SOBKOWIAK

Oakley Home Builders

While cruising through the streets of the Western Suburbs, there is a strong likelihood that you will pass a house designed by Oakley Home Builders. For the last 19 years, Steve Sobkowiak, co-owner, has worked with over 200 clients to make their vision a reality through the creativity that designing a custom home entails.

Sobkowiak grew up in Downers Grove and attended Montini Cath- olic High School. A proud University of Iowa alum, he majored in marketing and human resources. A brief stint in the corporate world led him to his future business partner, Ryan Dunham, and the two started Oakley Home Builders in 2004. Their time on the corporate ladder allowed them to master project management, sales, and taught the importance of accountability. The result? “We were convinced that we could create a more efficient custom build process by transferring what we learned from the corporate world

Sobkowiak himself is a proud Oakley homeowner, but his favorite project to date is the Downers Grove home he built for his parents. With insider knowledge of how his parents and extended family would utilize the home, he was thrilled to be able to execute their vision. Today, he gets to experience their joy firsthand.

Now expanding into Naples, Florida, Oakley Home Builders has broadened its operations to the sunshine state to meet the needs of clients. “It’s a well-known vacation spot for area families and it just felt like a natural fit for us,” Sobkowiak said. ■

BY KRISTINA TAHERI