Dee Lenston has been with Bona US since 2002, where he is currently a technical and training manager. After attending Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, Lenston joined the U.S. Air Force and later owned his own hardwood flooring company. He is an NWFA Certified Sand & Finish Professional, and participates in many of the NWFA schools as a manufacturer instructor.
Lenston recently was featured on the NWFA Wood Talk podcast, so Hardwood Floors magazine caught up with him to ask a few more questions.
Tell us something interesting about yourself.
While serving in the Air Force, I spent a year in Asia playing on the PACAF (Pacific Air Force) Basketball team playing against many of the country’s national basketball teams.
How did you get started in the industry?
My attention to detail caught the eye of a flooring craftsman and he offered me a position. I told him that I had never taken a woodshop class and here I am, still enjoying this trade 26 years later!
Who has influenced your career the most and why?
Too many to name. So many people have taught me so much – from their craftsmanship in showing the many things you can do with wood, to their professionalism in how they interact with all the folks they meet in this industry. It truly has been a blessing, as I never thought this is what God had in store for me and I’m very grateful to all those who have influenced me.
What is your favorite wood floor project that you’ve participated in?
My first time scribing around a brick fireplace was quite the challenge back in 1997 in an Arrowhead residence in Littleton, Colorado, near Roxborough State Park (pictured above).
What energizes you to stay in the wood flooring industry?
The first NWFA school I attended in 2002 was when I met Steve Seabaugh. Not only was/is he a great craftsman, but the way he taught kept a smile on my face, and he was open to sharing anything and everything you wanted to know about hardwood flooring. His love for teaching was evident, and that same bug has bitten me. I truly enjoy sharing all that I have learned and continue to learn from many in this industry, including from the students.
What are you listening to right now?
Smooth jazz is my music of choice. Last year, I was paired up at a golf event with jazz saxophonist Gerald Albright and he played some of his music along with other jazz greats. It was one of the best rounds of golf I played in a while because of the smooth jazz tempo.
Do you have a morning routine that sets you up for success?
Giving my daughter a kiss and letting her know that God has blessed us with another day, so let’s make the best of it!
What keeps you busy outside of work?
Prior to the pandemic, it was Cougar Youth Sports, a program that a few friends and I run for youth from the ages of 4 to 14. I now spend a lot of my free time working on my golf swing – which has become the sport that I enjoy a lot.
You can listen to a more in-depth discussion between Dee Lenston and NWFA’s Brett Miller, as well as other hardwood flooring experts by visiting hardwoodfloorsmag.com/nwfa-wood-talk-podcast.