MEET THE TEAM

ART FAVINGER, PRESIDENT/CERTIFIED BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY TESTER

Art has been plumbing since 1978. He attended the Associated Builders & Contractors Plumbing Apprenticeship Program in Denver, completing courses in plumbing as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

First certified as a journeyman, then master plumber in Colorado, he relocated to Bellingham in 1989 and started Favinger Plumbing. He also holds certifications for medical gas piping and backflow assembly testing. He has done consulting work at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, helped write legislation to regulate the licensing and education of plumbers in Washington State, and has been involved in numerous commercial and residential plumbing projects throughout western Washington.

A recognized industry leader, Art was elected president of the Washington Association of Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors in 1994. Four years later Governor Gary Locke appointed Art to the Washington State Advisory Board of Plumbers. In 2000 the board elected Art chairman, a position he held through 2003.

Art has been an active supporter of several local non-profit organizations and was a recipient of the Ken Gass Founder’s Award for work on behalf of children and youth in Whatcom County.

POLLY FAVINGER, SECRETARY

I love hot showers, flushing toilets and running water. I am grateful for the conveniences of modern plumbing! Having filtered water at my kitchen sink is a luxury!

For the past 25 years, I’ve done the payroll and quarterly reports for Favinger Plumbing in the evenings and weekends. After working as the apparel manager at Fairhaven Runners for 5-1/2 years, I came to work full time at Favinger Plumbing in May 2008. Now I get to work with this wonderful and dedicated staff on a daily basis and am continually amazed and grateful for the hard work and expertise of our employees. Some of the situations our plumbers have to deal with are rather “messy” to say the least, yet they approach each job with integrity and professionalism.

I was born in Mineola, New York on Long Island where I spent my first few years then moved to Edison, New Jersey until 1978. I headed to Denver, Colorado in 1978 to attend the University of Denver where I graduated in 1980. Art and I got married in 1982 and have two kids, Woody and Gharrett.

We came to Bellingham in 1989 and it is a great place to live. I love to trail run and there is no shortage here! Galbraith, the Chuckanuts, and Lake Padden have miles and miles of beautiful running trails to explore.

Great movies, great books! Inglorious Bastards, League of their Own… Secret Life of Bees, Golden Compass, Hunger Games. Food glorious food…Thai, Mexican, yum! Cucumbers, peppers, cheese, crackers, olives and wine! I could practically live on that…well, almost.

KATHERINE GOLLEN, GENERAL MANAGER

I grew up in Southern California (I’m sorry, I can’t change that). I moved here with my parents in 1989. After getting over the culture shock of moving here, I have decided that this is the best place on earth (other than Disneyland).

I began working at Favinger Plumbing in 2000 as office manager. Since then, I have taken charge of the warehouse as well. Over the years, I have learned a lot about plumbing. In 2006, my husband and I completed building an addition onto our house. With my new plumbing knowledge, I was able to do all the plumbing myself. After seeing my handy work, I think Art is very glad I only work in the office. It wasn’t pretty, but it works.

I have two beautiful daughters, so my hobbies are playing with Barbies, reading Dr. Seuss, singing & dancing, and coloring. My favorite movies are My Neighbor Totoro, Cars, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Tinkerbell.

I love listening to music and am fortunate that my kids actually like the same music (for now anyway). I enjoy listening to the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, and anything else with a groovy beat.

I feel very fortunate to have found a wonderful place like Favinger Plumbing to work for the past 10 years. I look forward to being here for the next decade as well.

ARIANA ABBOTT, DISPATCHER

I grew up all over Washington, but spent my childhood in Goldendale and by the Spokane River with my brother, sister and two dogs catching tad poles and craw-daddies. For the latter part of my life I moved to the west side of the state and had an adventure commuting my last two years of high school from North Bend to Bainbridge Island everyday.

Though distant from my major, I am blessed to work for a company where the employees are full of humor and it is a joy to greet them in the morning! I can’t express how grateful I am to work in an atmosphere as open and caring about people and customers as Favinger. Outside of answering phones with a smile, I sing in the Whatcom Chorale, bake bread, compose music on the piano, and I enjoy surfing Netflix with my fiancé and our five-year old puppy Aydin.

For college I moved to Bellingham where I graduated from WWU with a self-designed degree through Huxley in Ecogastronomy and Agroecology Education and completed two minors in Anthropology and French. I LOVE FOOD and CULTURE!

The most experience I have had plumbing was replacing parts I don’t know the name of inside of a toilet that wouldn’t flush right. I am lucky to say there were no leaks (eventually) and it still works (I think); and it only took me a whopping five hours to make it right (cross my fingers). Next time, I’m just calling a plumber.

OUR CREW

Our team includes experienced and knowledgeable licensed plumbers and state certified trainees. Our trucks carry state of the art plumbing tools, drain cleaning equipment, cameras, and underground locating equipment. These “mobile warehouses” also carry a selection of water heaters, faucets, toilets, and enough material to complete most plumbing repair jobs. For any size plumbing job, Favinger Plumbing is the company to call. Serving Whatcom County since 1989.

JORDAN FORBES

I am homegrown here in Bellingham! I was lucky to fall into plumbing as a helper. I have a wife, Michelle, a daughter, Gabby, and a son, Carter. I enjoy eating stuffed peppers. My favorite movie is Heat. I enjoy visiting Hawaii.

STEVE ROBINSON

I grew up in Shelton, WA and moved to Bellingham in 1983.  I graduated from WWU in 1987 and have stayed in the area ever since!  I love to re-make “old junk” into “new stuff”, and enjoy working on old motorcycles and old VW’s.

My plumbing advice:  “If you didn’t eat it, don’t flush it.”

TRAVIS JOHNSON

OMAR DEWITT

I moved to Bellingham from Okanogan in 2010.

I have been plumbing since 2009. I started out pipe fitting then switched over to plumbing.

When not at work, I enjoy snowboarding, good food, the movie The Departed, and music.

My advice: Please, don’t flush t-shirts down the toilet!

NICK STONER

Born and raised in Bellingham. Grew up on Lake Samish where I enjoyed water sports – water skiing, wake boarding and extreme tubing! Other hobbies – golfing (as much as possible!), basketball, camping and outdoor activities.

I have a 3 year old daughter named Eliza who is absolutely adorable.

I started plumbing right out of high school (Sehome high school grad 2005) and also have done construction work including framing, siding, flooring – just about anything necessary to build a house!

My favorite food is tacos because they are easy to make and good party food!

Plumbing advice: Having it done right the first time is easier than having to fix it again. Call a real plumber!

BRYAN SMITH

I like living on the edge…motorcycle riding, jumping off cliffs, having fun outdoors. I like mud!!

GHARRETT FAVINGER

Gharrett has gone off to law school at American University, Washington College of Law in Washington, DC starting Fall of 2012. We will miss him!

BAKER, SHOP DOG

We are sad to have lost our faithful, favorite furry friend Baker. He left us on July 4, 2011 to romp and run wild in the wild blue yonder. But we still have doggie treats in our office and love having other pups visit and say hello!