Jack Leist Fine Woodworking
Jack L. Leist

Denton, MD 21629

phone: 410-479-9254
Jack@JLeistFineWoodworking.com

Allow me to introduce myself

My passion for woodworking was a gift from my father. As a child growing up I was fortunate enough to have been able to observe him and my grandfather, two true Old World craftsmen, at their work. My grandfather was a homebuilder and a boatbuilder. After having been a homebuilder myself for 30 years I can say with some expertise that there is no finer craftsman than my father. It was natural for me to have inherited their love and talent for the trade. I took my first woodworking course while in middle school and was hooked for life. In high school while others were playing football I was working in shop class. The idea of being able to create beautiful homes and furniture has been a lifelong passion.

While serving in the US Coast Guard in 1965 I designed and built a small rowboat and then graduated into building racing powerboats. After being discharged from the US Coast Guard I relocated my family back to our home state of Florida. I entered the Carpenter Apprenticeship program in Miami and began remodeling and building furniture for our first home in 1969.

I received my building contractor certification and started designing and building award winning high-end homes. Joining the Marion County Home Builders Association in 1978, I served on many committees including the construction science steering committee at the Central Florida Community College and various countywide taxing committees. I was elected President of the Home Builders Association in 1984 and was honored as the Builder of the year in 1985.

At the request of a client to manage the construction of a major project, we relocated to New Canaan, CT in 1987. For the next 12 years I designed and built projects in the southern New England and New York City area. The uniquely styled and individual designed high-end homes that I was building demanded detail woodworking. J. Leist Fine Woodworking was instituted. Getting a reputation for the outstanding kitchens, built-ins and millwork in my homes other designers started commissioning me for their work. In the process I began building custom furniture for some of the most exquisite homes in the area including projects for major rock stars, academy award winning movie directors and Emmy award winning television directors as well as famous talk show hosts.

Being a southerner, after 12 harsh New England winters we decided to move south and ended up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where we are today. The experience of having lived in other regions has given me a unique prospective on designs and styles. I enjoy sharing my expertise with others. Several times a year I hold weekend workshops where students have the opportunity to create a project and benefit from my years of knowledge and experience.

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