Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fred Aemmer, Jr.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Fred, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I am a carpenter/joiner by trade. My journey to become an authority within the field of historic preservation millwork came organically, beginning with my first job as a trim carpenter’s helper. I began working in the area of historic preservation when there were few people in that field. Over the years, preservation trades have grown and people in the industry that are true preservation purists do not view my work as preservation, believing that the reconstruction of a piece of architecture is not truly preservation or restoration. After a while, I started to believe them and doubt my worth until it occurred to me that no one, not even a purist, is going to demolish a building just because it is missing a window, door, or trim. It was that realization, the fact that I provide specific services that are needed for the preservation of a historic structure, that I gained the confidence to defend my significance in the preservation industry and have convinced many of the purists. There are still some that doubt I have a true space in the industry, but I let my work speak for me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I was born and raised in southern Indiana, about eight miles from Louisville, Kentucky. My elementary school had wonderful school trips that were always fun and educational. The most memorable was my first trip to a historic site, The Scribner House, built in 1812. The tour guide told us about the house and gave us a glimpse of what life was like during that time period. I was in awe and at eight years old, I was hooked on history!
In 1972, at the age of fifteen, I took a summer job as a trim carpenter’s helper and realized that I enjoyed working with my hands. Over the five years I worked this job, my skills grew and I wanted something more challenging. I moved on to a position doing architectural millwork, followed by another millwork shop whose primary concern was commercial buildings. In 1982 the State of Indiana approached me to work on one of their historic sites. This was my first big preservation / restoration project and everything started blossoming from there.
Over the years, I became known regionally for my historic preservation skills and worked with several other local businesses in the same field. In 1990, I had the opportunity to purchase Caldwell Sash Company and honed my skills to specialize in recreating historically correct windows, doors and store fronts.
As I grew older, I had a desire to share my knowledge with others. I started serving as a judge for Kentucky’s Skills USA Building Technologies program and teaching seminars hosted by preservation organizations such as Indiana Landmarks and Preservation Louisville. When I became involved in the Preservation Trades Network, my client list grew from regional to national and in 2015 I was approached by the state of Kentucky to help build and run a Historic Preservation Trades school, training individuals from ages 18 to 80. As part of the school, I helped organize and facilitate Kentucky’s first Preservation Trades Expo at the Center for African American Heritage in Louisville, Kentucky. I am frequently asked to present for various preservation groups and The Window Preservation Trades Collaborative Summit, sharing my knowledge in the historic preservation skills.
As I look toward my retirement years, my goal is to educate on the need for continuation of these preservation trades so that my grandchildren’s grandchildren can be in awe of what it was like to live during my lifetime!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In every part of life, the more you expand your knowledge, the better prepared you are for whatever comes about and I believe there are three aspects of knowledge that everyone should keep in mind, whether it is for school, career or a hobby.
First, be a sponge. Absorb every bit of knowledge you can and use all resources available to you, whether it’s learning from another person, attending a seminar / webinar or researching it on the internet. Be prepared for the “what ifs” that may come about.
Second, always be willing to learn from others. Take advantage of other people’s experiences. Those who have gone before you have a wealth of knowledge and are typically willing to share it. People new to the industry may not have the experiences you have but they may have a different approach that could prove useful.
Lastly, remember your journey and share your knowledge with others. Never discount your experiences, even your mistakes can be a lesson you could teach to someone else to help them succeed!
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
I was very fortunate to have three older gentlemen who took me under their wing and through each of their individual mentoring I was able to evolve from a trim carpenter’s helper to a master in my field. My first mentor was Clyde Bohannon, a man 55 years my senior. He taught me residential trim carpentry and after five years, I was ready to move on to a different challenge. Architectural millwork was the next progression in my career and it was at this new position that I met my second mentor, Bob Arnold. Mr. Arnold had retired but came back to teach me and over the time we worked together, he gave me the basics that I needed to move forward. When I left there, I went to work for Upton Pry who become my third and longest mentor; he introduced me to architectural millwork for commercial buildings and historic preservation. Mr. Pry was the owner of the company but still took the time to teach me the business side of the industry, without which I would not have been prepared when the opportunity came to purchase my company.
My advice to young people starting out is to seek out an older person to be your mentor. They have a wealth of knowledge and can teach you from their lifelong experiences in a relatively short amount of time. I have great admiration for all three of these men and know that I would not be where I am today without their patience and guidance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.caldwellsash.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caldwellsashcompany/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caldwellsash/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyh_dN1GkrIND8mMYEcN0ww
