Happy Retirement to Russell Wyatt

Russell Wyatt is retiring from LWB at the end of this year and we want to take a moment to reflect on his diverse and inspiring journey in construction, maintenance, and craftsmanship. Over the years Russell has become one of the most trusted and respected team members at Loren Wood Builders. His story is a testament to his passion, skill, and dedication to his craft.

Early Years

Growing up, Russell was always drawn to hands-on work. His first entry into the industry was owning a furniture restoration and stained glass business. He could be found repairing all types of furniture pieces or crafting intricate stained glass windows. In the late 1970s through early 1980s, he honed his skills in the restoration and repair of over 1,000 stained glass windows, including beveling glass. His expertise extended to antique restoration, where he ran an antique shop in Nashville, showcasing his ability to blend artistry with restoration.

His first step into the construction industry came in Brown County, where he worked for Clifford Brown Construction on a large framing project. Despite his limited experience, Russell embraced the challenge and learned the trade on the job, slowly expanding his skill set over time to include trim work, flashing, and caulking.

Transitioning to Maintenance and Management

After about a decade in construction, a friend recommended he take a position at Sunrise Graphic Impressions, a greeting card company in Bloomington. Russell took on special projects and maintenance tasks for the facility, working with both 60-year-old machines and modern $3M printing presses. Over the course of five years, he became well-versed in troubleshooting and maintaining machinery, developing a reputation as someone who could fix almost anything.

However, when the company was downsized in 2004 due to financial struggles at Hallmark, he was laid off and turned his focus back to construction. He worked as an independent contractor, remodeling homes and continuing to build on the knowledge and skills he had developed over the years.

In 2005, Russell was hired by Marc Sattinger, the owner of Graphic Impressions, to do maintenance work at his other business, Upland Brewing Company. In this role, he was responsible for managing production, overseeing shipping, and handling maintenance for the large-scale beer bottling operation. Though the job came to an end after Upland was acquired by new ownership, this experience provided invaluable exposure to larger-scale operations. He said that when he left three people were hired to fill his role.

Soon after, Russell was hired by designer, Russ Herndon, where he worked for five years with a small team, taking on large remodeling projects, particularly kitchen and bathroom renovations. This role marked a significant phase in his career, as he not only refined his skills in carpentry and remodeling but also embraced new design challenges. It was here that he honed his superior skills, mastering a wide range of the trades, working alongside other incredibly skilled team members, without the support of outside subcontractors.

Joining Loren Wood Builders

In 2015, he joined the team at Loren Wood Builders, along with his former colleagues, Rick Dyer, Robert Stright, and later Garrett Kane, after Russ Herndon retired and closed his design business. Initially brought on as a trim carpenter, Russell’s wealth of experience quickly positioned him as the “fix-it guy” on projects. Whether it was addressing unforeseen challenges, troubleshooting complex issues, or performing critical punch list work, Russell became an indispensable part of our team.

Known affectionately as the “Pro from Dover”—a nod to the TV show MASH*— Russell earned a reputation for his ability to solve problems that others couldn’t. His favorite project, the Lake Monroe New Build in 2017, involved crafting over a mile of walnut base and case trim throughout the custom-built home. The precision and artistry required for such a project spoke to Russell’s attention to detail, skill, and, commitment to delivering exceptional work. 

Another favorite project of Russell’s was doing punch list at the the new build, Wooded View and Greenhouse Addition. He had a lot of fun working on this project because of its uniqueness and special custom spaces.

Lastly, a memorable project for Russell was a much smaller project of repairing an old limestone statue that had been accidentally knocked over during a remodeling project. He was able to completely conceal the break points and the limestone statue looked as though there was never an issue.

Restoration and Problem-Solving

Throughout his career, Russell found that the most challenging and rewarding projects were often the ones that involved restoration work. “Not hard to do, but hard to do well,” he would often say. These jobs required him to start with the architects and site supervisors to understand the project, then to work backward, analyzing the design, dismantling what was there, and finding ways to restore or improve it without causing further damage. 

“This type of work was difficult because you never know what you are up against until you get into it. It requires not just technical skill but also a deep understanding of materials, construction techniques, and design principles.”

A Well-Deserved Retirement

As Russell approaches retirement, he says that he’s looking forward to spending more time working on his own home—which he started building in the 1980s. Over the years, he’s completed nearly every aspect of the construction himself, from electrical and plumbing work to the carpentry and foundation. In fact, for the first three years, he lived in the house without indoor plumbing or running water.

