# Steven J. Hilton

> Steven J. Hilton is the co-founder and executive chairman of Meritage Homes. He co-founded its Arizona predecessor, Monterey Homes, with William Cleverly in 1985, led the business through national expansion and a shift toward entry-level housing, and retired as CEO at the end of 2020. His community work includes support for the Arizona Housing Fund and leadership of the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center project in Phoenix.

- **Role:** Co-founder and Executive Chairman at Meritage Homes
- **Organizations:** Meritage Homes, Monterey Homes, University of Arizona Foundation, Arizona Housing Fund, Arizona Jewish Historical Society, Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, Steven J. Hilton Family Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale Foundation (former trustee), Western Alliance Bancorporation (former director)
- **From:** Los Angeles, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in accounting, University of Arizona
- **Known for:** Led the predecessor and Meritage business for 35 years before retiring as CEO., By the September 2020 succession announcement, Meritage had delivered more than 130,000 homes and expanded into nine states and more than 20 metropolitan markets during his tenure., Helped steer Meritage toward energy-efficient construction and entry-level and first move-up buyers.

## Career timeline

- **1983** — Graduated from the University of Arizona.
- **1985** — Co-founded Monterey Homes with William Cleverly in Scottsdale, Arizona.
- **1996** — Monterey Homes merged with Homeplex Mortgage Investments in December; Hilton became a director of the public company.
- **1997-2006** — Served as co-chairman and co-CEO of the business that became Meritage Homes.
- **2006-2020** — Served as chairman and CEO.
- **2011** — Discussed Meritage’s energy-efficient home strategy and early zero-energy pilot in a Pro Builder interview.
- **2021** — Became executive chairman on January 1; Phillippe Lord succeeded him as CEO.
- **2025** — Served as project chair as the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center broke ground in Phoenix.

## Achievements

- Led the predecessor and Meritage business for 35 years before retiring as CEO.
- By the September 2020 succession announcement, Meritage had delivered more than 130,000 homes and expanded into nine states and more than 20 metropolitan markets during his tenure.
- Helped steer Meritage toward energy-efficient construction and entry-level and first move-up buyers.
- Helped develop the University of Arizona’s Meritage residential real estate competition.
- His family foundation is recognized in the $5 million-plus donor category for the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — An October 12 Phoenix Business Journal report identified Hilton as project chair of the $50 million Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center and reported a late-2027 completion expectation.
- **2026-09** — The center’s donor recognition list, covering gifts through September 25, 2026, lists the Steven J. Hilton Family Foundation in its $5 million-plus category.
- **2025-11** — PHOENIX magazine included Hilton in its Great 48 of 2025 and reported his interest in deep-sea fishing.
- **2025-06** — The Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center announced its groundbreaking with Hilton serving as project chair.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-hilton-25092312

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/steven-hilton
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-15