Henry Isaksen is a Door County native, graduating from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1963. He attended Carroll College, in Waukesha, where he studied music, drama and art, eventually obtaining a B.S. Degree in art. It was at Carroll that he met his wife Jean, a physical education major.

In 1968, Henry and Jean were married, and moved to Boulder, Colorado so Henry could attend the School of Architecture. Their son Jeff was born in 1970. In 1971, Henry was working in the subdivision design section of NHP&Q, a large architectural and engineering firm in Greeley, Colorado. A desire to return to Door County to raise a family, and an opportunity to assume the position of Door County Zoning Administrator, led to their return to Door County in 1971. Their son Marc was born in 1972.

In 1972 Henry went to work for Robert J. Peterson and Associates to obtain the experience requirements necessary to qualify him for registration as an architect. In 1974 he opened his own business designing residences and subdivisions. In 1975 he obtained a real estate broker’s license, and in 1976 received his license in architecture.

When Henry was having trouble finding someone to assist him in his practice, Jean left her work as an athletic coach and sports official to become a draftsperson. In 1992, Marc joined his parents as a draftsman. In 1994, Jeff also decided to work with the family.

The firm does all types of residential (100+), multi-family (75+), commercial (90+, from churches to banks and everything in between), and occasional industrial work. If they have a specialty, it is multi-family design. Everything from apartments (12), condominiums (24), condo-hotels (19), bed-and-breakfasts (5), motels/resorts (13), to timeshares (3).