Meet Our Team

Hugh Stearns
Hugh StearnsPresident, Owner and Founder
Hugh ran Stearns Design-Build as a one-person operation when he founded it in 1993. He has been the first employee of virtually every position in the company. He grew up in College Station and Bryan and graduated from Texas A&M.

His background in philosophy and psychology has helped develop the design theory that drives the company’s unique approach to residential design and green building. He took his first class in green building in 1976 and has remained a student of building science ever since. His passion for remodeling and custom home design are a large part of what has driven our growth and award-winning recognition for customer service. When you meet with Hugh, he will answer any questions you have, explain how our process works, and discuss what you would like to do with your remodeling project.

Emily Baker
Emily BakerMarketing Director
Emily joined Stearns in 2019 as the Marketing Director. She oversees a wide spectrum of marketing initiatives within the company, bringing her creativity and enthusiasm to generate compelling content, visual storytelling and most importantly, establishing a meaningful client experience.

She holds a degree from the University of Houston in Communications & Media Production and previously worked in arts + film before joining the Marketing world. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her partner, Payton, seeing live music, enjoying arts & museums, and exploring nature.

Preston McMath
Preston McMathDesigner
Preston is the designer here at Stearns Design Build and joined the team in 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design Architectural Studies with a minor in Business from Texas A&M University. He is very passionate about all things related to home design and loves to meet and work with new people. When Preston isn’t at work, he likes to listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, and attending Aggie sporting events, but he enjoys spending quality time with his friends the most.

Preston is your main contact during the design phase of your project. He will help you choose new materials, colors, themes, and more to help give your space the refresh you’re looking for. If you have any questions or ideas during the design process, he will be more than happy to help.

Sophie Grace Dawson
Sophie Grace DawsonOffice Manager
Sophie Grace joined Stearns in 2023 as our office manager. She started working in construction industry when she was 15 on her dad’s construction job sites. She has worked as the project accountant and/or as office manager with general contractors in the commercial space as well as heavy civil unionized jobs and with subcontractors in grading, concrete, electrical, and equipment rentals.

In her free time, she loves hiking in the hills, visiting local restaurants, seeing live music, cooking, driving, rodeo, hanging with family & friends, and frequent road trips. She is a believer in life-long learning and improvement at all levels to be a better human and serve others while having fun.

Earnest DeWalt
Earnest DeWaltJob Manager
Earnest is a DeVRY Keller University Alumni and has 20+ years of Electro-Mechanical engineering experience in the oil and gas industry. He has been in the construction industry for the last six years and enjoys remodeling because it gives him an opportunity to make someone’s vision a reality.

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife Brenda, their children, six grandchildren and their dog Kane. He also enjoys fishing, cooking, and drawing to help him relax after a long day.

Rigo Melendez
Rigo MelendezProduction Superintendent
Rigo joined the Stearns Team in 2023 as the Production Superintendent. He studied at the University of Monterrey in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico. He ventured into the remodeling business fueled by his passion for unleashing creativity and embracing unique perspectives, qualities essential for the art of remodeling. He likes channeling his creative energy to skillfully mend and rejuvenate various living spaces within clients homes.

In his free time, enjoys using his creativity to create art through painting, visiting museums, playing golf, and traveling.

Brett Rother
Brett RotherCarpenter
Meet Brett, who joined the Stearns team in 2023. With a background rooted in residential construction, Brett has honed his skills from a young age under the guidance of his father. His passion lies in remodels, where every project presents an opportunity to learn and turn someone’s dream into reality.

Outside of work, Brett cherishes moments with family and friends in the great outdoors, and he delights in cooking for his loved ones.

Brennan Schimcek
Brennan SchimcekHome-Care Technician
Meet Brennan, who joined the Stearns team in 2023. He grew up in a small town where he learned values such as hard work, character, and respect. He moved to College Station, TX to attend Texas A&M University but realized that college wasn’t for him and got a job in the oilfield where he worked for four and a half years as an Industrial Radiographer. After traveling over the entire state of Texas he knew it was time for a change of lifestyles.

Brennan has a plethora of experience in handyman work and is always excited to learn more. He enjoys going out on the weekends with his friends, spending time with his family, and getting a round of golf whenever he can.

Sebastian Gutierrez
Sebastian GutierrezPainter
Coming soon!

We are always looking to expand our team! Visit our career page to see open positions!

At Stearns we offer:

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Retirement
  • Paid Vacation
  • Paid Holidays
  • Paid Personal Days

We are looking for people who are:

  • Intelligent
  • Kind
  • Curious
  • Looking for a career and not just a job.

Our core values are:

  • Quality
  • Caring
  • Honesty
  • Relationship

If these values do not resonate with you, we would not be a good place for you to work.

For all inquires, please send your resume to [email protected]