Ty Pennington

Charismatic, affable and perpetually upbeat, Ty Pennington carved out a comfortable niche for himself in the role of down-to-earth television home improvement guru, as knowledgeable about carpentry as he was camera friendly. Pennington put himself through college - where he earned a degree in graphic design - by working as a carpenter, only to be enticed into the world of modeling. After appearing in dozens of print ads and television commercials, Pennington joined the series "Trading Spaces" (TLC, 2000-08), as one of the home remodeling show's regular carpenters. A few years later, producers invited him to host "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (ABC, 2003-12), a philanthropic home improvement series that began as a spin-off from "Extreme Makeover" (ABC, 2002-07). The new show became immensely popular, eclipsing the series that spawned it and making Pennington a national celebrity. He would go on to become a spokesman for Sears, in addition to publishing a home improvement self-help book, hosting a limited series for British television, and even making a cameo appearance in the feature film "Wild Hogs" (2007). Armed with good looks, a sense of design, and the skill of an accomplished craftsman, Pennington was perfectly positioned to take advantage of the celebrity expert wave that had made stars of personalities like Martha Stewart and Bob Vila before him.