There is no "us" - just me: Rich Hersha.

It has been 56 year since I was paid $20 for my first drawings for a home.

I have served many, many years of hard time: public schools and several colleges and universities. I was subsequently released with a Masters Degree in Psychology. In 1984 I was awarded a certificate of achievement by Harvard University's Graduate school of design. I was on campus four days - that's the closest I've ever come to any schooling or training in architecture.

I believe I am the only Protestant in America to serve as a counseling Psychologist for the Catholic Church. My focus was on the marginalized youth within the Diocesan schools. I was the highest paid professional in the system: $7,600 annually. I had a college debt, a wife and two sons. So, summers and evenings were spent framing new homes for a friend and local builder - who also paid me "$115 per sheet" for designing homes which he built on speculation. I grew to respect and love the Catholics, but eventually launched my career in residential design/build, because my Mennonite friend said I had a "talent" and could make "a fortune" in building. Go Notre Dame!

Believe me, few ever make a fortune in design/build - but it can be a good life. I had to survive a few years of hell to realize that fact. Oh the stories I could tell!

Along the way I have gained some public notice for my work:

• Many of my homes appear on paint-chart covers and in a variety of various product brochures and advertisements.
• I have been awarded "First Place" and "People's Choice" Awards in Parade-of-Homes competitions.
• Architectural Digest is currently "following" two of my custom homes now nearing completion.
• National Builder featured one of my homes on its cover in 1972 and in 1984 gave me the "centerfold" feature of my work.

I have designed custom homes in 19 states. Three exceed 20,000 square feet and two are under 1000 square feet and were built by Habitat for Humanity.