What were you doing before joining Rope Partner?
Immediately before being hired on at Rope Partner I was an entertainment rigger through The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees working for multiple employers in various facets of the entertainment industry. Prior to that I owned a tree care/removal business.
Why did you choose this career?
I chose Rope Partner because I was looking to gain a better balance between work and home life while still being able to push myself professionally. A fellow rigger from Belgium had heard about Rope Partner and suggested I come here. I was also drawn to the company for their hand in the green energy industry. I would say Rope Partner has created a fantastic balance for me!
What do you consider your life's greatest achievement to date?
My professional career. I started off as the third generation in my family to work in the ski industry and at 18 was supervising major construction projects at the largest ski resorts on the east coast. It felt like a dead end and I remember regularly thinking, “this is it?!?” I had been a rock climber since I was a child and decided to give tree climbing a shot. Immediately I fell in love with working at height. Since then I’ve worked as a contract climber, owned and sold a tree business, rigged in museums, arenas, stadiums, and theaters around the globe, and had a hand in many major touring concerts including designing crazy things like fly systems for performers. Coming to Rope Partner and being able to push myself daily with what’s possible in composites has allowed me to keep challenging myself which has been extremely rewarding. Working for Rope Partner has now also given me the free time to chair a non profit, Access Fund, and be able to bring climbing to others which is something I’m extremely thankful to be able to do.
What's your most memorable Rope Partner project and why?
Definitely working on a turbine in Vermont, in winter, on top of a mountain. I spent most of my life in Vermont so it was great to work in my home state. We were transported by snowcat daily and completed composite work in some brutal conditions which was pretty amazing! I’m never going to forget coming out of the blade to find two of the guys I was working with, Ben and Ryan, curled up beneath heat blankets to keep warm. Or Ben and Marco singing while mixing up insane amounts of materials as it was blizzarding outside. It was composites hell but Ben, Ryan, and Marco made it an extremely memorable experience. My co-workers at Rope Partner are the best I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with, by far.
