Who We Are

Bill is a project manager in the energy industry.  He is a midwestern transplant who grew up in much warmer climates. His father was trained in architecture and is an excellent drawer, and his grandfather was a builder.  His love of architecture was triggered when he took a class in art and architecture in college to take a break from engineering.

Mr. Buchanan  is a Project Manager in the Museum Exhibits industry.

Noted projects include the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, and The Great Train Story and Toymaker at the Museum of Science and Industry. He has worked in just about every large museum in the Chicagoland area.

Previously, Philip was a member of the Historical Preservation Commission in Plainfield, is a member of the Plainfield Historical Society,  Landmarks Illinois and a Trustee at the Dupage County History Museum Foundation  Board. 

Philip lives with his wife, Sharon,  who is a Human Resources Executive in the manufacturing industry.   His interests include theatre, sports (Cubs fan), travel, and author book events.

I am a Naperville native.  My ancestors came to Naperville in 1841. Like all of the early European settlers, they were farmers.   I graduated from Naperville Community High School in the years when Naperville was 9,000 people and there was only one high school.  

I have master's degrees in Library Science from Dominican University (formerly Rosary College) and in management from the Kellogg School of Northwestern University.  For lots of years I worked in implementing software for libraries. Now that I am retired, I am delighted to be involved in Naperville Preservation here in my home town.

I'm an architect living and working in Naperville with a practice started in 1999 focused on all things residential, including nearly 30 renovations and additions to the same historic homes that captured my attention as my wife and I drove through town for the first time many years ago.

Growing up among picturesque fieldstone structures in Pennsylvania, then attending architecture school just west of Seaside Florida (birthplace of New Urbanism where we would visit and study), my design aesthetic was shaped by the regionally inspired houses that surrounded me then as they do now with many older homes in and around Naperville's Historic District.

In addition to serving on Naperville's Historic Preservation Commission for six years, I helped assemble the Historic Building Design & Resource Manual, used by homeowners, architects, builders, City staff and Historic Preservation Commission to help facilitate responsible development in Naperville's Historic District.

Growing up in Naperville since the early 1970s around Plank Road, Darin has fond memories living on several acres with horses and riding his mini bike in the once rural area where busy Naper Blvd. now stands.  Moving back to Naperville in 2004, Darin and his wife Colleen, raised their 5 children, all graduating from Naperville North. 

Always intrigued with building, Darin started as a framing carpenter and framed many new homes in Naperville and surrounding communities during the housing growth of the '80s and '90s.  He started his own construction business in 1998 and then in 2001 started Siena Custom Builders, building new homes and major renovations/additions.  He appreciates the value of a well built and timeless homes.  He especially enjoys the preservation challenges of keeping the spirit of historic homes while updating and renovating them to appeal to the next generation of owners. He continues to try to blend the preservation goals while keeping the costs attainable for homeowners.

Joe is a city planner with a special interest in historic preservation. He previously served on the Naperville City Council and on the Plan Commission. He was deputy director of city planning for the City of Aurora. He has masters degrees from the University of Chicago and Michigan State University. He and his wife, Kay, have lived in Naperville since 1987.

Sondra is a retired Spanish-English bilingual teacher and Iowa native who has resided in Chicagoland since 1993. She holds undergraduate and masters degrees in education from the University of Iowa and Concordia University Chicago. As an older adult, she had the privilege of pursuing a passion from childhood when she earned a degree in Interior Design from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Sondra’s husband, Dave, is a Lisle native who attended Naperville schools. Fulfilling another of her lifelong dreams, the couple is rehabbing and building on to an 1870 Italianate in Naperville’s historic district. Providing architectural services for the project is NPI Chief Preservation Officer, Tom Ryan, and handling the construction is NPI Director, Darin Grubisic, of Siena Custom Builders.

Becky first developed her love of old homes and architecture as a child by visiting the Thorne Rooms at The Art Institute of Chicago. Now she lives in a one-of-a-kind Tosi with its original Pierson Sashless windows.

Ted Slupik, Treasurer