Age: 65.
Residence: Schroon Lake.
Occupation: Owner of BassRock Guitars. Builds acoustic guitars from local woods, including “sinker spruce” (150-year-old logging logs) from the bottom of Schroon Lake. “My home and workshop are on property my grandfather bought in 1914. Ten years ago we sold our home in Canton and renovated my grandparents’ old camp on Schroon Lake. With no access by road we commute across the lake, summer and winter.”
Accomplishments: “I retired from a wonderful career in special education and wanted to continue to work creatively to make this world a better place. I do this through building beautiful guitars that musicians play to enhance the lives of others. I have a wonderful wife, two wonderful daughters (and son-in-law), and two wonderful grandchildren, all who are a large part of our lifestyle and efforts here. Life is good.”
Favorite hike: “I’d like to say it’s snorkeling for logs (and Eurasian milfoil), but I guess that’s not really a hike. So I suppose it’s my daily hike up our small mountain behind us here on the east side of Schroon Lake—a place close to my heart.”
Favorite view: “Driving up the east shore on Schroon Lake and looking north to Hoffman Mountain across Schroon Lake.” Why I live in the Adirondacks: “Similar to many people, having spent magical summers here while growing up made it the most special place in the world. And then when you retire from your first career and ask yourself where you want to live—well, no contest!”
Memorable wildlife experience: “When I was young and we used to have an open dump in the woods out back here, my mother would wake up my brother and me during the night to feed the raccoons off the back porch. A terrible idea all around!”
If I were in charge of the Park: “I would encourage disparate viewpoints and healthy debate surrounding the important issues of preserving our beautiful Park while at the same time encouraging healthy lifestyles, small business, employment, living wages, and development, that support the people who live here.”
