Dianna Borsi O'Brien, freelance writer

As a journalist, I’m often impressed at how many hard working people who have a real effect on our daily lives are nearly unknown beyond their circle of expertise.

That was definitely the case with Deb Sheals, a historic preservation consultant in Columbia, Missouri. Not only does she labor in a fairly obscure field — what is a historic preservation consultant anyway? — but much of her work is out of Columbia.

Sheals guides property owners through the shoals and difficulties of documenting historic properties as well as through the restoration of historic properties so that they will meet specific criteria for historic preservation tax credits.

While it does sound obscure, her work has led to a school being brought back to life as apartments. Other projects she’s worked on provide people in downtown Columbia with the beauty of many of the historic buildings downtown.

But Sheals isn’t a building hugger — she’ll tell you that herself. Her slogan is the way to save a building is to put it to work. So as you walk around downtown and note a coffee shop or a clothing store in a historic building, you’re probably looking at her work.

Read about Sheals’ and her work in this Deb Sheals Reflections, CHL August Sept 2010. I wrote that was published in the August/September 2010 of Columbia Home & Lifestyle.