Access Builders President, Chris Oberhansly, knows first-hand what it's like to face sudden changes in the access needs of your home. In 1995 he was involved in a work related accident on a construction site which left him paralyzed and dependent on using a wheelchair for mobility. After completing rehabilitation, he returned home to find out that there were many alterations that needed to be made to his home and soon realized that there was a great need for a company that specialized in building for accessibility. Like most people he made do with the uncomfortable residence in which he was living and began contemplating the ways in which he could make his residence more accessible. He returned to college at Southwest Missouri State University during this time and completed a Bachelors of Science degree in Construction Management Technology.

Since he was renting and didn't have the freedom to make whatever modification he wanted, he began drawing plans and then built his own home with everything he needed to fully enjoy his home environment. During this experience he decided that he wanted to help others make their homes fully useful to them. So in 1999, he founded Access Builders, Inc. With a background in construction, combined with education and living with a disability, he found that he has a unique point-of-view in terms of what it takes to provide individualized solutions to overcoming accessibility barriers.

Chris and one of his staff, Christian Monroe are both CAPS designees through the National Association of Home Builders.