Chris

Paint & Varnish Apprentice

Chris was born and raised in Montcalm and Ionia Counties in Western Michigan, his background includes over fifteen years as a paint contractor throughout the Greater Grand Rapids region, specializing in wood finishing and log homes. That combination of hands-on precision and a lifelong love of boats ultimately brought him to Van Dam, where he now applies his wood finishing experience within a setting that demands an elevated level of detail.

Chris has two adult sons, Eliot and Cooper.

Away from the shop, he is most at home immersed in the outdoors — whether it’s fishing, hiking, backpacking, or spending time at his off-grid property in Antrim County. Summers growing up were spent houseboating with his family on Hardy Dam every weekend, and he also previously worked on his uncle’s charter boat out of North Muskegon on Lake Michigan.

• Born and raised: Montcalm & Ionia Counties, Michigan
• Graduated: Belding High School
• Favorite Fundamental: #8 — Make Quality Personal
• Best thing about working at Van Dam: Being surrounded by elite craftsmen operating at the highest level at all times