Meet the Tormentors

Steve - the man, the myth, the puzzle legend - founded Stave in 1974 and is the mastermind behind many of our most challenging puzzles. Having invented Trick™, Teaser™, and TroubleMaker™ puzzles, his victims dubbed him The Chief Tormentor for over 45 years, and their cries of frustration only fueled his fire to create even more complicated puzzles. When Steve was a child, his grandparents noticed his love for woodworking and puzzles, so they gifted him a small tabletop saw. Steve cut his finger so badly he needed stitches. His mother immediately threw his new saw away. I guess Steve is the definition of the famous phrase - what is meant to be will always find a way. He is now living his best life - playing lots of golf and enjoying time spent with his family. Don't worry; he always has a new puzzle design up his sleeve.

Kindred Spirit: Taz the Tasmanian Devil

Jennifer runs the company with Paula and is proud to keep Steve's legacy of puzzle torment alive. Jennifer has been with Stave since 1987, making her Stave's most seasoned crafter! She told Steve many, many years ago that she didn't want his job, but today she is rocking it! Jennifer is a tried-and-true puzzlenut. Jennifer enjoys crosswords, sudoku, and word puzzles in addition to the Stave puzzles she has crafted for her family. She also enjoys a good mystery book like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. Have you read them? Jennifer also loves a good concert; she hopes to see Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Adele, and Bruno Mars someday!

I’m good at: Procrastinating

Amanda’s love of traditional film photography is put to good use here at Stave. She has been capturing wonderful images of all the beautifully crafted puzzles that come out of our shop. When she’s not snapping the camera outside of work, she is enjoying her sweet pup Winnie, doing arts & crafts, or visiting family in her hometown in Massachusetts. She and her partner, Justin, have been enjoying the adventure of tiny home living – having built the home themselves! If you are ever looking for a hint to a puzzle, you could easily bribe Amanda with fruity candies or some fresh-cut peonies.

I’m Good At: Photography

Channa has the most contagious laugh in the building and is always sporting colorful nail polish when taking apart puzzles. While she DOES count the pieces to every puzzle, she doesn’t keep count of her nail polish but easily has over 100 bottles at home. Channa is also quite quick with her humor and jokes, making her a lot of fun to work with. Horses, especially Quarter Horses, have been a large part of her life. Having competed for many years, she has semi-retired her show spurs. Channa also enjoys scouring thrift stores, yard sales, and flea markets, looking for treasures to take home.

Christina is a lover of Mexican food and sipping tequila. You may find yourself needing a shot of tequila if you ever sit down with one of the Teaser puzzles she's designed. Her craftiness extends beyond designing and cutting puzzles, she also makes some pretty awesome jewelry. On her days off, Christina can be found four-wheeling and hanging out with her husband and pup. Surprisingly, you won’t find Christina at the puzzle table - she likes to be the tormentor, but not the tormented.

Cindy is our Time Share concierge, and with nearly 100 participants, she has also earned the title of champion. Cindy enjoys tending to her perennial flower and vegetable gardens then preserving the harvest. She can be seen driving her cute little sports car around town with the convertible top down. Her favorite place to be is anywhere she can walk barefoot on the beach and listen to the sound of the ocean.

Cole may be our youngest graphic designer on the team, but he is an old soul at heart. When he's not immersed in reading and writing stories, you can find him watching classic films or delving into history. Cole's passion for the past extends to his collection of vintage railroad books, focusing on New Hampshire and Vermont. If he could have any superpower, it would be time travel to experience life a century ago.

Dianna is our resident prankster and funster! She can definitely dish it but also graciously takes it! You’ll find her saw surrounded by pretty pink flamingos that have been gifted to her over the years, which started when people found out how much she disliked the pink lawn ornaments. Dianna is a collector of many things, not just flamingos; in fact, her husband would say she collects everything! You’ll find Dianna whooping it up on the weekends, dancing to live music, enjoying a campfire with friends, or attending vintage car shows in her '81 Firebird.

Eric is known around the shop as upbeat and personable. When he is not sitting at the saw, you can find him finishing the backside of the puzzles. Eric is a Military Veteran with a deep love for family and friends, tabletop gaming, and his sweet cat Falcor. Can you guess the origins of his name? He has a rad collection of board games, coffee cups, and a surprising number of cat scratchers.

