From the website:
Joel was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved as a child to Geneva, Illinois. There he attended high school and graduated in 1994. After high school he attended Aurora University and received his bachelors degree in business. His passion for working with his hands started when he was a young boy. As a child, his father built there families home and is a very handy and resourceful man himself. Getting to grow up watching and helping his dad with projects gave Joel the confidence and incredible knowledge in the trades. In high school Joel built a home in Batavia as a part of the building and trades program. And During the college years, Joel was a team leader in missions trips all over the world where he was able to build homes and additions on churches for the less fortunate families and communities.