About us

Alan is Partner and our Leader and Supporter, as well as Sales Director. He renovated his first house, a 1920 Craftsman, in 1986 and put himself through graduate school working as a jack-of-all-trades handyman. In 1991 he built his home on Lopez with his wife, Patt, where they raised their two daughters, Ren and Kai, and now live with one energetic (though, endearing) Doodle named Zabu. Before forming Swal’lech, Alan worked on a number of new homes in the San Juan’s, including two for Ravenhill Construction. He also worked for the Bellingham construction firm, Wellman and Zuck, supervising the construction of the Lopez Children’s Center in Lopez Village. He loves being a part of our Lopez community. He enjoys planting his trees and is an aspiring chef in his down time.

Patt is Partner and our General Manager. She has more than 20 years experience as a project manager, having worked for major non-profit arts organizations in San Diego and Seattle before moving to Lopez. Patt is responsible for keeping projects on budget, tracking change orders, and providing detailed reports for our clients. She handles the billing, payroll, and taxes for the company. She also ensures that our subcontractor’s licenses, insurance, and employment taxes are current and in good standing. She works closely with lenders when they are involved in one of our projects. Patt is dedicated to her work, family, and making all our lives better. Her hobbies include gardening, pottery, and preserving family history.

Rob is our Project Manager. With more than 15 years’ experience in construction, Rob is a skilled journeyman carpenter and manager. He interfaces regularly with our employees, subcontractors, suppliers, and clients to keep everything organized and moving forward. Rob has lived on Lopez for 12 years. He has many other talents like leather working and gardening. Rob is also an avid seafarer and enjoys sailing the waters of the Salish Sea with his family.

Forrest, also a journeyman carpenter with over 15 years experience, is our Lead Carpenter. Forrest is a talented carpenter who enjoys it all—from pouring concrete to finish work. Prior to working for Swal’lech, Forrest worked in Eastern Washington doing construction for the State Parks Service. Forrest is also a rock hound who loves to dig for crystals. He’s new to the island and excited to learn ocean fishing. Forrest can be found enjoying nature with his wife Jenni and their adorable 3-year-old son Triton.

The newest member of our team, Elvir, hails from Bosnia and has lived here on Lopez for 3 years. Elvir has been working in the trades since he was 16 years old and holds a degree in filmmaking from the University of Sarajevo. He stays busy when off work enjoying many island activities with friends.

Jenni is our Office Manager and helps keep the office running smoothly. With a knack for organization and helping others, she aids in our efficiency. As well as office work, Jenni has experience in the healing arts as a massage therapist and an acupuncturist with a masters degree from Bastyr University. She has been visiting the island with family since childhood. Jenni enjoys painting, reading, gardening, and cooking. You might see her at the library and around town with her adorable son Triton leading the way.

Patt and Alan’s daughter, Ren, works in the office part-time when she isn’t working at her other jobs at Barnowl Bakery (Yum!), and dog sitting. She is our all-around Administrative Assistant and Social Media Manager. Ren also supports the crew picking up and delivering supplies as needed. She is a talented artist and writer. Ren enjoys anime and video games in her down time. 

Triton, the adorable son, can be found in the office “helping” his mom and keeping us all in line.