In high school, Brian Tebbenkamp was pushed by his parents and teachers to pursue a college degree; instead, he chose to go into the trades and, after cycling through almost all of them, discovered he was passionate about finish carpentry.
After working for several companies, Tebbenkamp struck out on his own, quickly building a reputation for high-quality, sophisticated trim work. Ultimately, he opened Patriot Homes, motivated by the desire to bring his focus on detail to an entire project.
Today, Patriot Homes builds more than 20 homes a year, and, in a twist of fate, Tebbenkamp finds himself doing more paperwork than trim work. He hasn’t forgotten those roots, though, and he still takes on some jobs himself.
More importantly, he is adamant about attracting young people to the trades. His work with the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, where he is vice president, provides a platform for those efforts. It also allows him to work with local municipalities, including sitting on a building code task force for the city of Kansas City.
