Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael and Hilary Verville. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Michael learned drywall and plaster repair from his grandfather and uncles from an early age. After nearly a decade as an independent contractor, he decided to go back to school and earn advanced degrees, a BA in History from NCCU and MA in Historic Preservation from UNC-Greensboro.
After several years working as the Program Coordinator for the Alliance of Historic Hillsborough, he desired to return to his roots of craftsmanship and became an apprentice to Master Preservation Trades Craftsman Dean Ruedrich. Michael worked under Dean’s tutelage for 2 years. They restored many historic buildings together, in addition to cemetery monument preservation. The requests for cemetery work increased, so that demanded more attention. Dean became very ill suddenly, and when it was clear that he would not recover, he made arrangements to leave his cemetery tools and equipment, contacts, and business records to Michael. Dean’s wife, Cynthia, honored his wishes, and Michael took over the business Dean had built. While continuing Dean’s legacy, Michael is currently in a Ph.D. program in History at NCSU.
Hilary established Verville Preservation with the generosity of several friends who believed in the plans and saw the value and hard work Michael and Hilary were willing to put into maintaining the craft of historic cemetery preservation. While Hilary works full-time for the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, she assists Michael on the weekends and maintains all the business requirements (accounts payable/receivable, payroll, taxes, etc.). Together, Michael and Hilary, with the help of some great friends and colleagues, have worked in cemeteries across the state of North Carolina, as well as leading workshops on basic cemetery monument maintenance.
Later this year, Michael and Hilary will lead the inaugural Dean Ruedrich Traditional Trades Workshop at the Preservation North Carolina Annual Conference, entitled Introduction to Cemetery Monument Maintenance at Historic Geer Cemetery.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A few of things come to mind:
1) figuring out how to start a business was a challenge; we’ve learned a lot along the way about annual filing requirements, getting established as a vendor with multiple municipalities, making sure we have right insurance, etc.
2) this is physically demanding work outside in the elements, and not everyone is comfortable in that situation; some days, we aren’t either!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Verville Preservation?
We specialize in 18th and 19th-century historic cemetery monument restoration that is true to the craft of funerary arts and historic memory. We believe in restoring monuments to as close to their original design as possible. Thus we use historically appropriate materials and archival records in our work. It’s important to know that many monuments we repair are one-of-a-kind, and we develop a repair plan for each monument. Our approach considers intent, safety, and durability. We also firmly believe that regular maintenance is critical to making a cemetery a safe place to visit often. Thus we share our knowledge with clients and volunteers through consultations and workshops.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Putting yourself in situations and environments where people are doing what you want to do, being present and engaged, asking questions, and not being afraid to get it wrong – that’s how we learn! Also, showing appreciation when someone teaches you something or makes an impact, even for little things.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vervillepreservation.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VervilleInteriors
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verville-interiors-and-preservation
Image Credits
Verville Preservation
John Kelly
Caroline Binz
Michael Verville
Hilary Bouton-Verville
