Leadership GOLD: From grit to growth ~ A journey in leadership and preservation

By YVETTE PARIS

I didn’t set out to be a leader.

I’m the first in my family to attend college—my father is a retired diesel truck mechanic, and my late mother worked for the phone company. I wasn’t on student council. I didn’t join a sorority. By most conventional standards, I wasn’t on the “leadership track.” But what I did have was a strong work ethic and a drive to do the job well. I was loyal, detail-oriented, and committed—often working after hours, not for recognition, but to ensure the work was right.

Leadership, for me, wasn’t something I was born into—it was something I learned by doing. Through trial and error, I came to understand that being in charge doesn’t mean having all the answers. It means listening. It means trusting others. It means letting go.

It was hard, at first, to delegate. When you’re a doer, handing over responsibility can feel like losing control. But over time, I built a team of smart, capable professionals that I deeply trust. And that’s when I learned one of the most important lessons of leadership: it’s not management. It’s empowerment. It’s providing the tools, support, and encouragement your team needs to succeed—and then stepping aside to let them shine.

Today, I serve as President of Louer Facility Planning, a commercial interiors firm based in the Metro East. I began my career as an interior designer and grew into leadership over time—becoming Design Director, then Vice President, and eventually taking the helm in 2024. I’m not perfect—and I never will be—but I care. I care about my team, my clients, and my community. And I believe that kind of care—the kind you show through action and accountability—is what true leadership looks like.

That belief in purposeful leadership has shaped more than just my professional path. It’s also become the foundation for a new chapter in my life—one that I’m building alongside my husband, James.

James is the founder of Heritage Research Solutions, a consulting firm that uncovers military service records for veterans, families, and researchers. He’s passionate about history, and over the years his work has helped countless families reconnect with long-lost chapters of their past. But long before either of us imagined running our own businesses, we fell in love with a little town called Alton.

In 2011, we discovered a stunning Italianate home in Alton’s Christian Hill Historic District. We made a contingent offer, but the recession hit our area hard, and we couldn’t sell our house in Granite City. The dream slipped away—but it never quite left us.

Four years later, we found a new listing: a beautiful East Coast Shingle Style home in Alton’s Middletown Historic District. We fell in love again—this time for good. From the day we moved in, it felt like home. The neighbors were warm, the streets full of kids, and the sense of place was undeniable.

For several years, our lives revolved around raising our three boys and working hard. But slowly, we began to find our footing in the Alton community. I joined Alton Main Street and now serve as Co-Chair of its Economic Vitality Committee. The organization is dedicated to revitalizing our historic downtown through collaboration, entrepreneurship, and public-private partnerships. James joined the board of the Alton Area Landmarks Association, which works to preserve the architectural history and character of our city.

We started to notice something: there are many people in Alton who care deeply about history and architecture, but few resources or organizations dedicated to actively saving distressed properties. That gap sparked a conversation. Then it sparked an idea.

We let the idea sit for a while—to see if it had staying power. It did.

In March, we found a small 1890s cottage on Union Street in Alton, listed “as is.” It was rough—neglected, cluttered, and nearly forgotten. But it wasn’t a lost cause. We bought it.

Over the last three months, we’ve been working on the house in our “free time”—cleaning it out, uncovering treasures, and piecing together the story of the family who lived there for over a century. We started sharing what we found online: photos, short videos, historic artifacts, and personal histories. And the response was immediate. The community cared. They were curious, supportive, and engaged.

That project became our proof of concept.

Today, that idea has a name: Riverbend Renewal. It’s a fledgling nonprofit we founded to promote historic preservation through advocacy, education, and hands-on restoration. Our mission is to preserve and protect the architectural heritage of the Alton and Riverbend region—while also inspiring others to invest in their neighborhoods, their skills, and their sense of place.

Riverbend Renewal is about more than old houses. It’s about community. It’s about passing on the value of craftsmanship, the importance of storytelling, and the power of a well-built home. We’re seeking partnerships with tradespeople, homeowners, local businesses, and investors to help grow this vision into something sustainable—and impactful.

For me, this work is deeply personal. It ties together everything I care about: design, leadership, community, and purpose. My mantra has always been: dream big, work hard, and never give up.

And I believe there’s no better place than Alton to keep living that out.