Our Story

During the tumultuous backdrop of the 2008 recession, the journey of Icon Building Group had begun. But before delving into its inception, let’s rewind to the very start to set the stage.

Icon’s roots started from the ground up…Literally. Its founders, Charlie and Jenny, had VERY limited construction background; they were essentially starting from scratch. In this unique narrative, you will learn about the challenging conventional industry beginnings where Jenny came to the marriage with more tools than Charlie (according to Jenny).

Charlie’s prior venture in the restaurant and service sector, launched with college friends, led to a successful sale. As he grappled with his post-sale identity, juggling newfound time with raising three young children and dabbling in real estate investing, serendipity intervened. Coaching his son’s football team, he crossed paths with a luminary from the luxury homes domain. This encounter prompted Charlie to transition from investor to full-fledged partner. The year was 2008, a time not marked by grandeur.

Acquiring land in the northern Chicago suburbs, the duo paid a hefty price, shortly followed by the economic nosedive. Despite divergent visions for the new venture, Charlie and his partner navigated the storm the best they could, until they realized the differences in their visions created a bridge they could not cross, so they amicably parted ways. Stripping away his developer lens, Charlie embraced the outlook of a consumer, since most individuals find constructing a home is not the most enjoyable thing. He redirected his attention to simplifying the process while upholding his position as a bespoke home builder. Emphasizing values that prioritize customer needs, he concentrated on a service-oriented approach rather than a sales-oriented one. To this day, our purpose is to assist and serve with a perspective of more simplicity, integrity, and a customer-centric focus in the construction process. Recognizing the need for coordinated project management and client interaction, Jenny, his wife, joined the team – a decision that proved both challenging and rewarding.

Embellished by the turbulence of 2008, the journey was far from smooth. Building their way out of the challenging property – a collection of 11 homesites – Icon found its footing. Amidst the wake of the recession, the team capitalized on the downturn’s shattered subdivisions, by acquiring quite a bit of underperforming real estate and turning it around. Eventually, this success allowed the company to start developing their own communities. Each step of Icon’s growth provided opportunity and the chance to learn invaluable lessons from each home they brought to life.