Steve Barkhouse

President, Amsted Design Build
Business Administration-HR Management – Class of 1988

Growing up in small town Ontario, Steve Barkhouse learned how to work with his hands and help others in his community. Straight out of school and facing a soft job market in the construction industry, he started his own company.

Steve formed Amsted in 1989 and immediately became active in local, provincial and national trade associations. Amsted Design/Build and its sister company Restore-All Corporation are headquartered in the same village that Steve grew up in and epitomize many of the same small town values that he embraced early in life and which form the company vision, mission and core values.

In 1991, Amsted won its first of dozens of custom home building awards and the following year won its first of many awards for home renovations.

Almost 30 years later, Amsted Design/Build employs over 60 people, has delivered thousands of projects, contributed to a stronger community and offered opportunities to countless college students. Steve has personally given back to Algonquin College by sitting on advisory committees and helping to raise millions of dollars to build the Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence.