Meet The AWA Leadership Team
The Alaska Woodturners Association is lead by a team of dedicated individuals who work hard in the background to help things run smoothly, plan classes and events, strategize to help the organization grow, and much more.
David Tyler
President
After serving 6 1/2 years in the Navy I came to Alaska to attend UAF. While in the Navy I had a great deal of fire training. Once I got to Alaska I became a volunteer firefighter and loved it. Since then I served the public as a firefighter, fire officer and Fire Chief, and the Emergency Operations Director for the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Finally I was appointed to the position of State Fire Marshal. I held that position twice.
Now that I am finally retired I can concentrate my free time on wood working. I have enjoyed wood working ever since I made my first gravity go-cart. (Couldn’t afford an engine) I took every shop class that I could to further my wood working skills. Now I am fortunate enough to have a really nice shop with some great tools, including my lathe.
Connie, my wife of 36 years, and I raised 3 pretty cool kids. Those kids gave us 6 pretty amazing grand kids.
Veronica Varela
Vice President
Veronica has always been captured by anything displaying natural wood grain! She has dabbled in basic woodworking throughout her life but is very new to woodturning. After inheriting her grandfather‘s woodshop, she got the bug for woodturning. She joined AWA in September 2022, graduated from the AWA Basic Turning Class in February 2023, participated in the 2023 AWA Symposium, has attended almost every AWA meeting since joining, and can’t wait to start turning on her grandfather’s lathe. Veronica moved to Alaska from New Hampshire in 2010 to work as a wildlife biologist and has no plans to leave the Great Land anytime soon. Her non-wood hobbies include playing recreational soccer, birdwatching, geocaching, and nature photography.
Brian Seitz
Secretary
AKWoodturners.org
John Lane
Treasurer
My family and close friends know me as “Dapaw”. That is what my grandkids started calling me (instead of grandpa) and it has stuck with me 15+ years later. So, now days I sign my work “by Dapaw”.
My early interest was more into making wood furniture. At that time wooden furniture wasn’t as popular as it is today. So, to make a living I became an air traffic controller, where I retired after 30 plus years.
I didn’t get started into wood turning until after the government transferred my family and I to Anchorage in March of 1990. I remember watching a video on turning a bowl from a piece of firewood and I was hooked. I wanted to learn how to do that. So, I bought a small wood lathe and got started. I quickly realized I needed some help in order to improve my wood turning skills. I went to Provo, Utah for a weeklong class. There, I learned a lot of the correct techniques to safely turn a piece of wood into a piece of art. I’d like to think I am still improving on those techniques today.
I love to spend time in front of my lathe. Every piece of wood is different, and I’m always open to trying new ideas and new ways of doing things.
Jim Erickson
Director
From Minnesota to Alaska I have been involved in careers including industrial arts educator, home construction, aircraft renovation, safety management.
As a youth, go-carts and motorcycles occupied my time as well as sports.
Early adulthood my time was captured by enduro racing and teaching high school industrial arts: wood working, small gas engines etc. and being involved in my church community.
I’ve been married for 42 years, have 4 grown children that are married and blessed us with 8 grandchildren (so far).
Over and over, throughout my years, I have found my favorite room in the house is the garage !
In these past 2 years, turning has been an active time investment. I’ve profited from gleaning through classes and Alaska Wood Turners’ meetings, and YouTube videos.
I am so thankful for all those who have so willingly invested in us “new be’s” !
TBA
Director
AKWoodturners.org
Dave Seifert
Director
Dave Seifert has been turning wood for more than 20 years. He owned Glacier Valley Construction, building homes in Girdwood since 1981. After retiring, he traded in his Shopsmith for a Jet lathe. Upon seeing the demonstrations at the state fair, he joined AWA. He has attended nearly every class, symposium and master class offered. He enjoys assisting at the beginner classes.
Jeff Bool
Director
AKWoodturners.orgDave Boyd
Director
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