Harvey Chandler
Founder
Over 25 years ago Harvey Chandler, an accomplished draftsman, illustrator and product designer, founded Chandler Inc. Harvey's path is unique. As a young man he had no idea what he wanted to do but he always loved to draw and build things. Like a good artist he went searching and dabbled in everything from architecture to appliance design. One of the most fascinating chapters of his story was when he was drafted and became an artist for the U.S. Army where he created illustrated war games used in combat training.
Harvey finished his time in the army and after a failed attempt at supporting himself as an artist, Harvey landed an opportunity learning the exhibit and tradeshow industry for a St. Paul display company. It was during this time that he worked on projects for companies such as 3M and Medtronic and really got a feel for what it meant to combine creativity with business. And later, when Harvey decided to make a go of it on his own, it was clear that he not only was a gifted artist, but he had developed an eye for business.
Harvey's first client as a small business owner was Andersen Windows, where he designed and built retail displays and tradeshow exhibits. It was a wonderful relationship and Harvey made sure that he always maintained a core philosophy of delivering high quality products with outstanding customer service. He also grew Chandler at a slow and thoughtful pace during a time when many companies were going out of business.
Today, that philosophy of customer service, great quality and smart business decisions remains the same and many of those early relationships are still going strong allowing Chandler to grow and diversify. In 1999, Harvey appointed his son John as President and although he now spends most of his time traveling the world taking beautiful photographs and working in his art studio at Chandler, he's still very passionate about the business.
John Chandler
President
John has over 15 years of experience in the retail and exhibit design industry. As President of Chandler, John sets the strategy and vision for the organization.
John joined the family business shortly after college and began his career designing and building custom exhibits and retail fixtures. Seeing the potential to offer great design and manufacturing to more customers, John put plans in motion to grow the business.
Today, Chandler's clients include both local and national accounts, many of which are Fortune 500 organizations such as Andersen Windows and The Home Depot.
What compelled John to join the family business? It's simple, good design. With a degree in Product Design from the Parsons School of Design in New York City combined with his family legacy, John's personal and professional passions are aligned.
Curt Chandler
Vice President
As Vice President of Chandler Inc., Curt oversees the creative side of the business. Early in life Curt was drawn to his father's work and spent years tagging along with him to the shop. Like his father, it was clear he also had an eye for design. Curt refined his skills at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
After college Curt knew that the family business is where he wanted to be and today he can be found working on a variety of design projects for our clients.
Lee Bartelt
General Manager
In 2000, Lee Bartelt joined Chandler Inc. as Controller. Trained as a CPA, Lee brought over 20 years of accounting and business experience with him for both public and private organizations.
As the company grew, so did Lee's responsibilities. Today Lee holds the position of General Manager and is responsible for finance as well as the general & administration side of the business. Lee's primary goal at Chandler Inc. is to ensure that the business runs efficiently and effectively for our customers.
Jeremiah Albrecht
Creative Director
Designer and Creative Director Jeremiah Albrecht brings more than 10 years of design experience to Chandler Inc. Prior to joining Chandler, Jeremiah worked with several top notch design agencies such as Worrell and Carbon Collaborative. Combining his professional experience with a degree in Furniture Design from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Jeremiah knows first hand what it takes to approach projects creatively.
What does Jeremiah bring to Chandler? Creativity and an unyielding eye for detail. From retail fixtures to large-scale branded environments, Jeremiah applies the same philosophy to every project: "everything starts with good design".
Tina DuCharme
Accounting & Purchasing Manager
You might think Tina is just a numbers person but just do a little digging and you'll discover that this Account and Purchasing Manager is more than meets the eye. Yes, she's great at managing Chandler's accounting day in and day out but in her free time she is also a breeder of Arabian horses. Who else can say that? Not to mention she has a B.S. degree in Accounting from the College of St. Catherine, St. Paul.
Rob Shaffner
Director of Account Services
When Rob joined Chandler Inc. in 2003, he came with 11 years of experience in custom fabrication. Today, Rob leads a team of account executives which is responsible for project management and customer service at Chandler. Rob and his team work very closely with large retail clients such as The Home Depot and Andersen Windows and have developed these relationships over many years.
What do people say about Rob? "He is always a pleasure to work with. Rob is extremely customer focused. He has strong relationships with his customers, listens to their needs, and drives the company to meet and surpass their expectations."
Tor Okerlund
Director of Business Development
As the Director of Business Development, Tor pursues opportunities to align the design and manufacturing talents of Chandler with businesses both locally and nationally. With over 20 years of experience in retail, tradeshow, marketing and account management Tor knows first-hand what it takes to develop successful business relationships.
Before joining Chandler, Tor worked with brands such as Best Buy, Gander Mountain, Macy's and Target. Tor is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing.
