Looking to add a garage to your home or commercial space? Or perhaps you need a remodel of your kitchen, bathroom or living areas in your house? Red Umbrella Services offers a variety of build options.
We’ve been in business in Eugene for more than 25 years. Our projects have included General Contracting, Restaurant Construction, Alternative Energies, Security and Sound System Installations, Kitchen remodels, Interior and Exterior Paint as well as remodels and repairs of Landmark Historic Buildings in Willamette Valley.
We understand that transforming your home or business space is also an opportunity to transform your lives. Our spaces provide energy that can fuel the work we do or can create freedom in our personal lives. When you select a contractor, we know that you’re not just looking for a set of professionals that can do the work – you’re looking for a trusted friend that you can share your ideas with and help turn dreams into reality.
So, we thought we’d tell you a little more about Bari “Captain Electric” Swartz, our owner and founder. I speak as not only a member of the Red Umbrella team, but as someone who has known Bari for nearly 50 years!
Bari grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship, earning his journeyman’s license in 1969. During the 1970s Bari studied at the Shelter Institute in Bath, Maine – learning how to build homes from scratch. The next ten years were spent in travel around the world and honing his talents. He studied at Vermont College, earning a Certificate in Conflict Resolution and Life Assessment and at Goddard College, earning his Associate of Arts and Sciences and learning landmark historical restoration, sustainable energy management, alternative energies and preservation planning. Bari also studied at Appalachian State University learning Physics, Energy Management and Building Design, with a focus on Alternative Energies and Solar Technologies.
He first came to Oregon in 1985 and quickly established himself as a talented electrician and contractor, working with historic homes in Eugene and lending his skills as a general contractor for residential and commercial projects. During those years he also became a second generation Mason. He has been a long-time resident of Eugene, with many trusted friends and colleagues. He also loves to travel the world and met his wife Tia during a vacation in Cambodia. Together, they have a son Zealand and Bari also has an adult daughter who lives in Portland with her family.
When you begin working with a contractor – someone you are going to trust with your home or place of business – it’s important to find someone that is a valued member of the community. One who has long roots in your town and knows the importance of listening to your concerns. Bari is that trusted professional, who still has that love of whimsy and wonder in the work he has been doing for nearly fifty years.
That’s why we call him ‘Captain Electric’!