Staff

Classical Tents and Party Goods is committed to hiring and retaining staff members who care about the work they do, and are dedicated to providing excellent service. On-going training assists an already experienced staff to stay current on new products and services; training opportunities are provided to our staff through:

• Trips to the national American Rental Association trade shows
• Fall training at the Mid-Atlantic Tent Renters Association show
• Fred Pryor seminars
• Local business seminars
• Continual in-house training with management and owners, in the field and at weekly staff meetings
• Training with other rental companies

Our staff cares about the quality of the work they do! Service is more than just a word to them. Our employees want to represent Classical Tents in a professional manner when in the field and on your property by wearing uniforms with our name on them! In house, our Linen/Dish room manager is always on the lookout for new and better ways to store, wrap, and care for our products, so that they look their best for your party! She and her staff hand polish and burnish our silverware throughout the year. All outgoing china jobs are double checked for packing accuracy and cleanliness. In 2008 we instituted a new and very thorough tent washing system which has greatly improved the cleanliness of our tents, and we continue to add to our warehouse staff. Providing you with modern, clean and stylish equipment is very important to Classical Tents!

	Ben Naylor - Co-owner Ben hasn't met a site yet that he can't successfully put a tent on! With a degree in Engineering and much practical experience gained growing up on a farm in Vermont, Ben is a technical guru of tents. He assisted one of the largest tent companies in the United States in designing a new line of tents. Ben has installed tents, staging, flooring, and more in Arizona for AT&T, Bryant Park (NYC) for Fashion Week and Lindt Chocolate, yacht clubs in Michigan, and for many wonderful weddings and family events in the Berkshires. Ben lives with his family - daughters Sophia, 14, and Aleana, 17, in Lee, Massachusetts. When weather and work allow, you can find Ben on a mountain bike on the gnarliest trails, or whizzing down the slopes of a local ski area with friends and family.
	Katherine - Kat- Lockridge - Co-owner Katherine ( Kat) obtained a degree in Natural Resource Management, with a minor in business, and put both degrees to good use, working as a Ranger in Yellowstone National Park, where she met Ben, her husband of 19 years. Her career in Yellowstone N.P. started in 1988, the year of the huge fires, and the reaction of the tourists to (burned) Yellowstone in the following years taught Kat much about customer service. Offering friendly, consistent service that is always customer oriented has been a continuing goal for Kat during her time as Co-owner of Classical Tents. With a busy family to care for when not at work, including two daughters, three pets, and a husband - life does not offer much time for fine dining and fine linens at home. But when it comes to Classical Tents, Kat is the Queen of Linens! Kat loves fabric and each year works to offer an ever expanding line of fine linens to her customers. Organza, Bengaline, Real Linen, Satins, Twill. if you are looking for a special linen, chances are that Kat can provide it to you!
	Trevor Hotchkin - Operation Manager In 2000 Trevor began his career at Classical Tents packing trucks at night. Due to his excellent work ethic, friendly nature, and intelligence, Trevor was quickly promoted to the position of Crew Chief. Ten years later Trevor is now the Operations Manager at Classical Tents. On site, when meeting Trevor, you will find him to be incredibly calm under pressure. His depth of knowledge comes from many years of experience, attendance at trade shows, working with tent manufacturers in designing custom tents for event sites, and hosting his own events with his event initiative company, Berkshire Shenanigans. Trevor lives in Pittsfield with his wife, Michele. In his free time, Trevor enjoys dipping his kayak into local waters, or taking a road trip to New Hampshire to visit his parents. Trevor enjoys meeting people and spending time with friends.
	Michele Hotchkin - Rental Coordinator A lifelong resident of Berkshire County, Michele has been a part of the Classical Tents team since 2001. Prior to starting with our company Michele honed her skills in the customer service industry. Her friendly manner and exceptional organizational skills are just a few of the things that make her a great asset to our office. A natural social planner, she enjoys helping clients select items that will transform their event into something to remember. In addition to working at Classical Tents, Michele is one of the founders of Berkshire Shenanigans, an event initiative company, where she has helped plan and execute events for as many as 400 people including cocktail parties, dance parties and corporate fundraisers. Photography, traveling and scrap booking are just a few of the activities she enjoys in her personal time. Michele resides in Pittsfield with her husband
	Justin Mairo - Crew Chief (year-round) Brawny might best describe Justin, until you get to know him. Then you will find out that he is more than a strong young man who grew up on a farm in Otis, Massachusetts. Justin is also smart, fun loving, and likes nothing more than to be outside. After being in the Marines for 2 years, stationed at various locations, Justin returned home and is now raising twin sons in Otis. On days off from work Justin can be found outside, hunting, fishing, or working on the farm. Justin specializes in welding and is very knowledgeable in the use of bobcats, front loaders, and tractors.