HUDEC WOODWORKING - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Hudec Team
- Project Engineer
Alex started in the Hudec shop in 2013, and was promoted to Project Engineer at the beginning of this year. He worked with team members Jennifer and Eric, who taught him AutoCAD in their spare time. Hudec is proud of the work they have all put in and we are excited for Alex as he takes on this new role. Previously, Alex had been a custom cabinetmaker for 18 years.
Alex and his wife live in the suburbs of Chicago and have 2 children. He loves spending time with his family, watching movies and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Production & Purchasing Manager
Brian is one of the veteran members of the Hudec management team. He began his millwork career as a carpenter and cabinetmaker in 1985. He worked for various woodworking companies until he found a home with Hudec in 1990 as a cabinetmaker. Those were the early years of a young Hudec business. Brian's career has run in parallel with the growth that has evolved Hudec's success over the past thirty years. Transcending from cabinetmaker, to Shop Foreman, Production Supervisor, Assistant Project Manager, to his current role as Production & Purchasing Manager; Brian has accumulated a wealth of hands-on knowledge about the industry. Due to the custom nature of our business, we often encounter fabrication challenges, where Brian's contributions are immeasurable.
Brian and his wife have three children and are also the proud grandparents of three amazing grand kids. He and his wife love the abundant outdoor activities Lake Michigan has to offer. They spend many of the year's weekends traveling in their RV with a boat in tow. During the warmer months, Brian lives for the open road on his Harley.
Job Titles:
- Estimator
- Member of the Hudec Team
Charles recently joined Hudec Woodworking as an estimator in April of 2015. He has been involved in the architectural woodworking and millwork industry for over 35 years. Chuck began his career as a draftsman in 1979 in St. Louis and progressed his career through the ranks of purchasing manager, inventory control, project manager, manager of installed sales, and most recently as an estimator and sales for the past 8 years. Chuck's expansive field of knowledge has allowed him to work on projects of varying size, from tenant spaces and casinos, to museums and hospitals.
Chuck and his wife will be celebrating 30 years of marriage this year, which has produced a son who is a store manager in the Terre Haute area. They enjoy working in their vegetable garden and flower beds, traveling, and sharing time with friends. They are also avid St. Louis Cardinal fans and travel to as many games as possible.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Hudec Team
- Project Manager
I have been in the millwork industry for 20 years, starting out as a shop carpenter, progressing into an estimator and found my calling as a Project Manager. I love to build and create all types of millwork both on a professional level and as one of my favorite hobbies. At Hudec I am tasked with helping design and create beautiful, lasting millwork interiors on time including our staple "WOW" factor.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Hudec Team
- Project Engineer
Eric has been a master craftsman for the past 15 years. He began working for Hudec in 2009 as one of the many talented shop fabricators. His well-rounded millwork knowledge and experience with managing the production work flow, carried him into his current role as the Project Engineer. Eric's daily functions consist primarily of analyzing drawings and writing the program codes for Hudec's automated equipment. He is fluent with AutoCAD, certified in Aspire, and CAM/CAD programming.
Eric has sawdust in his blood and is passionate about the craft. Among his accolades, Eric's proudest accomplishment is being a father to his four children. He loves spending time with them hiking, biking and camping in the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President
has always had a passion for building things with his hands, and it had an early impact on his career path. He was introduced to the fast-pace industry of restaurant development during a three year internship at Bernheim & Kahn Architects while obtaining a Construction Management degree from Purdue University. Following his graduation and having already gained much hands-on experience, John accepted a position at Axelrod Construction. Axelrod's projects revolved around restaurant and commercial development, presenting John the opportunity to acquire further exposure within the industry's infrastructure. These two jobs provided John with influential mentors who helped shape the next thirty years of his life.
During his five years with Axelrod, John formed a small construction company that started out doing renovation projects from demolition and roofing, to carpentry and woodworking, and eventually grew into providing complete interior tenant build-outs for a handful of clients. John had never received any formal training in carpentry and woodworking, much of his knowledge was acquired by the old-school method of trial and error. Lured by potential opportunity at the end of an uncertain journey for his small woodworking company, John fueled his aggressive growth plans with ambition, passion, integrity, and determination. The fusion of these traits and John's persistent "get-it-done" philosophies have led to many great things in his life, including the ongoing evolution of Hudec Woodworking.
John has been happily married to his wife, Julie for the past 28 years, a marriage that has given them three amazing children. John and Julie have remained native to Indiana throughout their lives. John has an intense affection for the outdoors and the offerings of the four distinct Midwest seasons. He has a healthy obsession with endurance sports from swimming, biking, and running to adventure sports like skiing, mountain biking, and snow-mobiling. John never has a problem finding ways to stay occupied in the outdoors with his friends and family throughout the year.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Hudec Team
- Project Manager
Mark has had progressive experience in the construction and woodworking industry for 30 years. Like many of the talented staff at Hudec, Mark, too, began his career on the shop floor as a cabinetmaker and eventually acquired years of field experience. His commitment to craftsmanship helped guide his career into various Shop Foreman positions before coming to Hudec in 2006. Due to Mark's excelling performance with varying tasks, he was promoted to the Project Management team, where he has coordinated the successful completion for many of Hudec's recent projects as a Project Manager. His vast experience in the many facets of our industry has proven to be a valuable resource in continuing to provide clients with elite service.
Mark is a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. His marriage with his wife has produced four children and two grandsons. Mark enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Hudec Team
- Lead Engineer
Rich has been involved in many aspects of the construction and millwork industry for 23 years. He joined Hudec in 2010 as a Project Draftsman, and has recently been promoted to Lead Engineer. Rich is the leading AutoCAD expert in Hudec's organization and is responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely completion of shop drawings by the multi-talented drafting team. Rich has also acquired substantial experience in project management, fabrication, and installation. In a previous role, Rich was responsible for the engineering and installations of intricate staircase systems; a unique skill set that has given him excellent insight into the detailing of complex millwork situations frequently encountered on Hudec Woodworking projects.
Rich is embedded into the woodworking trade as he spends much of his free time creating personal treasures in his home workshop. When he's not making sawdust or plotting drawings, Rich is often found feeding his severe addiction to trail cycling throughout the vast Lake Michigan trails.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team