MIDDLETOWN — Ron Globke is seeing the housing market regain some strength and that is good news for his business.

The owner of Sensible Home Design struggled like most businesses with the economic downturn in 2008, but he weathered the storm and feels he is stronger for it.

Globke is a professional building designer, not an architect. The difference, he said, is that architects have the education and license for doing large commercial work. His primary focus is residential, although he does contract with some architects when they need help on commercial projects.

“Ninety-nine percent of what I do is residential,” said Globke, a member of the American Institute of Building Design.

He considers his greatest accomplishment winning the People’s Choice Award for the best overall home at the 2009 Cincinnati Homebuilders Association Homerama-Luxury Addition at The Woods of Carmelle in Mason.

“My background in roof engineering and design has really helped me to be able to see in my mind how to put something together,” Globke said.

The native of Marion, S.D., worked as a carpenter right out of high school. He joined the Army for four years and then worked as part of a design team in Minnesota that built fast food restaurants and hotels such as Taco Bell, Wendy’s and Fairfield Inn.

He came to Middletown in 1996 to work in a truss manufacturing facility and almost immediately began doing his own design work on the side. He went full time with the design business in 1999.

“This is what I love to do,” said Globke. “If you would have asked me 15 years ago if I’d be doing this, I don’t know that I’d have been able to tell you I would, but it definitely feels good now. I’m drawing nice houses for people and enjoying it.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852, or Skip.Weaver@coxinc.com.