I am good at: Large Scale Strategy Games

Jess is a lover of the great outdoors, especially when it comes to cycling the local trails, hiking, camping, and fishing. Along with her love for nature, Jess has a passion for animals. She has been a certified dog groomer for four years. It's her dream to one day have an up-close wolf encounter at a wilderness rehabilitation sanctuary. Jess has an upbeat and cheerful personality around the shop, but she also has a spooky side. She enjoys reading Stephen King books, sculpting horror movie figures, and doing special fx makeup for Halloween attractions.

I'm Good At: Singing

Joe is an avid swimmer, with the swimming pool (or any body of water) being his favorite place to be. He was even on his high school’s swim team to get more time in the water. He hopes to one day swim with sharks, and when we say swim, we are not talking about being in one of those safety cages, eek! Joe definitely likes to see how far he can push himself, whether it is swimming long distances, teaching himself to play the piano, eating as much Italian food as possible, or trying to replicate things he saw on Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.  

Kathleen’s favorite things besides crafting puzzles are hot cups of tea, a good mystery book, her collection of metal and wooden trays, and her cute kitties, Louie and George. She is a very patient and kind person until you challenge her to a game of ping pong! Kathleen can be found on the weekends, jeeping with her significant other or reading a good book. On Sundays, she has a standing coffee date with her mom and sister. She is also really interested in health and spirituality.

Spirit Animal: A Bear

Kirstin is an animal lover who enjoys trying new things to help keep her creative juices flowing. She has various knitting, drawing, jewelry, wood-burning, and writing projects in the works. Many of the hats and scarves Kirstin knits she donates to people in need, but we’re hoping she creates a few extra for our annual Stave craft fair. Kirstin enjoys a good sci-fi book and hopes to write one of her very own. Living out every pyromaniac’s dream, she works for a firework company 2-3 days a year, making things go “snap, crackle, and pop” around Vermont for the fourth of July.

Kindred Spirit: Merida from Brave

Mary is known around the shop for being friendly, playful, and always having a smile on her face. When she's not at her saw, you can find her handling paperwork, doing touch-up, or piecing together rental puzzles. Beyond work, Mary indulges in various crafts like cross-stitching, resin art, scrapbooking, and t-shirt making. Her hidden talents range from singing and playing the ukulele to building campfires without matches. Always eager to learn new things, Mary dreams of having the superpower to instantly absorb any skill. Currently focused on mastering the art of juggling, Mary is a true enthusiast for new challenges.

Megan was the Vermont State Champion for the shot put and discus, and now coaches track when she is not working here at Stave. She is also known as one of the top pet sitters in the area. Megan is creative and has the tormentor gene. She has designed an array of wonderful Teaser puzzles - do you have one of them? Megan hopes to visit all the National Parks someday and take a jump across the big blue to see the beautiful country of Ireland.

Michele is a spirited traveler with a love for adventure. Her top bucket list destinations include Hawaii and Italy. But, her heart truly belongs to Vermont and New Hampshire. If Michele could have any superpower, it would be the ability to fly and explore the world from new perspectives. When she's not dreaming of traveling, you can find her gardening, kayaking, baking, or enjoying quality time with her daughter, Kadence. Michele also loves crafting suncatchers, bubble wands, keychains, and makeup wipes from repurposed materials.

Theme Song: Happy by Pharrell Williams

Ruth can be found zipping around the shop at lightning speed on her way to quality check puzzles, train up-and-coming crafters, or heading to her saw to begin crafting a puzzle. We have considered installing a couple of speed bumps in the hallways to slow her down. While at home, though, Ruth slows it down (a little) and can be found gardening (not weeding), kayaking, or volunteering at some of her favorite local non-profits. She also enjoys building out her family’s genealogy, spending time with family (including her two cute terriers), and learning to play the ukulele.

Theme Song: Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Susan is Stave’s Art Scout, always searching for the next great puzzle image to stump you. When you sprinkle in the sweet chocolate chip morsels of graphics and customer service, you have the amazingly funny, and ever kind cookie that is Susan. Susan is all about nature – filling her life, yard, and home with its beauty – you should see her collection of peonies and hydrangeas! When she’s not walking the woods behind her home, she cares for and loves her two horses. She loves nature so much she once mountain biked up a 3,100-foot mountain, go Susan!

Spirit Animal: The special horse that has been in her life for 16 years

Gus is the resident shop dog and enjoys overseeing everybody’s lunch. Gus spends his day either napping or meandering throughout the building, looking for a snack or a rub. He is always ready to greet visitors with a wagging tail, but is very suspicious of UPS.

Spirit Animal: Vulture