Taylor to leave post at hospital on Friday

Skip Taylor, who has been director of community relations and a spokesperson for Highlands-Cashiers Hospital since 1996, is resigning in order to pursue his own business. His last day at the hospital will be Nov. 20.

A woodworker for more than 30 years, Taylor will operate Taylor Restoration and Squarewrights, which specializes in restoration of antique furniture and building of custom furniture.

“I’m looking forward to returning to working with my hands and doing something for which I have had a passion for many years,” said Taylor. “With the hospital currently undergoing various changes in leadership in both administration and at the board level, this is a good time to change spokespersons as well.”

Taylor operated an antique restoration business for five years before joining the hospital team.

“Skip has been fulfilling one of those behind-the-scenes roles that has been a key to improving the hospital’s public image after some very challenging times,” said outgoing president and CEO Ken Shull. “He’s been a trusted source of information regarding the community, the hospital and its history, and he’s provided valuable counsel during my four years here. His contribution to the hospital has not always been recognized or appreciated because many people aren’t aware of how many things he does here. But I know he will be missed.”

Robin Tindall-Taylor, executive director of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation and of no relation to Taylor, will serve as interim director of community relations. In addition to her fundraising responsibilities, she was also in charge of marketing efforts at Haywood Regional Medical Center before joining the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation.

In addition to restoration, Taylor also plans to offer woodworking courses to the public. While times and locations are still being arranged, most of the subjects covered will involve working with hand tools.

“I’ve been interested in 18th and 19th century finishing and woodworking practices for a number of years now, and many of those traditional techniques are of practical use to woodworkers today,” says Taylor. “The use of hand tools is on the rise across the country, encouraged by a revival in the manufacture of quality hand tools. As evidenced by the number of classes and seminars being offered around the country, there is a great deal of interest in learning how to use traditional tools. Hopefully that will be the case here as well.”

As part of his interest in early woodworking, Taylor demonstrated 19th century tools and techniques during the Cashiers Historical Society’s Founders Day at the Zachary Tolbert House two years ago along with Brian Coe, director of manual arts at Old Salem. Taylor recently presented the house with an exact reproduction of one of the plain style tables made for the house by Mordecai Zachary around 1850.

In addition to taking classes and seminars in the past that were taught by woodworking legends such as Tage Frid, Taylor has also attended a number events specifically on early woodworking at places such as Colonial Williamsburg and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts at Old Salem in Winston-Salem. He recently returned from a retreat in the mountains of Virginia for refinishers and restorers from across the country that was hosted by Don Williams, senior furniture conservator at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.