An interview with Joe Isenberg
When did your association with Honest Abe begin and in what capacity?
My love for log homes began in July of 1980. I began working for Green Forest Wood Products. My first job was building a garage beside Doug and Janie Smith’s log home. My next project was building a log home on the Smith farm. Doug’s nephew Mark Carlisle lived there for several years.
With all that experience under my belt, Roger West, Jack Pickett and I went on the road to Kingston Springs, Tennessee. In January of 1982 we framed our first dry-in job. Apparently it didn’t turn out too well! Doug said he didn’t want to continue with it. He gave me a marvelous opportunity to go with it on my own. Roger West and I decided to team up and start building houses.
We began constructing a big house in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. We hired two more men to work with us. By the time that job was finished, we had a couple more jobs lined up. After one year, we had so much work to do that Roger and I split up and formed two crews. We really had it going on! We couldn’t afford to get motel rooms, so we just camped out at the job sites.
How has building log and timber homes changed as time has passed?
During the ’80s and ’90s, most of the houses were four-cornered with a truss roof. With this style of houses, we could build 40 plus houses per year! The houses today are much more complicated.
What was your most memorable experience with building a home or building for HA?
I guess the most memorable experience that I had during those years was when Doug and Janie, Rick and Wanda Denton, and Anna and I decided to build us a cabin in the mountains of Gatlinburg. We all bought a lot in the Cobbly Nob area. All three were close together. As a matter of fact Doug’s and Rick’s were side by side, and there was one lot between Rick’s lot and ours. We picked our design and started construction. In a short time we had Rick’s house, and our house framed up with felt on them. We started building Doug’s house and almost had the roof on it when a stranger appeared. He told us, “We have a problem.” He said all three of these houses are on the wrong lots. After several months and a few lawyers, we got everything worked out.
What are you going to do in retirement?
My greatest regret is during the time that I was on the road, I missed my three daughters growing up. My wife, Anna, did a great job with them. After building 600 houses, I plan to go home, play on the farm, and spend more time with my sweet wife and family!
Are there any parting words you would like to share about your time withHonest Abe in particular?
It has been a great experience working with the Honest Abe Company. I am sure that I will miss being with these great people. Honest Abe has been an amazing company to work with through the years. I will miss everyone, but I think I can adjust!
Memories of Joe
Leaving a Legacy
I cannot think of Honest Abe without thinking of Joe Isenberg. He’s one of my very best friends through our working together so many years. I didn’t know him before he chose to come work for us nearly four decades ago. Over these many years, Joe has become part of my family. It seems there is nothing we haven’t shared together: countless beautiful structures, more than a few construction misfortunes, nearly impossible-to-build designs, horrible job sites, imaginative new construction ideas and extensive new products.
Back when he started, he didn’t like working inside our plant. He wanted outside work similar to the contract masonry work he was used to. He pioneered and remained loyal and dedicated to our dry-in labor construction program through its infancy and beyond, until it became an admired and respected industry-wide model. His wisdom, imagination and unwavering work ethic resulted in so much of what Honest Abe came to be known for.
We’re so fortunate and blessed that he chose to work for us many years ago and spent his career here. For almost four decades, he has shown his loyalty and dedication thought countless sacrifices and untold contributions.
I want to wish him the best in his retirement from Honest Abe. I know he will not retire from work because I know him. He told me he likes to think of it as “just changing jobs.”
Congratulations, Joe, upon the legacy you are leaving behind at Honest Abe.