Restoration West - Phil Polter began his career in historic preservation after attending a window restoration workshop that followed NKY Restoration Weekend in 2017. One of the leaders of the workshop, Jim Turner (Turner Restoration - Detroit, MI), inspired Phil to pursue window restoration as a profession. While with Centennial Preservation Group (Columbus, OH), Phil further honed his skills on local and national landmarks at Union Terminal and the Russell Senate Building. He founded Restoration West in 2021, which specializes in wood and steel window restoration for the Greater Cincinnati area. Phil also focuses on education as the instructor for wood and steel window restoration courses at Covington Academy of Heritage Trades.

www.restorationwestcincy.com

(513) 570-5313

info@restorationwestcincy.com

McEwan Fine Carpentry - With over fifteen years of experience in home remodeling, fine carpentry, and historic restoration, John Paul McEwan is your go-to historic property expert in Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 2015, John and Liz McEwan founded Cincyhouse Historic & Custom Remodeling as a part-time side business. Then, in 2021, after 13 years of building with a nonprofit affordable housing ministry, John McEwan “retired” to launch McEwan Fine Carpentry as a new, full-time family endeavor.

www.mcewanfinecarpentry.com info@mcewanfinecarpentry.com

513-633-4840

Beth Johnson

Cincinnati Preservation Association - Beth Johnson has been the Executive Director of Cincinnati Preservation Association for 3 years and came to CPA from her position as the urban conservator for the City of Cincinnati, a position she held for more than six years. She has also worked in preservation and planning for the City of Covington, KY as well the cities of San Antonio and Austin, TX. She is a graduate of Ball State University where she received a degree in urban planning and history with a minor in historic preservation. She received her master’s degree in historic preservation planning from Cornell.

When Navy retirees Jim and Bev McPhail relocated from Connecticut to Bellevue, KY, in 2017, they bought an old house in the Fairfield Avenue Historic District and set about researching its history. They also helped friends with research. As they did, they learned to overcome many of the obstacles that often hinder such research.

The McPhails served on the History Committee of the Bellevue Sesquicentennial Commission. They’ve held seminars on researching the history of homes and their occupants, including field trips to the courthouse with the attendees. In 2019, they were named "Preservation Heroes" as part of the River Cities Excellence in Preservation Awards.

historicbellevueky@icloud.com

Hempleman Contracting - Eric has worked around tradesmen his whole life with an interest in construction and working with his hands. For three years after high school, he worked for a larger roofing company before attending the University of Cincinnati. At UC, he began studies in the engineering program but found himself quickly returning to the field. He transferred his major to secondary social studies to teach history. He combined his two passions by continuing work in the field of historic preservation while having the opportunity to share skill sets and knowledge with homeowners and fellow tradesmen alike. He looks forward to furthering his skills and education abroad to bring back home to Cincinnati. (859) 308-7184, eric@yahoo.com

Comey & Shepherd - Rebecca is a full time Realtor® licensed in both Ohio and Kentucky with a passion for historic architecture and urban living. Rebecca joined Comey & Shepherd’s City Office in OTR in 2021 and ranked 3rd in sales for the company in 2022 and 4th in 2023. She has just celebrated her 23rd anniversary of being a licensed Realtor.

Throughout Rebecca's career she has worked on multiple new construction and adaptive reuse projects in addition to her day-to-day business. Counseling buyers through selections, as well as, having a basic understanding of construction is a skill she delivers to her clients. As the Chair of the Board of Architecture and Development in Covington, KY, she can guide clients in their renovation/restoration projects to meet historic preservation guidelines and zoning requirements.

Rebecca works through all price mediums understanding the nature of distressed sales and how to get them into the right hands as well as serving a high-end price point. Rebecca remains current with local and regional sales data to counsel her clients through the ever-changing Real Estate market.

Cason State Farm Office - Mike and Cindy are both licensed investment advisors with a holistic approach to insurance and financial services. We provide financial services from home/auto/life insurance to 401K rollovers. We also specialize in unique life insurance offerings that take into consideration your overall financial plan.

Embers Fireplace & Chimney - David Lamb, a 20+ year veteran of the Fireplace/Chimney and Masonry Restoration industry, has been a presenter and resource to NKY Restoration since our inaugural year. During his career, he worked his way up from Field Technician to Lead Technician & Mason to Operations Manager. As his experience grew so did David’s desire to own and operate his own company. In 2017 David began Embers Fireplace & Chimney. This local company offers Level 1 & 2 Chimney inspections, Chimney Repair, Chimney Relining, Masonry Repairs/Restoration. Find them on the web www.emberschimney.com, email info@emberschimney.com or call (513) 832-2388

Schottelkotte Design Build Inc. - Will works as a general contractor and carpenter in the Tri-State area, with a specialization in residential remodeling and historic restoration. He has honed his craft for almost thirty years in New Orleans, LA, Galveston, TX, the Mountain West, and here in the TriState. He lives in Westwood with his wife LJ, their labradoodle, Alfie, and cat Olive.

Peter J Grady specializes in plaster, stone, and masonry repair services in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Pete provides a range of services including plaster repair, structural testing, measurement services, and historic restoration. Pete is recognized for his commitment to quality through various certifications, including Certified Federal Government Contractor, Member ASTM International, EPA Certified Lead RRP Contractor, AngiesList Super Service Award Multiple Years & Categories, and Member Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings/SPAB. With a focus on traditional techniques and modern assessments, Pete is passionate about craftsmanship and has a keen eye for detail.

www.peterjgrady.com

peter@peterjgrady.com

(513) 262-2069

Newport Historic Preservation Officer Jennifer Williams has been a lover of historic sites and museums since her childhood, and she considers herself terrifically lucky to get to work in historic preservation today. A Northern Kentucky native, Jennifer is working on her Master’s in Public History as well as her Master’s in Public Administration. She has worked with museums and historic sites for 12 years and served on a historic preservation commission herself from 2019-2022.

jwilliams@newportky.gov

Growing up in the heart of the Bluegrass, Kaitlin has always had an interest in old buildings. Her interest in architecture and local history ultimately led to her career in historic preservation. Kaitlin received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Kentucky and a Certificate of Preservation Studies from Tulane University. Prior to her tenure with the City of Covington, she worked at Habitat for Humanity as the home repair program coordinator. 

thecovky.gov

kaitlin.bryan@covingtonky.gov

(859) 292-2171