Gray Benko inherited her passion for photography from her dad and also went on to work with him renovating historic homes on Magnolia Network’s Happy to Be Home With the Benkos. But her sister, Catherine Highsmith Deutsch followed her mother and learned finance and marketing.
Get to know her better below.
Meet Catherine Highsmith Deutsch, Magnolia Network’s Gray Benko Sister
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch is Gray Benko’s loving sister. She’s the only one in the family whose job’s not entangled with that of others.
In case you didn’t know, both of her parents, Joe and Mary Highsmith both worked at Highsmith Construction. There, Joe dealt with building or designing, while Mary majorly handed all the accounting functions for Highsmith Construction. You might as well say Mary did a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work that keeps Highsmith Construction running like a well-oiled machine.
Their company, Highsmith Construction has been building custom homes since 1952 — long before the Hilton Head area became a hot spot. It seems Joe’s father, Farris, built a home for the island’s first schoolteacher in what is now historic Honey Horn Plantation, and Joe joined him for work when he turned 12. After his father passed away, Joe then took over the company and recruited his wife. Today, They pride themselves on creating a brand new custom home, remodeling an existing residence, constructing a commercial property, and building out a tenant up-fit.
Joe and Mary turned 72 and 75 years of age in 2023.
As for Gray, she’s also into renovation and design. Thus, when she filmed Happy to Be Home With the Benkos she brought her father in, and together, they restored the historic homes of Summerville, South Carolina. “This new series introduces designer Gray Benko, who brings color and happiness to historic homes in the low country of South Carolina,” the show’s official description read. “Her thoughtful craftsman husband, Mike, and eccentric contractor father, Grumpy, join her to bring her whimsical visions to life.”
The theme of the show was just like every other design show. Gray drove to a new client’s home and outlined what she wanted out of their project, and her dad then oversaw the whole renovation. But it’s not simple as it sounds. “With these old homes, you’re looking at 200 years of layers,” Gray’s husband Mike said. “Renovating a historic home has its own set of problems.” However, Gray concluded that they happily accepted those challenges because “it means a lot to us to be able to bring that happiness into the homes that we work on.”
Sadly, the show ended in six episodes — which were an hour long each. And we don’t know if season 2 is on the way or not.
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch Age
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch was 38 years of age in 2023.
She is three years younger than her sister Gray.
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch Job
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch is a Clemson University (B.S. Marketing) 2006 graduate who started her career as an advertising intern at Erwin-Penland. After four months of experience, she then joined Ferguson Enterprises for the next two years in Management Training Program.
Finally, in August 2008, she landed her job as a Financial Recruiter at International Market Recruiters. There, she specialized in placing people permanently within top-tier investment banks and broker-dealers and identified and qualified candidates for high-priority positions within several specialties for the next 2 years and 3 months.
In October 2010, Catherine then joined Ally Financial as a Talent Acquisition Senior Recruiter. After four years, she then became its HR Manager, followed by HR Director of Information Technology in the next 2 years, and HR Director of Talent Acquisition in another 2.
Today, as of 2023, Catherine works at Ally Financial as its HR Director of Consumer and Commercial Banking — leading the human capital team, strategy, and execution for multiple lines of business within Ally’s Consumer & Commercial Banking division.
Who Is Catherine Highsmith Deutsch Husband?
Catherine Highsmith Deutsch married her husband Stephen Deutsch on April 30, 2011, at the River House at Oldfield Plantation. However, the two only welcomed their first child, Emerson “Emmy” Graham Deutsch on December 9, 2017, and their second, John Wilson Deutsch, on March 7, 2021.
Now, as of 2023, Emmy’s already attending school, and John’s in kindergarten.
Thanking her husband for being an awesome dad, Catherine took to her IG on Father’s Day 2018, to write, “Happy 1st Father’s Day to @sdeutsch !! He’s been killing the dad game for the last 9 weeks at home with Emmy, and nothing makes me smile more than the way she lights up when he walks in the room.”
Stephen Deutsch @sdeutsch also studied Finance at the University of Florida. He then went on to study International Business at the University of Florida and the University of New South Wales.
Fun Fact: Gray was one of Catherine’s pre-wedding photographers.
Related FAQs
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When Is Catherine Highsmith Deutsch Birthday?
Catherine celebrates her birthday on September 30 and is of the Libra zodiac.
To celebrate her 33rd birthday, Catherine and her husband went trekking in Highlands, North Carolina for a week.
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Where Is Catherine Highsmith Deutsch From?
Catherine hails from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
But in 2023, she resided in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Is Catherine Highsmith Deutsch On Instagram And Facebook?
In April 2023, Catherine had 420 followers on Instagram @chighsm.
Also, here’s her Facebook @catherinehighsmith.
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