PETE SAVICKAS was born in Grand Rapids, Mich. He graduated from a Catholic high school and decided not to go to college but attended a 44 week mechanic’s course.  Although he had planned to work in a furniture store he got placed as a mechanic.  He move to Florida in 1978 and lived in Orlando.  At age 12 he was firing off a homemade rocket and it misfired and a wire went into his retina ending any thought of going into the military.   After 40 years as an auto mechanic his career ended when his wife Diane complained to Holler Chevrolet that her car hadn’t been repaired properly.  When they didn’t do anything about her complaint she wrote a letter to Holler.  He was called on the carpet and when he said he didn’t know about the letter nor could he do anything about it he was later fired after 23  years with Holler.  Fortunately, at that time he had did some turnings for Ross Nickelson (another Guild member), told him he was unemployed and if Ross needed any additional turnings he could do them.  l Sat this same time Ross told him he was thinking of starting his own business and thus their partnership began.  Most of their work is done on site but when necessary they will do it in their individual shops.

Pete has 2 boys from a previous marriage while Diane had a boy and girl. Pete had 6 grandchildren. The story on how Pete and Diane met revolves around Pete’s liking to carve.  He went to the bar in the Mt Vernon Inn on hwy 17-92 in Winter Park quite often.  The owner’s son wanted a carving of a fox to hang up in the bar which Pete did.  After several years he decided that he attended the bar too often and cut it down to weekends.  About that same time Diane started working there, saw the fox carving and mentioned she wanted to meet the carver.  Well, they met the following weekend and they are now married 10 years.  His other activities include bicycling on weekends with friends, browsing through the library, and taking Caribbean cruises.   He realizes that one of his greatest joys is the praise he gets from the projects he makes and seeing the joyful expressions on other peoples’ faces when they see his projects. His best advice to wood workers is to work safe, be patient, try for accuracy but don’t get discouraged (walk away and do something else and then come back).  The best part of woodworking to him is the actual hands on experience whether it be with a power for hand tool.  He loves to carve and use the lathe. He plans on making more furniture.