About Charlie . . .
Charlie was born in
Queens, NY in 1950. His first puzzle box was a gift from his parents. It was a 12 Move 5
sun Japanese Puzzle Box that they bought for him in New York’s Chinatown in the late
50’s. Lost or broken - it’s long gone. After
hunting for years, in 1979 Charlie bought the pictured 12 Move 5 sun Sansui zougan
Japanese Puzzle Box at a shop in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Finding this prized
possession was the start of a long journey that ended with the beginning of Cleverwood in
1994.
• As a puzzle enthusiast . . .
Charlie is the person you most likely saw if you visited Cleverwood’s booth at an Art
& Craft Fair or other puzzling event. “Look Mom, it’s the Puzzle Man!”
Charlie loved to demonstrate our puzzle boxes, mechanical puzzles and toys. From 1994 to
2000 Cleverwood exhibited at almost 100 Art & Craft Fairs.
Sharing his interest and enjoyment for puzzles with
children was one of the things he liked best about working the craft shows.
• As a woodworker . . .
In the early days, Cleverwood produced everything we sold in Charlie’s
garage/workshop. Besides collaborating on puzzle designs, working in the office, and
working at the craft shows, Charlie worked in the woodshop too. His specialty was carving
the soft outer contours of our three-dimensional jigsaw puzzles; the effect he achieved
made them look quilted and soft.
If a hole was needed in exactly the right place, at the exactly the right depth, about a
thousand times, Charlie was the person for the job. The workshop jigs he made for these
kind of tasks are legendary. Each time he sat down to another session with one of his
jigs, he made improvements, so that they evolved into something that looked quite bizarre,
but worked great.
•As a business manager . . .
Charlie’s formal education is in business management. He holds a
bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance - Pace University ’75, and a
master’s degree - MBA - information systems - Regis University ’89. He has many
years of experience managing companies both large and small, domestic and international.
Before starting Cleverwood in 1994, Charlie worked for 25 years in financial management
and in systems analysis and design, for a wide range of industries including public
accounting, temporary personnel, government contracting, window manufacture, real estate
development, and beer wholesaling.
In 1982 - 1985 Charlie worked as a financial manager in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and in
Beirut, Lebanon. Looking for puzzle boxes at the “suq” (marketplace) was one of
his favorite pastimes when he was in the middle east.
Charlie still finds time to provide management services
as a consultant for other small business owners. Charlie’s volunteer work experience
includes managing a suicide prevention and drug intervention “hot line,” and
serving on the Supervisory Committee at a credit union. When in Arabia, he was the
lighting director for an amateur theater troupe - and he even produced a play!
Charlie’s education and broad experience in
business management are a big part of what makes Cleverwood possible.
•As a web master . . .
Charlie started constructing Cleverwood’s web site in May 1997. The site began as a
single page offering fewer than 12 puzzles. By 2003 the site had grown to more than 500
pages offering more than 600 mechanical puzzles and other fine wooden items.
Many puzzle enthusiasts frequent the Internet and are enthusiastic about Charlie’s
ever-expanding web site. He spends a good deal of time answering customer’s email.
(See Comments From Our Customers).
