Asher Nichols has a passion for the craft of building. He earned a degree in Structural Engineering from Union College and spent several years in commercial construction after earning his degree, but the lure of the craft of carpentry brought him back to work in renovating historic residential structures. Asher’s interest in building started early. At 14 years old, he had his first summer job doing residential carpentry work. Throughout his teens, he continued to spend his summers in Southern Maine working on high-end summer homes along the coast. These early experiences would be the foundation on which he has built his career. After leaving the world of commercial construction Asher studied Preservation Carpentry at the North Bennet Street School. During that time he made the decision to found Asher Nichols & Craftsmen, LLC.
Asher credits Andrew Clemons of Greenstamp Co. as an early mentor. Clemons was instrumental in setting an example for how to run a professional business and the importance of networking. Asher has honed those skills through years of BNI participation and now in his involvement at NARI.
Through his connections with Steve Greenberg of Steveworks, Phil Cherkas of Cherkas Home Improvement, and Amy McFadden of Amy McFadden Interior Design, Asher learned about NARI. He attended our summer networking event at California Closets in August of 2017 and returned for our October meeting at F. D. Sterritt Lumber that October. After two meetings he was hooked. He finds value in both the educational programs NARI provides, as well as the camaraderie with fellow remodelers.
When asked about his goals for the next few years, Asher is quick to say that he hopes to build a sustainable business that can weather economic cycles and serve its employees. He’s also interested in exploring more of the NARI educational programs including certifications and accreditation. He plans to stay involved at NARI because he believes that our members need to raise the bar for the industry – and NARI is leading the charge. Most recently, Asher joined the Board of Directors at EM NARI.
Part of elevating the industry is exploring ways to encourage more young people to pursue a career in remodeling. Asher chairs the EM NARI Workforce Development Committee and is excited about the organization’s ability to create momentum in this area. Several committee members participated in a pilot program to assist carpentry students at Newton North High School as they develop interviewing skills. For several weeks students have been crafting resumes and practicing their interview skills in preparation for a 20 minutes interview with a business owner. The program was a tremendous success – meeting with praise from the students, school staff, and industry representatives. The hope is that it will be a stepping stone to grow the relationships between the school and the industry – and potentially be replicated elsewhere.