We’re excited to announce that Tim O’Donnell is the new Director at The RE Store! He’s been with us for almost 13 years and we can’t think of a better fit for this role. Let’s learn more about what he’s looking forward to in this position.
What’s your history with The RE Store?
I’ve done nearly every job at The RE Store. I started as retail store staff, became the Receiving Coordinator, and moved into the role of General Manager. I also contributed as an honorary salvage crew member, Instagrammer, fill-in Director, and builder in the Revision Division shop. My favorite role so far, and previous position, was my time as the Program Development Manager. I developed and launched the Manufacturing Waste Diversion program which has strengthened community partnerships and brought unique material to the RE Store from local manufacturers. I also developed and implemented our Design Build Training Program which offers valuable hands-on training to individuals and focuses on building value-added furnishings from recycled building materials.
What are you most excited about for your new role as Director?
As I step into this new role, I’m most excited about the current team we have at The RE Store. It is a very skilled and dedicated group of individuals that contribute so much to our mission and really look out for one another on a daily basis. Our team as a whole physically diverts over 3 million pounds of building materials from the landfill each year! I’m looking forward to reinvesting all that we can into this crew so that we can in turn continue to serve a crucial role in our community as an institution of reuse for Whatcom County and beyond.
What’s your first order of business in your new position?
In the coming months, I plan to focus on promoting and expanding our Community Jobs Training Program throughout the store. We have a number of different ways for individuals to participate and acquire on-the-job training here at The RE Store, including the new Design Build Training Program. Over the last year we had great success with trainees building, marketing, and selling home furnishings in our Revision Division gallery. These individuals often enter the program with no building experience at all and it’s so rewarding and empowering to see them grow their skills over the course of their time with us.
Any fun RE Store facts you’d like to shed light on?
For a few years, you may have heard my voice on the radio talking up The RE Store. Aside from my short-lived radio career, there was that one time I filled in to help the field crew with a kitchen cabinet salvage. It ended up being a “kitten” cabinet salvage. We rescued the cabinets along with two cute tabby kittens that became the store cats we all know as Wayne and Saul.