On 3/10/10, a deal was made to sell Greenway Sound Marine Resort to
Trip Rumberger. Yes its true, Greenway found a buyer…we are somewhat “behind schedule”…. working diligently to get things as good as Tom & Ann have had it over the years. Ann and our chef, Susan “hit it off”. Hopefully we will see Ann a lot this summer as she continues with her therapy. Her positive attitude and funny stories are “priceless”. What can anyone say about Tom but, wow? I still find it hard to believe how he built Greenway….I feel truly blessed to learn the business from a real pro…don’t tell Tom but my martini’s are better, J. (Hmmmph! Naaa, Tom)
A bit about my team……
Our chef Susan Kalin, is qualified to follow in Ann’s footsteps….she graduated ten years ago from The Culinary Academy at Seattle Central. She has done many things in the restaurant industry, most recently teaching at Bellevue College. More importantly, she has fed most of the football players at Issaquah High School…including my son & her 2 sons…all the kids call her “Mom”. She and her husband Richard are leaders in the Issaquah community…and a heck of a lot of fun too. Suzy has Richard’s support to dazzle guests at Greenway…guaranteed, you will never leave the restaurant hungry. Also, count on a few chef guest appearances from well known chefs & friends of Susan.
My silent partner, Bob Bishop, is nicknamed “McGiver”. Give him a roll of duct tape and a few tools and he can fix anything. Like Tom Taylor, Bob gets so excited about diesel generators, amps, volts, 2-3 phase, satellite, internet, & water systems……during one of our meetings I had to leave the room…I felt I was the clown at an engineering convention. What a perfect job for an engineer, something always needs fixing.
Finally, me…Tom can now say he found an “idiot” to take over. I am 3rd generation UW, born & raised in Seattle. Played football at UW for Don James in the Warren Moon era (member of the 78’ Rose Bowl team that beat Michigan) . Graduated in economics and went on to work for Smith Barney. I had 12 different business cards and the same phone number over a 15 year career. I decided merger mania & pushing paper around my desk wasn’t fun. I went on a quest to find some sort of “widget” company to own. For the last 12 years, I own and have operated Pella NW , a window & door company with offices in Bellevue, Spokane, Anchorage, Vancouver BC, & Victoria BC. It is currently being run by my trusted friend Blair Bush, a former Husky & Seahawk. Unlike me most of the time, he actually wore a helmet….also a really smart guy. At age 52, I decided to follow my dream and own a resort marina. I obviously didn’t pay too much attention to my economics professors….what the heck, you can’t take it with you. My four children are mostly grown. My wife & kids support Dad’s crazy idea….my “bucket list” is still being written but the marina thing has been up near the top for many years. My wife and I are a bit like the old TV show, “Green Acres”. I’m not sure you will see too much of her during the summer…..”darling I love you but give me Park Avenue (or Nordstrom’s)”. The kids (Joe, TJ, Jake, & Lindsey) will be working up at Greenway at various times during the summer….my oldest son Joe is an accomplished chef working for the Kempton Hotel group in Washington DC…a graduate of the Art Institute in Seattle & trained with the Four Seasons in Paris. He can get a little “over the top” with cuisine but can still cook a “mean meatloaf”….my youngest, daughter Lindsey, can make a great latte. The other 2 boys will provide comical relief & great service during your stay at Greenway.
Tom Taylor has agreed to “show me the ropes” this summer 2010 at Greenway. I hope I can provide a great experience in one of the most beautiful places on earth. I guarantee it will not be for lack of effort. We want to build on what Tom & Ann have done since opening in 1985….tough shoes to fill but we’ll give it our best shot….hope to see ya this summer….Trip Rumberger.
Greetings from Tom & Ann Taylor.
We sincerely hope you enjoy your stay at Greenway Sound Marine
Resort. Let us know if you would like anything to make your visit to Greenway Sound Marine Resort more pleasant.
Greenway Sound Marine Resort was built from a bare bay, beginning in 1985. We are Greenway Sound Marine Resort's only owners, and created the entire facility.
Thomas S. Taylor, 72, grew up in the Cincinnati area, graduating from the Univ. of Cincinnati, then moving to Seattle in 1963. In 1967, Tom created the fuel dock at Berg's Marina on Lake Union known as North Star Marina. Tom was the inventor of the Octopus Oil Changer for boats, which was the prototype for the Minit-Lube for cars. The fuel dock was sold to Dean & Donna Morrison in 1977. They are still there.
Ann and her two children, Michael and Christine, joined Tom in life in 1979. Ann had graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Geography. Ann also had gained some very valuable experience in an upscale Seattle restaurant, which would come into use at Greenway Sound Marine Resort and it's fine restaurant was created.
Ann & Tom together developed the Cruise North program, which envisioned support marinas every fifty miles or so in the Northern half of the Inside Passage, and into Alaska. This experience and knowledge came from delivering and retreiving yachts along the coast. There simply are not enough facilities in that vast area to support a growing boating population. Ann & Tom made 12 trips up and down the coast.
After an unsuccessful attempt in 1982-3 to turn around the destiny of Butedale, a former cannery town, it was decided to try to develop an all-new facility, designed just for boats. Ann & Tom took the remnants of Butedale and another project, and started Greenway Sound Marine Resort in 1985. The rest is history, so to speak.
Tom invented the PVC-cedar dock system for Greenway Sound Marine Resort that ultimately became the NOR*CAT float, sold throughout the Northwest. Ann, through extensive research, put together the fine restaurant that is at Greenway Sound Marine Resort today. Tom put together the generator system and the water system, while Ann worked out supply routes with Beaver float planes for food and supplies for the store and restaurant. Tom built communications systems while Ann developed a staff of four to six people each season.
Now it is your turn. Come see what Greenway Sound Marine Resort is all about. You will like it.
