Scott McAlexander served in the U.S. Air Force for seven years and was planning to make it a career, when his father, James McAlexander, called with an offer that was hard to turn down -- the opportunity to move home to Eugene, Ore., and work with a man who was respected by his community and colleagues across the country and internationally.

Scott joined Landmark Designs Inc., whose purpose is to entertain readers with a weekly home design feature, in August of 1994. He worked beside his father until James retired for health reasons and started running Landmark in July 1996. Raised in Eugene, Scott met his wife, Becky, while they were both stationed in Sicily.

They have no children of their own, but have had more than 60 foster children stay with them and currently have six to eight at any one time living with them. Scott holds a bachelor of arts in business, an associate of science in electronics and an associate of arts in marketing.