I would like to know more about Ty Pennington.
—Selena E., South Dakota
Born Tygert Bruton Pennington in Atlanta, Pennington, 39, is a self-proclaimed "jack of all trades." He attended Kennesaw College, focusing on art and history. After a year, his art professor suggested a career in graphic design, so Pennington began working as a carpenter by day and attending classes at the Atlanta Art Institute by night. During his final semester, though, he started modeling and traveled the world doing ads for Sprite, Diet Coke and Levi's. After his 1995 stint as set designer for the movie Leaving Las Vegas, he became the designer/carpenter on Trading Spaces, ultimately leading to his network success with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. That, in turn, paved the way for his first book, Ty's Tricks, a New York Times best seller last fall, as well as his partnership with Sears, where he has a line of household products. When he's not on the road doing what he loves most—"helping families achieve the good life"—Pennington resides in Los Angeles with his longtime girlfriend, Drea Bock, who is also his manager.
