Stephen and Debbie Hilbert, ’70 Embrace UO Model for Sustainability
Former UO students Stephen and Debbie Hilbert, embrace the UO’s Model for Sustainability with a product Steven calls Green-Team-Chair. The Hilberts are currently developing and marketing a product that Steven describes as being the greenest, the strongest, best-looking and best made Adirondack chair produced. This venture comes after a long line of other successful work ventures Steve and Debbie have taken on.
Steve and Debbie are no strangers to hard work and entrepreneurship. As students at the UO, Steve, a football defensive back ’67, ‘68 and Debbie, a UO Cheerleader, met and after graduation moved to Lake Tahoe, NV and proceeded to work various jobs on their intended path to a career in TV Broadcast Management . Much like many intended plans, this one changed. Working in restaurants, casinos, construction, and secretarial positions, Steve and Debbie realized they wanted more. They soon became managers of a small exclusive high rise in Incline Village. They quickly opened a window covering business and after 15 years it grew into a complete interior design & furnishing business doing work for local hotels, casinos, residents and model homes on the west coast.
In November of 1972 Steve and Debbie literally “jumped ship” and within two weeks found a manager for their business and signed onto a 316’, Norwegian square rigger for what would be seven months of adventure. The ship was school ship for 64 US students. Steve was program director and acted as liaison between the captain, crew and students. The premise of the school was that “travel, work, and education in the right blend could solve any and all known problems of a 13 to 19 year old student, male or female. After seven months of boiled cod, boiled potatoes, blood pudding, 24/7 work shifts, and hurricane force wind and seas, because it was Christmas of ’72, mental and physical conditions were too much for some and they left the program early. It was after this experience that in June of ’73, Steve and Debbie moved back to Lake Tahoe and started a family.
In 1986 the couple sold the retail business and started a business (American Fabric & Flooring, Inc) boasting Home Club and Home Depot as clients. In August of 1995 Steven and Debbie attended the wedding of a UO Friend and fellow cheerleader in Bend. On their drive home to Tahoe they stopped in Chiloquin, just north of Klamath Falls. It’s here that they happened upon their next venture. Lonesome Duck Ranch, a fly fishing guest ranch located in 100 acres on the Williamson River. It now functions as a B&B. www.lonesomeduck.com
With their current project, the couple hopes to promote Duck pride as well as offer a product that is good for the environment and a worthy investment for Oregon alums. To find out more about the Adirondack chair click here.