Staff
Tom Holmes - Owner
A career as a timber framer was not what Tom's parents had in mind when they dropped him off at a small Vermont college in 1969. To Tom, the lure of the back roads of the Green Mountain State, which wind their way to some of the world's finest ski areas, proved far more alluring than sitting in a classroom. After a couple of years in Vermont, it was off to the powder skiing of Colorado, where wielding a hammer proved to be a satisfying means to support his ski habit.
Tom found timber framing in the early 1980's when a book by Tedd Benson nearly leaped off the shelf of a Madison, Wisconsin bookstore. The ancient craft of timber framing, which Tom saw as the perfect fit for using his head, heart and hands to create breathtaking structures with uncompromising strength, had recently been rediscovered in America, and Tom led the way in Wisconsin. The energy efficiency of using stress skin panels to enclose the frames appealed to Tom's environmental concerns, and he pushed for this method of frame enclosure twenty years before it was accepted as a building standard.
Throughout the years, Tom has worn many hats at G.T. and has designed homes, pounded out joinery, bid projects, lectured on the subject of timber framing and learned a great deal about the pros and cons of owning a small business. When not at the shop, Tom finds relief behind the wheel of his old Ford tractor. An avid organic gardener, Tom grows vegetables for family and friends almost year round. He has found in his adopted Baraboo Bluffs the same kind of allure that he once found in the Green Mountains and the Rockies. And these days, he gets to share his love of downhill skiing with his three beautiful grandchildren.
A career as a timber framer was not what Tom's parents had in mind when they dropped him off at a small Vermont college in 1969. To Tom, the lure of the back roads of the Green Mountain State, which wind their way to some of the world's finest ski areas, proved far more alluring than sitting in a classroom. After a couple of years in Vermont, it was off to the powder skiing of Colorado, where wielding a hammer proved to be a satisfying means to support his ski habit.
Tom found timber framing in the early 1980's when a book by Tedd Benson nearly leaped off the shelf of a Madison, Wisconsin bookstore. The ancient craft of timber framing, which Tom saw as the perfect fit for using his head, heart and hands to create breathtaking structures with uncompromising strength, had recently been rediscovered in America, and Tom led the way in Wisconsin. The energy efficiency of using stress skin panels to enclose the frames appealed to Tom's environmental concerns, and he pushed for this method of frame enclosure twenty years before it was accepted as a building standard.
Throughout the years, Tom has worn many hats at G.T. and has designed homes, pounded out joinery, bid projects, lectured on the subject of timber framing and learned a great deal about the pros and cons of owning a small business. When not at the shop, Tom finds relief behind the wheel of his old Ford tractor. An avid organic gardener, Tom grows vegetables for family and friends almost year round. He has found in his adopted Baraboo Bluffs the same kind of allure that he once found in the Green Mountains and the Rockies. And these days, he gets to share his love of downhill skiing with his three beautiful grandchildren.
Sue Holmes - Owner
"It takes two to tango and being married and succeeding in business together is all in the art of the dance, " according to co-owner Susan Holmes. Sue met Tom in 1984 when the company was in its infancy, and she helped the fledgling company find its wings. A native of Baraboo, Sue worked as a Judicial Assistant to three Sauk County Judges before joining Glenville Timberwrights and credits those years of working as liaison between the public and the judicial system with her ability to communicate with anyone about anything.
In 2004, Sue and Tom built their timber frame dream home and use it as their model home. As such, Sue keeps the home fires burning and makes their home "show-ready" for prospective clients. Sue likes to think of her role as "the governor on the engine" for G.T. In addition to her duties at Glenville Timberwrights, Sue also manages the R and R Station, a company that provides massage therapy wellness packages to corporations in the area.
A political animal at heart, when she is not writing letters to the editor or organizing marches, debates, festivals or raising funds for causes, Sue enjoys spending time with the grandchildren, as well as reading, writing and attending plays.
"It takes two to tango and being married and succeeding in business together is all in the art of the dance, " according to co-owner Susan Holmes. Sue met Tom in 1984 when the company was in its infancy, and she helped the fledgling company find its wings. A native of Baraboo, Sue worked as a Judicial Assistant to three Sauk County Judges before joining Glenville Timberwrights and credits those years of working as liaison between the public and the judicial system with her ability to communicate with anyone about anything.
In 2004, Sue and Tom built their timber frame dream home and use it as their model home. As such, Sue keeps the home fires burning and makes their home "show-ready" for prospective clients. Sue likes to think of her role as "the governor on the engine" for G.T. In addition to her duties at Glenville Timberwrights, Sue also manages the R and R Station, a company that provides massage therapy wellness packages to corporations in the area.
A political animal at heart, when she is not writing letters to the editor or organizing marches, debates, festivals or raising funds for causes, Sue enjoys spending time with the grandchildren, as well as reading, writing and attending plays.
Garrett Marklowitz - Designer
In the Spring of 2018, a young and eager graduate from Madison College's Architectural Technology program, came to our business searching for a drafting position. In the middle of some changes, Garrett fit right in and began drawing his first day on the job. In his mind, this was more than just a job; it was a chance for him to expand his horizons and learn something new each and every day.
Every day is a new and exciting learning experience for him, as he acclimates himself to the ever changing construction industry. A natural born learner, Garrett picked up the art of Timber Framing rather quickly and before we knew it, was implementing his own mark on the upcoming projects we had. Not only is he a great learner and team player, he is also a highly versatile employee who handles many tasks on a day by day basis. Day after day, Garrett comes in with a smile on his face prepared to tackle the trials and tribulations of being an Architectural Designer.
Four years ago he was at a cross roads in his early collegiate life. Formerly wanting to be a journalist, in his second year of college he had a change of heart and was not finding satisfaction within the classes he was taking. Searching for an answer; he enrolled in an exploratory course named "Intro to Architecture" and so it began his interest within the architecture realm. "The thing I love most about designing is getting to see the process of an idea or thought come to life. It doesn't just happen magically. It takes a lot of time and effort to have a project successfully pass through the stages of design and then construction. There is a lot of collaboration between myself and the clients in order to create the project of their dreams."
In the Spring of 2018, a young and eager graduate from Madison College's Architectural Technology program, came to our business searching for a drafting position. In the middle of some changes, Garrett fit right in and began drawing his first day on the job. In his mind, this was more than just a job; it was a chance for him to expand his horizons and learn something new each and every day.
Every day is a new and exciting learning experience for him, as he acclimates himself to the ever changing construction industry. A natural born learner, Garrett picked up the art of Timber Framing rather quickly and before we knew it, was implementing his own mark on the upcoming projects we had. Not only is he a great learner and team player, he is also a highly versatile employee who handles many tasks on a day by day basis. Day after day, Garrett comes in with a smile on his face prepared to tackle the trials and tribulations of being an Architectural Designer.
Four years ago he was at a cross roads in his early collegiate life. Formerly wanting to be a journalist, in his second year of college he had a change of heart and was not finding satisfaction within the classes he was taking. Searching for an answer; he enrolled in an exploratory course named "Intro to Architecture" and so it began his interest within the architecture realm. "The thing I love most about designing is getting to see the process of an idea or thought come to life. It doesn't just happen magically. It takes a lot of time and effort to have a project successfully pass through the stages of design and then construction. There is a lot of collaboration between myself and the clients in order to create the project of their dreams."