Meet Our Team.

For Timothy, there is no greater reward than visiting homeowners 2, 5, or 10 years after their remodel is complete and seeing that the home still looks and functions great. He loves stories about how an addition or new kitchen has enhanced the family’s life in daily experience and special events. Creating these one-of-a-kind, personalized remodeling solutions for peoples’ homes is why he started Bluestem and what fuels his passion.

In over 20 years of remodeling projects, Timothy has done every step himself. This deep, direct experience gives him great insight, which, along with creativity, allows him to solve almost any type of remodeling challenge. Expanding on his formal education in the Arts, he is always developing his knowledge with additional certifications and professional training.

Maintaining a strong team that shares his values & passion is one of Timothy’s primary focuses for bringing fantastic remodeling experiences to homeowners. Our clients say they benefit from his careful listening, and trust they, and their homes, are both getting the care they deserve.

You’ll always get a smile and an exuberant greeting when Cody comes to your house. His technical proficiencies began with a background in theatrical and AV arts. Helping coordinate and running the AV for big events at the Mall of America is one of his favorite memories. Now, he is our guy who can “fix almost everything” and joyfully keeps the shop tidy and organized.
 

Emily is a graphic designer and marketing professional with a background in advertising, customer service, and theater. Based out of the Bay of Fundy area, she is actively involved with her local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters where she and her wife are big siblings to two fantastic teens. In her spare time she can often be found playing the piano, gossiping with her nan, or spending time hiking with her goldendoodle, Margaret Houlihan.

Emily was drawn to the renovation industry after taking a keen interest in carpentry and interior home design after purchasing her first home. She loves getting the chance to be a part of such a collaborative and artistic process on the daily, and is overjoyed at getting to see home transformations come to life. Always aware of the unique challenges that come with renovating, she is dedicated to open and honest communication with the clients that Birch+Oak serves.

Jen is a self proclaimed Home Renovation Enthusiast! She loves all things design: building, woodworking, painting, sewing, organizing, & graphic design. What she enjoys most about remodeling is finding creative solutions to problems, and being part of a collaborative team of designers & builders. She’s passionate about reimagining spaces to create final products that are both beautiful & functional. Jen has a strong desire to help others, and finds it fulfilling to help other homeowners create better spaces in their homes.

Growing up in 100+ year old homes, Jen appreciated the beauty and challenges of architecture at a young age. She was an avid fort builder and artist, and by age 10, knew very well how to reset blown electrical fuses. As a teen, she regularly rearranged her room, and took advantage of every drafting, woodworking, photography and art class she could. She went on to earn a BS in Architecture from Ohio State University.

Jen volunteers as a Girl Scout Leader, and is an active School PTO member, organizing events and helping her community any way she can. She values community, and encourages her kids to always be kind and inclusive. 

Stefanie has a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Architecture and minor in Classical Studies. She has numerous years experience in the remodeling industry, doing everything from  checking lumber in big box stores to designing decks to millwork sales to carpentry. She’s extremely passionate about home design, and loves “bridging the gap between an idea and something real.”

One thing Stefanie enjoys about home remodeling is how every single project and homeowner is different. She appreciates getting the opportunity to see one-of-a-kind details in homes and understands how precious homes are. “Everyone brings their own unique experience to the process, and it’s so rewarding to help people personalize their spaces – functionally and  aesthetically. Sometimes people only see their home in a way they’re used to, and it’s fun when homeowners are surprised by the potential they hadn’t imagined before!”

Stefanie is a Minnesotan through and through, and loves to be connected to the outdoors and experience the changing of the seasons. She is prone to taking the scenic route, and finds herself inspired and motivated by nature. She loves gardening, snuggling with her cats, and raising butterflies in a beautiful little pollinator garden she maintains at her home.

Shira has many years of experience working in marketing and sales with varied companies throughout the Twin Cities, predominately in theater, attractions and entertainment. She’s an active part of the local theater community, but these days spends most of her onstage time in her backyard, or miscellaneous public places, fulfilling the performance requests of her 5-year-old daughter and doing duets to songs from Gabby’s Dollhouse, My Little Pony, Frozen and other Disney movies.

One thing she loves about the remodeling and the design build process is seeing projects go from ideas to wonderful new spaces, involving art and craft and creativity and innovation. She also loves the collaboration and true teamwork that’s involved in the process, and seeing frustrating home spaces become wonderful new ones that homeowners love and adore and make their lives better.

Having undergone a partial home remodel herself, Shira is very familiar with the process and greatly enjoys doing her part to help other homeowners have a wonderful experience with it!

Joey Mihm has a degree in Agriculture Systems Management/Agricultural Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Besides his previous experience in construction for residential homes, his wide array of experiences and expertise includes: being a groundskeeper foreman, metalworking, golf course maintenance and other outdoor and landscape work.

In his spare time, Joey enjoys golfing and fishing.

When it comes to residential remodeling, Joey enjoys taking a homeowner’s vision on paper and making it a reality.

When it comes to remodeling and design, what Jaleel loves most is seeing homeowners’ faces light up when they are able to use their new homes and new spaces.

He aims to always view the remodeling journey through the eyes of each homeowner he works with, to be able to understand – and address – their individual needs as much as possible. He recognizes that the remodeling process can be stressful, and works to help make that process as smooth and enjoyable for homeowners as he can.

Jaleel has a Culinary Arts degree, and when not helping homeowners create more enjoyable and functional homes, he enjoys cooking and baking. (If you ever visit a Bluestem project on a home tour, you might just find him in the kitchen preparing baked goods for guests!)

Jaleel always brings a smile and a listening ear to the room, and homeowners love working with him as their home remodeling goals are turned from ideas to reality.

Todd has over 25 years of experience in the remodeling industry. He is a 3rd generation carpenter with a long and varied list of experiences in the field. He has worked extensively in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities and around the Minneapolis lakes area, and is incredibly skilled at creating seamless transformations in century-old houses. 

Todd embraces new and innovative designs in the remodeling and construction industries. He shows care and commitment towards every client he works with, and both homeowners and members of our team are continuously grateful for his creative additions to projects! Todd’s dedication to every Bluestem client is evident, and he is passionate about client satisfaction throughout the duration of every project from start to finish.

In his free time, Todd and his wife enjoy being outdoors, traveling, art fairs, home projects, and taking care of their three adopted pets. Three of their four grown children are serving or have served in the military branches.

David’s extensive and varied background in construction includes experience working on custom homes, cabins, Timber framings and log homes.

When it comes to the remodeling process, more than anything, he enjoys working with homeowners and getting to make their dream homes a reality. He loves taking spaces and bringing them to their full potential, and feels inspired being a part of that process.

David is incredible when it comes to understanding what his clients are hoping to gain out of their remodels, and is very diligent about making sure he understands what their expectations are. He listens carefully to each and every homeowner about their needs and goals, and they  know they can rely on him for steady communication, dedication, attention to detail, and a caring, warm smile.

Bio coming soon!

Bio coming soon!

George fell in love with drawing in the 9th grade, and has continued with that passion ever since. Now, he uses his impeccable and detailed drawing skills to help homeowners get new spaces in their homes that they can love and will bring them joy. His formal education was at St. Cloud vo-tech, but he has continued his pursuit of learning independently, always striving to learn more and improve his skills and knowledge.

When not assisting homeowners in the remodeling process, George loves to sit back and enjoy life with his family, and spend as much time outside on their patio as he can. His joyful sense of humor and delightful presence is always appreciated by both homeowners and the Bluestem team, and his detailed drawings, strong work ethic and passion for excellence makes him an invaluable asset to our team.