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 LOCAL TIMBERPEG® INDEPENDENT REPRESENTATIVE JOHN COLLIER HAS MASTERED THE ART OF LISTENING CAREFULLY TO CLIENT IDEAS Maine native John Collier represents the third generation of his family to run AB & JR Hodgkins, Inc. The business has always been part of his life – he remembers helping his father in the shop and working on building projects during vacations. John studied architectural engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology in preparation for taking over the business, but learned the most important things, like hiring a great crew and working effectively with a team, from family. Early mornings find him in the office mapping the day with his constant companions Sandi and Ty, two friendly yellow labs, at his side. 
Family-owned since 1919, the company has had roots in the local community for generations. Founders AB and JR built the business with a commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and personal service. In 2000, John formed a partnership with designer Rick Burne and joined forces with Timberpeg®. It has proven to be a perfect union, with one company built on tradition and the other working to keep a tradition alive. John is exactly the type of person Timberpeg® looks for in an Independent Representative. Not only does he share the company’s value of tradition, but he also realizes the need for personal customer service. Now in his sixth year as a Timberpeg® Independent Representative, John is well known for his ability to turn a client’s dreams into reality. To help keep everyone on top of a project, John has adopted the process of billing every other week. “It doesn’t have to be painful,” he says. “Keeping the client in touch with the process means problems can be dealt with easily.” John has high praise for the excellence of the Timberpeg® product. “I can’t say enough about the quality. Whether it’s 200 or 800 pieces, everything fits great.” Coastal Maine is a vacation area for many, so it’s not unusual for John to work without the client present. Having a fair number of out-of-state clients means he’s had to hone his communication skills over the years – a trait common to most Timberpeg® Independent Representatives. “Timberpeg® delivers a very high quality product, but there can still be a range of outcomes in the building process,” he says. “It’s crucial to keep in touch.” The Timberpeg® timber frame homes that AB & JR build are famous for their fine details. It’s a special touch John is able to provide thanks to the wealth of local artisans and craftsmen available to the firm. “We have two full-time guys in our shop, but there are also a lot of boatbuilders who look for work during the off-season or downtime. Their skills are something special we can offer, and it really shows in the details.” When not in the office or on site, John stays busy. “I love to ski and bike, and this is a great place to do both.” Spring, summer, and fall, John pedals out of the shop into Acadia National Park for a lunch-hour ride. Skiing is a passion he shares with his wife, and every weekend of snow finds them on the slopes. Another passion is food. “I love to eat good food, and cook good food. Our Maine ingredients are great – fresh clams, fish. I’ve been working on my chowder for years, and it keeps getting better.” John’s two children are busy pursuing their own careers, but he hopes one of them will join the family business someday and continue the tradition of quality for which he and Timberpeg® are so well known. |
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