Since the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (see our show preview here) is underway this week in Washington, DC, we thought this an appropriate time to make Clint Childress the subject of a Why Draper post. As a LEED®AP and Draper’s Solar Control Solutions Specialist, Clint plays a vital role in our daylight management and solar control education and sales efforts.
How did you come to be working at Draper?
I applied to Draper while attending Wabash College. I had heard about the company through my family. They knew little about the company other than it was nearby. I went through interviews and accepted a position before my graduation. I walked across the stage on Sunday and walked into Draper on Monday. The shade department had four sales employees and I became the fifth member. Today, there are 17 people handling solar control and shades.
What do you like best about your job?
I enjoy the unique projects. The marquee projects with complexity and design. When a Draper window treatment is a unique and major aspect of the project, this is always enjoyable to see. Pushing the boundaries of systems is one of the best parts of the job. I have traveled to many job sites and multiple continents to understand products and components at a deeper level. This helps me bring experience and knowledge to the next project with a solar control problem in search of a solution.
What are some of your funniest moments at Draper?
Some of my funniest moments (or at least I can laugh about them now) came in my early travels with Draper. I was learning to travel on the road and I did have the help of a smartphone with Google Maps. I would find myself driving around at night trying to read road signs and having no clue where I was. I remember one trip to Portland where I drove a circle around my hotel three times before I finally figured out how to get there. Travel has become easier over years—or maybe my sense of direction has improved.
What do you like to do in your time away from Draper?
I enjoy sports, movies, cooking, and outdoor water sports-boating, skiing, kayaking, etc. In the summer, I enjoy going to baseball games and taking in the sights around the stadium. In June, black raspberries grow wild in Indiana, so I will try to find as many as I can. Black raspberry cobbler is amazing. A good fall Saturday at my house will involve smoking a pork shoulder while watching college football. When winter comes, I catch-up on movies—from Judd Apatow comedies to old school John Wayne westerns.
Tell us about your family:
My wife and I recently celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary and the birth of our daughter. We have three children—two boys and our baby girl. Most of our free time is now spent taking care of them. I have family living in the Orlando, Santa Barbara, and Dallas areas as well.
