Partners in Building Success
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The Personalities
Mark Rasch and Mary Bendel are very energetic-in building their personal lives, as well as in building homes. Mark and his wife, Laura, live in Des Peres with their two daughters, Marissa (5) and Sydney (2). Mark started his business career by following his father, Oliver Rasch, in the family-owned business, Rasch Service Station, in Kirkwood, MO. Mark capitalized on the entrepreneurial lessons that he learned from his father and fostered his love for real estate when he formed Benchmark Homes in 1992. Mark still follows his passion for engines as is evident in his love of sports cars, boats, and-especially-Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Mary graduated from St. Louis University in 1982 and started her career in public accounting with Ernst & Young. In 1989, she moved her accounting expertise into the commercial real estate sector and by 1994 had joined her ex-husband on a full-time basis in residential real estate. Mary's father was a Local # 47 carpenter and, with his moral support, she became sole owner of Cachet Homes in 1996. Mary is currently adopting a baby from Antigua City, Guatemala. Mary's father died on September 22, 2001, and Mary was inspired to learn that the infant had been born on that same day. Mary eagerly anticipates having the baby girl in her home in Kirkwood by Spring 2002.

Mary and Mark have been close personal friends for over ten years and had been networking their businesses years before they legally formed their partnership in 1998.

Builder/Architect is pleased to feature the partnership of Cachet Homes and Benchmark Developers as Builder of the Month. Benchmark Developers, LLC and Cachet Homes, Inc. can be reached by telephone at (314) 822-1057 or (314) 909-7593.