As I sit at my desk on the day before Thanksgiving, knowing we have completed all of our current projects and also knowing the outlook for future projects is grim, I cannot help being thankful.

I am thankful for my wife and children.  Karen has been very supportive this past year when business was slow and she has saved me on more than one occasion.  And of course my children keep me going.

I am thankful for my friends.  I am thankful for my business partner, Jonathan Vickery and his wife Tricia, who has put up with me for all of these years. :)

I am thankful for Eric Bischoff who has worked with us from the beginning and has been a valued member of the team.  Barret Griffy, my oldest son, has been with us for over a year now part time while he attends Chattanooga State and has been a great help.

But I cannot let this Thanksgiving go by without thanking our customers who have kept the doors open this year. Many of you answered the call when I sent out the message we needed work.  It was more than coincidence that each week as we ran out of work, another one of you would call and need a small project done.  I hope you don’t mind if I mention your names. (In no particular order)

Charles and Lina Hart, Mr. & Mrs. David Garvey, Rana & Scott Hill, Jeffrey Cross, Debbie Baker, Chris and Anne Portera, Christine and Chris Bertani, Michelle and Raymond Bertani, Lana and Louis Rodela, Joe Whitaker, Jonathan Vickery Jr.,  Amber Thornton, Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Bingham, Jill Ralph, Bavarian Auto, Mandie and Mark Cunningham, and a few customers who I know made a concerted effort to help us when we needed work the most, Nancy and Marc Cromie, Ann Coulter and Tom Trevor, Nell and Luther Carpenter and Pam Harper.  Thank you all.

In 2010 I will be celebrating my 30^th year in the construction industry.  Even though 2009 has been the worst year that I can remember for this industry, I have hope that 2010 will be a better year.  I am trying to move our company forward by learning new technology and developing new services for our customers.  I am currently taking a photovoltaic (PV) class at Cleveland State Community College.  This training will help me obtain a national level certification to install solar power systems.  I hope by expanding our services we will be better equipped to meet the changing needs of our customers.

Once again I want to thank you and wish you a very happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Tony Griffy, President
Artisan Construction, LLC