Editor’s Note: The Peekskill Herald’s “10 questions …”, column is for readers to know more about those who work in city government, own businesses, and support our city’s development. Today’s column features Chris Lacativa, Vice President of Deliveries at Dain’s Lumber.

What brought you to Peekskill, and what brought you to Dain’s?

I was in search for a new job, I reached out to a head hunter that I knew and he referred me to Dain’s Lumber. I was 31 when I first started.

How long have you been at Dain’s? What was your first position at Dain’s?

I started at Dain’s in March of 2001. My first position was in sales.

What have you observed about a family-run business — how does it differ from a mega-corporation?

Fortunately, I never had to work for a mega corporation, but it is a much more personal.

Where else have you worked?

King Lumber in Goldens Bridge, NY approximately 4 years prior to Dain’s, and prior to that was Miron Lumber in Poughkeepsie, NY for 4 years as well.

You manage deliveries for Dain’s — how did the pandemic affect the supply and delivery chain at Dain’s?

The supply availability was quite difficult at some times. Items that  generally would take a week ended up taking 4-6 weeks and sometimes quite a bit longer. Deliveries — I have never seen this before but we were almost 2 weeks out for deliveries.

What’s the strangest or hardest delivery you’ve had to organize?

Not necessarily a strange delivery but a hard one: I had to deliver windows quite far away from Peekskill which required two separate trucks with multiple people to deliver windows up a very steep hill with a very narrow driveway within the customer’s time constraints.

One of my drivers delivered to a semi-local area which is quite rural, and upon entering the property the driver observed multiple dummies strapped to trees, that I would say was one of the weirdest delivery stories I could remember.

What’s the best thing about your job, what’s your biggest challenge?

The best thing about the sales portion of my job is that I have become close friends with some of the customers over the years.

In regards to the dispatch portion, my job is to get all the the deliveries out as promised during the very busy and demanding times when customers want and need their deliveries.

How do you think the city’s development plans (e.g. the recent DRI funding) will affect the waterfront businesses?

Hopefully with the additional people in town it can obviously increase our business.

What is your go-to (DIY) project? What do you like to build?

When I was younger I used to do side jobs and I enjoyed doing decks the most.

Where is your favorite place to go in Peekskill, and why?

Kyles Pub on Washington Street. I’ve known the new owner for many years.

What would you like to say to the Peekskill community?

Buy from Dain’s, ask for Chris for all your sales and delivery needs.

Dain’s Lumber is located at 2 North Water St., Peekskill and is open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.