Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2008)
vernonia’s voice business november 2008 New Banker Brings Experience to US Bank By Scott Laird For Nicole Lark, banking runs in the family. Lark has worked in banking for the past eighteen years. Both her mother and father were bankers and her brother is a banker. And now, Lark has brought all her years of experience to Vernonia as the new banker at US Bank. I sat down with Lark to talk about her new position at US Bank. “I am working as both a teller and banker right now,” said Lark. “As a banker, I set up new accounts, do loans and investments, sales, customer service. Basically, I do it all here.” Lark noted that her strong background can help make customers comfortable doing business with her. She also expressed that she is excited to be working US Bank- Nicole Lark, US in Vernonia and not commuting. Banks new Banker Lark has always worked in finance, as an account ex- ecutive and in mortgages. She says that US Bank is very secure, even during these troubled financial times. “US Bank is one of the most secure banks out there. We’ve been around since the depression in the ‘30’s.” Lark says that US Bank has great options for businesses and consumers, including leas- es for business equipment, and other products that can help make businesses successful. Lark and her family moved to Vernonia nine years ago from Bay City, Oregon. She has been involved with youth baseball, and is currently active in cub scouts with her sons Con- ner, 11, and Zachary, 7. She is a member of St. Mary’s Parish. D.A.D.S. Recycling Still Open for Business D.A.D.S. Recycling is still accepting your recycling items at their current location next to the Vernonia Transfer Station. The local recyclers, who are working to relocate to an area out of the flood plain, were asked by the city to scale back their operation. But they are still operating and accepting metal, paper, plastics and other items, while details of the new loca- tion are ironed out. You can reach D.A.D.S. Recycling at 503 -429-4022, or 503-432-7116, or 503-432-7119. Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays- 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM 15 J. Shapes Construction and Glass Design: Quality Craftmanship, Friendly Service By TL Berry Most likely, you may have already met or seen Jerrid Sedlmeyer around town. He is one of the Vernonians who is consistently sparking up a friendly conversation with whoever he meets, whether it be a bank teller, a grocery clerk, or a neighbor. “I think people are incredibly interesting,” said Sedlmeyer, “and each person has their own unique quality, story, and style.” This impression is evident when sitting down to talk with Sedlmeyer; he has one of those natural abilities for what he calls, “chit- chat.” Sedlmeyer’s laid-back personality, friendly nature, and intonation may come from his origins of the Southern California beaches. Jerrid Sedlmeyer is a local contractor and the owner of J. Shapes Construction and Glass Design that specializes in residential and commercial remodel and repair. He has helped hundreds of people with simple home repairs to high-end construc- tion projects. Sedlmeyer has worked with other renowned contractors, architects, homeowners, and designers in the California areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mon- tecito, Orange County, and Los Angeles for the past 23 years. His distinguished work has been shown in such notable publications as Architectural Digest, Santa Barbara Magazine, New York Times, and Contractor’s Construction Magazine. He believes that contracting is more than a job: “It is a relationship with the customer and the final product.” Living and operating his business in the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas gave Sedlmeyer an opportunity to work with noted musicians, actors, political figures, artists, producers, writers, etc. For example, he designed one of Oprah Winfrey’s mirrors for her Montecito home; created a noted curved heavy-glass bath and show- er unit for Yasmine Pahlavi, princess of Iran; designed and installed one of the first heavy-glass floor designs in the infamous nightclub, The Wildcat; introduced de- signers to the now popular “floating wall mirror;” and, before green-building was popular, he assisted with Seinfeld’s Julia Dreyfus’ green-building beach-house proj- ect. Sedlmeyer stated, “Those projects were enjoyable because they emphasized and validated my quest for the importance to quality and detail.” Sedlmeyer started out, after school, working in a local hardware store, helping customers and making screens for windows. He says it was there that he learned the importance of measurement, which he argues is one of the most common and costly mistakes in the construction industry. Sedlmeyer takes his craft and the work he does very personally. When he was younger and working for various glass shops and contractors, he recalls that he was deeply frustrated working for others whose key emphasis was just “to pound out the job as quickly as possible and get the check.” He went head-to-head with each of his employers who held this philosophy, usually sacrificing his job for his convictions. “I understand every business owner has to make a buck, but it should never be at the expense of the client or the quality of the work,” said Sedlmeyer. The idea to begin his own contracting business occurred to Jerrid when he was working for a high- end Santa Barbara glass shop in 1998. At this time, other contractors and clientele began requesting his services exclusively. “Before long,” stated John Roebottom, past-owner of the shop, “Jerrid had a waiting-list of clients.” It wasn’t long until a renowned contractor, who regularly requested Sedlmeyer for his workmanship, sug- gested that he take his knowledge and skills and venture out on his own. Sedlmeyer took his suggestion, and J. Shapes Construction was formed. 1 YEAR NO payments! NO interest! (O.A.C.) Duct Work AND Duct Insulation Heating & Air Conditioning Jerrid also works closely with other local contractors, either assisting them with jobs or partnering with them on projects. He doesn’t see other contractors as compe- tition, but as allies. As Sedlmeyer states, “When we support one another, it creates a better working environment and a better community.” LIFETIME WARRANTY * The best warranty in the business! THE LAST HEAT PUMP OR A/C YOU’LL EVER NEED TO BUY Gas Oil Electric Sales Service Installation Furnaces Heat Pumps Air Conditioning Residential Commercial Industrial Toll Free 866.434.5106 St Helens 503.397.3003 Longview 360.423.9165 * In 2005, he relocated to Vernonia, Oregon, and is already establishing the same superior and distinctive reputation for exceptional quality, detail, and noteworthy custom designs and work. As he states, “I just love what I do, whether it is replac- ing a single mirror, repairing damage to a home or business, or remodeling a new project. When you love what you do and you know your stuff, you can’t help but to become involved.” OR CCB# 172691 WA License# AIRPRHC951D9 On qualifying equipment only. Inquire for details. When asked about the current construction economic climate, Sedlmeyer re- sponded optimistically with a solution-oriented perspective, “With the turn in to- day’s economy, contracting businesses that have large overheads are definitely feel- ing the pinch and having to lay-off workers and raise their prices. Unfortunately, more people are feeling financial pressures, and holding-off on much needed repairs or upgrades. Fortunately, the companies and contractors who don’t have the excess overhead may have the ability to adjust a bit to the economic downturn. It’s impor- tant for people to realize that there are still so many cost-effective ways home and business owners can repair and even upgrade when working with the right contractor, so the projects can stay affordable.” J. Shapes Construction and Glass Design LLC is licensed, insured, and bonded. Please check the Oregon State Contractor’s Board at http://www.ccb.state.or.us/ for verification and information on any licensed Oregon State contractor you are plan- ning to hire. If you have any questions on a project, or would like a quote on a repair or re- model, please give Jerrid a call. His knowledge and expertise in the field is not only refreshing, but also reassuring.