MEET OUR TEAM
MICHAEL FINK
Michael fell in love with woodworking in high school, and brings 25 years of experience to NEF, starting with his studies at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine. “I love taking the beauty of mother nature and making it presentable for everyone to enjoy. After all these years of working with wood, I have the ability to see what a rough slab can turn into.” Originally from Northern California, Michael moved to Bend in 2020. When he’s not in the shop, enjoys fly-fishing and exploring the local trails on his mountain bike.
GABE DANSKY
Gabe has over 25 years of experience crafting live edge furniture, in addition to a long career in custom cabinetry work. Growing up surfing in Santa Cruz, CA, Gabe moved to Hawaii to chase waves and found work as a carpenter. He soon moved to San Diego where he had the opportunity to work alongside master craftsmen before starting his own shop in Sunriver, Oregon. After 18 years of building a reputation in Central Oregon for excellent craftsmanship and service, Gabe is now co-owner of Natural Edge Furniture and 541 Cabinets where he will lend his expertise to help clients find the best solutions for their home or business. Gabe is no longer chasing waves but traded in his surfboard for a dirtbike. He has been racing in the Amateur 50 plus series for the last four years.
TIM SIMANSKY
Tim left a career in the IT industry to join NEF a little over two years ago. He has been learning how to operate the different machinery that is involved in creating a beautiful custom table, and is currently becoming skilled at flattening the slabs to prepare them for production. “Every project is different and presents unique challenges, which provides opportunities to learn something new every day and problem solve. It’s a great crew to work and I feel really lucky to work with everyone.” In his spare time, Tim can be found down at the river with his three dogs, or racing on one of his four bikes.
NATE WATSON
Nate is a senior in high school and began working at NEF in July of 2021 “My dad was a woodworker, and I knew that at some point I was going to be working with wood, too. I started with cabinetry and have worked my way up to working on the furniture side, and it’s been a great opportunity to learn from everyone on the team.” Nate is heading to Portland to attend community college in the fall, and hasn’t decided what he is going to study, but knows that woodworking will always be a part of his life.
GRANT & PENNY
Grant Hanson is the owner of Natural Edge Furniture. He grew up on a farm, and loves tinkering, exploring, and occasionally climbing out on a limb. Grant can be seen helping out in all aspects of Natural Edge Furniture, and he especially loves slabbing and hauling salvaged trees. At the studio, he’ll be doing more of what he loves, spending time with clients, friends, and employees, who are all one in the same. Grant also owns a local remodeling company, Linnius Construction, named after his paternal grandfather. Grant enjoys the green aspect of the business, and does not like to see things wasted, especially something as beautiful as a tree. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife, Carri, and their three children.
Sustainability & Ongoing Opportunities.
We have made it our on-going responsibility to improve the energy efficiency of our operations, minimize our waste, purchase materials from suppliers whose manufacturing practices are green, and continue to build on our best practices of recycling and donations.