Meet Our Instructors
Ernie Conover
Ernie Conover is a highly published author in the woodworking field with seven books, four videos and hundreds of articles to his credit. His work has received numerous awards and been the subject of several one-man shows. He lectures widely for clubs, trade show groups and woodworking stores and is frequently called upon as a consultant and expert witness in the woodworking field. When not writing, lecturing or consulting he is active in providing academic oversight and teaching at Conover Workshops—a craft school founded by the Conover family.
Susan Conover
Susan is a talented fiber artist who connects her
spinning, weaving and dye classes to fiber’s
historical roots. This has also led her to explore the
use of the great wheel and barn frame and
countermarch looms. History directly connects to
her real passion, reproduction of historical
weavings. Having raised sheep she is well versed in
the entire fiber process from animal to finished
cloth.
Scott Butler
Scott resides in nearby Chagrin Falls, Ohio where he is renovating a classic
house and building fine furniture to fill it. Scott also serves on the Conover
Scholarship Fund where he is the webmaster. When not devoting his time to
woodworking, Scott runs two usability consulting companies, Ovo Studios and The Usability Team.
John E. DeGirolamo
John resides in Prescott, Arizona where he operates his
own furniture design business—JOVANNI Furniture +
Design. His work has been recognized through multiple
awards at the Design in Wood Exhibit in Del Mar,
articles in San Diego Home and Garden magazine, and
has appeared in several woodworking publications.
John’s work appears in the book “Wood Art Now” and he
has been a featured craftsman on HGTV’s “Modern
Masters”. He has been recognized in the television
industry with Emmy awards and national print and design
honors. John honed his woodworking skills in an
apprenticeship with Ernie Conover in 95/96 and regards
him as his mentor, collaborating, sharing ideas and
teaching.
King Heiple
King is a retired orthopedic surgeon who has written text
books on the subject. In preparing for retirement, King took
one of Ernie's woodturning classes. In Ernie's words: "King
commandeered the lathe closest to mine, watched everything
I did like a hawk and then returned to his lathe and did what I
did--only better!" Since retirement King has published a
dozen woodturning articles inAmerican Woodturner, More
Woodturningand Woodturning Design and demonstrates at
local clubs. When not turning like a pro; King shoots (and
wins) national skeet competitions.