Weaverville
Karpen Steel adds VP,
Deja Vu
Women's & Childrens
Consignment Boutique
828-645-7221
adapts to climate
Open 10 - 5 Mon - Fri, 10 - 4 Sat
Forks of Ivy Plaza 901-6 Old Mars Hill Hwy.
GRAB SIGNS
SIGNAGE GRAPHICS
•Vinyl •Metal •Designs •Boats
•Wood •Magnetics •Trailers •Cars
•Truck
Full Service Sign Shop SPECIAL
ANYTIME - ANYPLACE
Magnetic Sign
645-GRAB
2 For $69.00
The Best Prices Around
175 Weaverville Hwy. Asheville, NC 28804
Rachel Smith and Eric Henken will now work together to head up Karpen Steel.
Weaverville-based Karpen Steel Long Island. gives me a peer to work with.”
Custom Doors & Frames has add- “When it appeared this wasn’t Smith’s father, Morris I. Karpen,
ed a second owner to its ranks. going to be an option, I decided started the North Carolina opera-
Last month, Rachel Smith, who to look internally to existing em- tion in 1977, having grown bored
has been sole owner of her fam- ployees. With Eric’s long history, with retirement after leaving the
ily’s business since 2005, sold half not only in the industry but with Long Island factory in the hands
of the company to her operations Karpen Steel products, it all start- of one of his sons. When Smith
manager, Eric Henken, who now ed to come together, particularly started at the new Karpen Steel in
serves as vice president of Karpen when he expressed an interest in 1986, the company employed 18
Steel. becoming a part-owner.” employees at 17,500-square-foot
“I would have liked to have had Henken joined the Karpen Steel plant in Woodfin. The following
a family member move into the customer service team in August year, Karpen Steel moved to a
company,” said Smith, whose fa- 2003, eventually moving into the 45,000-square-foot facility on Re-
ther and grandfather started out engineering department before be- ems Creek Road in Weaverville,
installing elevator doors in New ing promoted to operations man- and Smith bought into ownership
York before her father opened the ager three years ago. Since that with her brother, Joseph, who sold
original Karpen Steel Products on time, he and Smith have shared his share to her in 2005. Today,
operating duties, with Smith in the company has grown to 32 em-
charge of financial management, ployees while expanding its prod-
Community
sales and marketing, and Henken uct offerings, which include steel
overseeing production manage- doors and frames sold to distribu-
ment and the engineering team. tors for a variety of commercial
Family Hair
With the co-ownership, these uses.
responsibilities remain intact, Henken said that Karpen Steel’s
while together Smith and Henken continued success depends on the
683-3879
make decisions regarding equip- company remaining true to its
ment, software and new products. roots.
Daily by appointment
“As a sole owner for the past “We have a strong commitment
four years, I’ve had more of a bur- to our industry and customer base,
Drive no further!
den trying to make certain deci- and our future growth will focus
sions on my own,” she said. “This on both,” said Henken. “New
products will be ones that can be
Full service used and distributed through our
core family of customers. Growth
salon in your
Local Hauling
will have to be sustainable for the
neighborhood.
North Buncombe long haul without affecting our
Madison area
ability to serve our customers in
the fashion that has made Karpen
Stylists:
Stone • Dirt • Mulch Steel’s what it is.”
Sherry Huffman • Margaret Meadows
Teresa Roberts
230-9891
For more information about
Karpen Steel, go to karpensteel.
55 Browntown Road com.
off Newfound rd. behind Country
Easy access only please!
Food Stores. Follow signs
This special to the Tribune.
www.weavervilletribune.com
September 10 - September 16, - THE TRIBUNE 11
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