John Monce
Account Executive
John Monce is responsible for the manufacturing operations of Chandler Inc. John has extensive production and program management experience both in the U.S. and abroad. Prior to Chandler, he has worked for companies such as Motorola, 3M and Skyline Exhibits. John's project management and communication skills are utilized to drive continuous improvement throughout Chandler.
Bob Stone
Account Executive
Bob joined the Chandler team in the summer of 2002 as an Account and Project Manager. His responsibilities include managing custom projects and tradeshow projects for clients like Andersen Windows, Renewal, Best Buy, MOA and Stylmark. Bob has worked in the Trade Show and Store Fixture industry for over 24 years where he has held a range of positions from Exhibit Builder to Vice President of Production. When Bob is not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, following college hockey and the Twins.
Susan Sparby
Account Manager
Before joining the Chandler team, Sue spent 19 years in the Research & Development Department at Andersen Windows. As a long-time employee of Andersen, Sue brought her client-side expertise to Chandler and has been a huge asset to the team ever since. As part of a larger account team at Chandler, Sue's primary goal is to meet and anticipate the needs of our customers, everyday.
Shelly Hovde
Project Manager
Big or small, Shelley knows her way around the shop and can handle almost any project. As Production Planner and Project Manager at Chandler, Shelley has a very hands on role where she is busy making sure our projects run smoothly. Where did she get her training? Shelley was a Flight Attendant for Northwest Airlines which, as you might imagine, makes her incredibly patient and customer focused.
Angie Kath
Accountant
Accountant hardly describes Angie's work at Chandler. She has one of those roles that is critical to the day-to-day operations of running any business. With over 20 years of experience in office administration, Angie is a huge asset to the team and our clients.
Mike Landy
Production Manager
You'd never know it, but Mike has worked for Chandler Inc. for 18 years. He has literally grown up with the company and is currently in charge of all of our production. Not afraid to get dirty, Mike spends most of his time in the shop making sure all our projects run smoothly.
Stacy Warnke
Graphic Designer
Educated at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design, Stacy came to Chandler with previous design experience and spends her time on a range of design projects from exhibits and catalogs to web.
James Voigt
Designer
James graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a BA of fine arts in industrial design. Before joining Chandler, he worked with Spectrum Industries as a product designer, where he created innovative point-of-purchase product displays for retail environments. His hands on experience working with wood, sheet metal and steel wire bundled with his passion for design makes James a huge asset to the team.
Bill Landgraf
Senior Design Engineer
Bill has over 10 years of experience in project management and engineering drafting. With an education in architectural and engineering technology, Bill is a perfect fit for translating creative designs into reality at Chandler. His real gift is his attention to detail with production drawings and documentation ensuring that parts and final displays have the best outcome for our clients.
Dan Piepel
Account Executive
Dan's forte is managing the development and execution of merchandising programs for top national brands in the home improvement Industry. He played a major role in helping Chandler become a preferred vendor of the Home Depot—its sales have since catapulted to record levels. Dan is recognized by customers for his outstanding service, knowledge, and dependable results in a competitive and challenging environment.
Susan Nigg
Project Coordinator
Susan has 17 years of experience as a Customer Service Representative and Sales Assistant for Colorhouse, and an Account Service Representative for Unleashed Productions and Displays. Susan values creating strong relationships with our clients and believes keeping the customer happy is her supreme objective. She is proficient in handling multiple tasks and will go the extra mile to ensure that the projects run smoothly.
Steve Feely
Project Manager
Steve Feely brings to project management over 20 years of hands-on experience as a custom fabricator specializing in tradeshow exhibits, interactive custom museum exhibits, and retail displays. As a custom exhibit fabricator for Split Rock Studios, he was responsible for the layout and construction of several custom museum exhibits and interactive displays including the 2003 NAI winner for Best Interior Exhibit. Steve prides himself on being a problem solver and will attack any problem in a calm and assertive manner. Most recently, his problem solving abilities and understanding of the consumer mindset were evidenced while working with Sony Electronics on the fabrication and installation of their new retail store.
Brooke McGlone
Buyer/Planner
Prior to Chandler, Brooke spent 10 years working for Eastman Kodak and was responsible for many of the same duties she now performs. Brooke is a problem solver and a people person, all rolled into one.
Michelle Stockwell
Purchasing
Michelle's experience includes warehouse management, traffic administration with a tile company, and inventory specialization with Smarte Carte. Her current position with Chandler is in Purchasing. Michelle is well organized and enjoys working on many different projects.
Charlie Larson
Design Engineer
It goes without saying, that Charlie's vast knowledge of the window industry makes him the perfect addition to the Chandler team. He has spent the last several years designing and drawing full scale window elevations for some of the country's top brands, including Renewal by Andersen.