In addition to homebuilding, he plans to dedicate more time to his passion for archaeology. He began collecting prehistoric artifacts in 1992 after finding a scraper tool in his garden, which sparked a lifelong interest. Since then, he’s been an active member of the White River Valley Archaeological Association, where he has won multiple awards for his personal found collection. Over the years, he’s helped excavate sites throughout Central Indiana, and he’s even led teams at archaeological digs. His knowledge and enthusiasm for this field have earned him recognition, and he continues to share his passion with others through public programs and displays at events like the Prehistoric Artifact Show.

When not working on his house or archaeological projects, he’s also looking forward to spending more time with his family, especially his five grandchildren. 

Final Thoughts

We’ve all had the pleasure of working alongside Russell, hearing his stories, and seeing his skill at work. He is leaving behind a legacy built on hard work, craftsmanship, and a relentless drive to solve problems. He has made an incredible impact on our projects and our team. 

“I enjoyed working with the crew and loved the challenge of solving problems. I’m going to miss getting the chance to fix issues and be creative. Every day was different with new challenges and I liked that. I liked using all my tricks to make things look good or inventing a process to make it work”. 

Congratulations, Russell, on your retirement. Your incredible storytelling, amazing contributions, and knowledge will always be remembered and missed, and we wish you many years of happiness!

A Few Messages from Our Team

Russell has come to exemplify the Loren Wood Builders ethos in his 10 years with the company. Clients, subcontractors, and LWB crew defer to Russell’s quality standards. Perhaps as much as anyone Russell has forged the LWB core value of detailed, conscientious carpentry. 

While Russell’s attention to detail and craftsmanship are legendary in the LWB community, it is for his kindness that we will be best remembered. From his steadfast dedication to his wife, Lissie, to the sharing of his knowledge with younger carpenters and crew, Russell’s patience and generosity to others have been an inspiration.

An accomplished amateur archeologist, Russell has contributed to university projects and has amassed an impressive private artifacts collection. His appreciation for the artistry behind a 1000-year-old Clovis spearpoint is a fitting parallel to his work on the details of LWB projects. 

And the stories. A life lived with flair and passion… and not a small amount of hair-raising adventure. A right-of-passage for new hires during the past 10 years has been sitting around the shop after work listening to “Russell Stories.” 

We will miss Russell’s extensive knowledge and expansive spirit. We are better builders after having worked with him and better people having known him. 

~ Joel Keefer

I first worked with Russell at Upland Brewery when it opened back in the 90s. He maintained the bottling line and handled repairs and general maintenance to keep the operation running smoothly. Fast forward a few years, and I was working as a laborer and carpenter for Herndon Design, where Russell was doing similar work: ensuring things worked smoothly, fixing anything that was out of order, and making Herndon Design projects stand out.

Nine years ago, when Russ Herndon retired and closed his shop, we were incredibly fortunate to bring his entire crew on board at LWB. Once again, I had the pleasure of working with Russell, where he continued to fix what was broken, polish what needed polishing, and, in general, elevate our work to a level that exceeded expectations.

Over the years, as we’ve raised the standards of our craft to match Russell’s expectations, I’ve often heard our finish carpenters say, “My goal is to never need Russell on my job.” To me, that’s the highest compliment to Russell, his work, and his legacy. Seeing the rest of our team step up, delivering a level of quality that doesn’t require a fixer, is a testament to the profound, institutional impact Russell has had on our company.

We are a better company for having had Russell set the bar for quality control and excellence. 

~ Loren Wood

When entering a room, the voice of Russell always preceded his physical presence. Any number of complications could constitute a visit from Russell, but they almost always centered around the primary culprit of the fabled fantom “drywall-nailer.” With a sweeping hand gesture, loose ponytail losing form from the rigors of work and intensity of tale, Russell would recount, peering over his lower spectacles, with no lack of detail, the absence of proper framing, and the inevitable adventure by which he remedied the situation.

He is unmatched in detail, both cosmetic and narrative. Once he finished a space there was never a need to return, to the dismay of many clients who had grown fond of his Russell-y regalements. While there will never be another, we all learned of his skills; “Wyatt” is a better way. Few people can match Russell’s detail and carpentry prowess, but absolutely nobody can tell a better story.

~ Dan Crites