Building Tradition Episode 7: Celebrating 25 Leaders

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TRADITIONAL BUILDING'S Who's Who "25 Leaders Who Make a Difference" profiles our industry's mentors, collaborators, craftspeople, engineers, artisans and preservationists who give generously of their time and expertise. They have had well-earned success in their careers. We talked to three traditional building professionals who are on TB's 25 LEADERS list this year. 

Interviews with Taryn N. Williams, John Canning & Stephen Payne

As a project engineer for Simpson Gumpertz and Heger, Taryn Williams spends a lot of time "crawling around old buildings" to discover how to preserve them. "Engineering intersects with craft and the trades, all the time, on every building project," explains Williams. A frequent lecturer, educator and advocate for emerging professionals, Taryn Williams advises, "join a community of experts, find good mentors, expand your network of skilled preservation trades people." Listen as the current president of the Association of Preservation Technology shares her thoughts on everything from ground-penetrating radar, to drones, to the remediation of water damage on historic roofs.

"The eloquence of a tradesman is in his hands," exclaims decorative artisan and classicist John Canning, who has over sixty years' experience preserving historic fabric on historic buildings. He has demonstrated his time-honored techniques at schools and conferences around the world. Part painter, part paint -chemical scientist, Canning, founder of John Canning Company discusses his reverence for preserving historic churches and his belief in passing journeyman skills along to the "next generation" of craftspeople. From his experience restoring Grand Central Terminal in New York, to the Trinity Church in Boston, John Canning has shared his knowledge and experience with others, throughout his career. No wonder why John Canning has been named on this year's Traditional Building Who's Who list of 25 Industry Leaders.

"I took a course in "artistry" at Boston University and went to work for a hippie woodworker. That's what got me started as a woodworker." Stephen Payne, Payne Boucher Fine Builders, tells the story of his career evolution from preservation millworker to carpenter to custom home builder, working in the historic neighborhoods of Boston. As a restoration and renovation specialist who works on Greek Revival and Beaux Arts houses, Payne learned by "taking things apart and paying attention," to classical architecture and fine-craft details. Listen in as Payne, one of Traditional Building's Who's Who 25 Industry Leaders, talks about navigating historic district preservation regulations, training his carpenters and educating discerning clients.