A Seacoast carpenter finds his way up the red carpet at
the HBRA Cornerstone Awards
When J.B. Byrne wrapped up his service as a linguist in the military, he told his parents he wanted to become a carpenter.
“They thought I was crazy,’’ he recalls. “I listened to them and went into medical sales.’’
After a few “miserable’’ years, he quit sales and followed his dream of working with his hands. And, J.B. says, “I haven’t looked back. When you do what you love, it works out.’’
J.B.’s passion was rewarded when his four-year-old company, Celtic Builders of Dover, New Hampshire, won three 2006 Cornerstone Awards. The company was recognized with bronze medals for most unusual project, handcrafted finish work, and a specialty room.
It was the first year Celtic Builders entered the competition, which is sponsored annually by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of New Hampshire to recognize excellence in the building industry.
One-hundred-seventy-nine projects were submitted for the 2006 awards. Judges from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Northern Vermont chose ninety-eight winners in fifty-one categories.
Other Seacoast winners included Dovetailed Kitchens of Portsmouth, and Manchester, New Hampshire, receiving four gold, four silver, and two bronze awards for residential and commercial projects.
“People put a lot of effort into homes they build, and it gives them a chance to feel appreciated,’’ he adds.
J.B. says the night of the Cornerstone Awards was like no other. “I am a carpenter,’’ he explains. “It’s what I love to do and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You go about your day and it’s rewarding seeing what you have built. But, it’s not like you are a famous rock star or baseball player on stage and the crowd is cheering for you. This is a night that gives you that. They call your name, you walk the red carpet, and get up on stage.’’
When he accepted his awards, a picture of a staircase medallion he had created was projected on a screen. “Three hundred people all went “Ahhhh,’ ‘’ says J.B. “You don’t get that at work.’’
The 2007 Cornerstone Awards will be presented June 14 at the Wayfarer Concention Center in Bedford, New Hampshire.
By Wendy Killeen
Accent May/June 2007
