 2014) and in order to meet the financial needs of our client, we moved an existing man camp from Nevada and reassembled it in Texas as a newly renovated 308 room lodge including all new pillow top mattresses, fitness and recreation rooms and misting fans throughout the outdoor areas to enhance the comfort of our guests in the high humidity and heat of the Eagle Ford region of Texas.
Tioga Lodge, North Dakota
Hess Oil
2010-2015
Tioga Lodge, North Dakota, was built for Hess Oil in 2010 and operated for 4 years while over 2000 men and women completed the expansion of ND's largest gas plant. The first phase was 566 single occupancy rooms that were ready for occupancy 75 days after contract signing and eventually grew to over 1200 rooms, a waste treatment facility for 180,000 gallons per day and 4375 KW of redundant generator power to avoid shutdowns due to wind, ice and tornados. All rooms, recreation and dining were attached via “arctic corridors” which were heated, air conditioned and insulated. Over 1M man nights were accommodated and 3.5M meals were served during the camp's operation.
Pecos Lodge, Texas
Halliburton
2011-Present
Pecos Lodge, Texas, was built for Halliburton in 2011 in under 100 days with 435 private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. It still operates today but has been expanded to 772 rooms. Due to the southern location of this facility, outdoor recreation like a large outdoor pool and deck, basketball court and horseshoe pit, and multiple BBQ patios were added to the campus.
Carrizo Springs Lodge, Texas
Built and operated in the midst of the Second Gulf War, this full-service military training camp grew to house more than 2,000 men and women and supported the training of thousands of Iraqi border guards by British, Dutch, and American forces. Food service was delivered at scale with three daily menu programs: Halal, Western, and MREs. Deliverables also included perimeter security, translation services, and operation of a small on-site hospital. Modular dormitories were manufactured in Kuwait and transported to Basra for installation, while additional brick-and-mortar facilities were constructed in parallel for dining, recreation, and reception. The Department of Defense awarded this project and the facility operated continuously from 2003 through 2011.