Mentors

The men who I learned my craft from.

Learning from Gary Long

I first heard about Gary Long through a college friend whose father had worked with him. Gary was hard to reach, but I didn’t give up. After two years of phone calls and letters, he finally agreed to let me apprentice with him.

Gary is deeply passionate about his craft. He wanted to teach someone who truly appreciated, respected, and loved traditional log building—just like he does. After a few tests of my determination, Gary told me he hoped to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. He understood he was part of a small group that helped keep this historic craft alive through the second half of the 20th century. He asked me to carry that torch forward—and I’m proud and honored to do so.

Gary is an incredibly skilled carpenter who expects high-quality work on every job. But outside of the work itself, he’s fun, relaxed, and easy to be around. On the job, he would often say, “It’s either right or it’s wrong.” But once the tools were put away, he’d smile and say, “It just doesn’t matter.”

Working with Alan Logan

Like the other men I learned from, Alan Logan found his way into this craft by taking a class with Peter Gott. That’s where he met Gary Long and Lenny Rizzo, and soon after, he began working alongside them. Alan’s first log cabin was one he built for his own parents—a project that launched his career in log cabins and timber frame construction.

I met Alan through Gary, and I’m always excited when I get the chance to travel to Arkansas and work with him. Alan is not only a skilled builder—he’s an artist and a creative genius when it comes to working with timbers. His projects are always a challenge, but always rewarding. His buildings are truly breathtaking.

What I admire most about Alan is the careful thought and attention to detail he puts into every project. His high standards quickly became something I looked up to—and something I now work hard to bring into my own builds.

As I’ve continued to grow my own business, I’ve been lucky to keep working with and learning from Alan. I often call him when I run into a tough building question, and he’s always willing to help.

Working with Tim Gott

Tim Gott is the son of Peter Gott, the man who introduced all of my mentors to the art of building log cabins and timber frames.

When Tim was just sixteen, he told his parents he wanted to build a small plywood hangout for his friends. But Peter had a bigger idea. Instead, Tim cut down poplar trees, hewed the logs by hand, and built a small log cabin—complete with a loft, wood stove, and a roof made of hand-split oak shingles. That early project was the beginning of his lifelong connection to the craft.

Even with that strong start and a ton of natural talent, Tim is one of the most humble people you’ll ever meet. He whistles while he works, always has a smile, and never hesitates to lend a hand—no matter how tough or simple the task is.

I really enjoy working with Tim. He’s calm and quiet, but always ready with a good joke. Like the others I’ve learned from, Tim is an extremely skilled and precise carpenter. If you ask him to do something, you can trust it will be done right.

I still learn from Tim every time we work together. He inspires me to keep growing and improving in my craft.

Working with Lenny Rizzo

Lenny Rizzo and Gary Long had been building cabins together since the year I was born—literally. Lenny took a class with Peter Gott, and never really left. He was the first of the crew to help Peter teach classes and work on private jobs.

I had the chance to work with Lenny on many builds. He was a tough teacher—pushing me to work harder and build better, sometimes in ways that weren’t very gentle. But I’m thankful for it. His lessons helped shape me into the hard-working builder I am today. To this day I can't put my hands in my pockets at work without hearing him say: "Take your hands out of your pockets and do something!"

Lenny loved building log cabins just as much as the rest of us. He wasn’t always focused on making every little detail perfect—his nickname was “Patch” after all—but he built strong, beautiful homes that stood the test of time.

Like all the guys I’ve worked with, Lenny knew how to work hard and play hard. He was a free spirit with a great sense of humor. He’d tease you to your face and make you laugh at the joke, but if he cared about you, you knew it.

Lenny will be missed—and remembered with deep respect and a lot of smiles.

Peter Gott - The beginning of it all

In the 1950s, Peter Gott left Cornell University with his wife, Polly, and moved to the mountains of North Carolina. Before they left, Peter had learned how to build log cabins from a man named Daniel O'Heara. Peter and Polly simply wanted to live off the land and play music—but once Peter built his own log cabin, people began asking him to build cabins for them too.

Over time, Peter started teaching others how to build log cabins. That’s how all of the men I learned from found Peter—and how they found each other.

Peter is a charismatic, hard-working, and fun-loving person. I’m incredibly thankful that he not only learned this craft, but chose to pass it on to others. Without him, the people who taught me may have never picked up this trade—and I might never have either.