2017 was by all accounts a special year for our small Elevate family. Catie and I welcomed baby Waylon in May. Nathan and his wife, Stefanie, moved back to the Pacific Northwest and bought a house making Portland their new home. Waylon’s grandma moved across the country from Ohio on news of his arrival. To top it off, Elevate received a handful of excellent commissioning contracts.

Starting a new business for us has been unequivocally challenging and rewarding. I vividly remember the phone call we received from Gerding Edlen in June, delivering us the good news of receiving the contract for the Beaverton Center of the Arts. This wasn’t our first awarded project, but it was our most exciting, with a full commissioning scope. That moment was made so memorable because we were together with our Ohio family enjoying a beautiful Pacific Northwest summer night, celebrating Waylon’s 1-month birthday when we received the phone call. It became a celebration on top of a celebration, shared with our most important people.

Reflecting on that story reminds me of the reason and purpose for Nathan and I starting our own business. The reason is simply to provide for our growing family and fulfill our personal goals and aspirations in this game of life. “What better time than now,” Nathan convinced me. The young journey has been exciting and well worth the effort. Here’s to another exciting year ahead.