Front & Center: A benefactor to creativity – nonprofit co-founder helps people use science, technology and engineering to complete self-directed projects

When Dan McGee was a youngster, he liked building things.

He also enjoyed destroying things.

“Once I plugged a walkie-talkie into a wall outlet and blew it up,” he recalls.

Construction gradually won out over demolition, and by age 14, McGee was helping a friend erect log cabins in North Idaho.

“I remember my second day on the job, setting a ridge pole that was more than 70 feet long,” he said. “I was the one on the roof, while someone else ran the crane.”

Today, McGee is the one in the driver’s seat, both as general manager of Vestis Systems, a Spokane awning manufacturer, and co-founder and executive director of Spokane CREATE!, a nonprofit that encourages people of all ages to explore science, technology, engineering and math through playful, self-directed projects.

During a recent interview, McGee discussed 3-D printers, dry ice and something called an augmented reality sandbox.

S-R: Where did you grow up?

McGee: My family lived in Western Washington – near Longview – until I was 13. Then we moved to North Idaho.

S-R: Where did you attend high school?

McGee: I was home-schooled.

S-R: Besides building log cabins, what other jobs did you have?

McGee: When I was 16, I worked in a grocery store. I also worked at the Olive Garden restaurant in Coeur d’Alene for a while, bussing, cooking, serving – a bit of everything.

S-R: Where did you attend college?

McGee: I earned an associate degree in computer networking from North Idaho College. Then I got my bachelor’s in IT (information technology) from the University of Phoenix in Spokane, and later my MBA at Webster University out at Fairchild.

S-R: Where did that lead?

McGee: I started out doing IT work for a little startup whose devices allowed people to interact with PowerPoint presentations. Then I worked for Banner Fuel, initially in IT. But I also had a knack for the business side of things and eventually rose to general manager at Banner before joining Vestis Systems as general manager.

S-R: What did you know about awnings when you joined Vestis?

McGee: Nothing. But there’s a lot of IT in the day-to-day running of the business.

S-R: How long have you been with Vestis?

McGee: Almost three years.

S-R: Tell me something about awnings that people don’t appreciate?

McGee: Americans take them for granted. We’re spoiled because electricity is so inexpensive here compared with other parts of the world. We typically build houses with lots of windows, then crank up the air-conditioning to fight the sun coming in. In Europe and other places, awnings are everywhere, providing shade over windows and the entry points of buildings. They generate huge cost savings.

S-R: Have you had mentors during your career?

McGee: Several. One was Gene McVay at Banner Fuel, who recognized my potential and taught me it’s OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Another is Andy Barrett, the majority owner of Berg Corp., which owns Vestis. Besides giving me the opportunity to grow Spokane CREATE!, he taught me the importance of cultivating an enjoyable work environment – building relationships, as opposed to simply focusing on x, y and z, and nothing else.

S-R: What inspired you to found your nonprofit learning incubator?

McGee: Like a lot of people, I really enjoy taking on projects after-hours at home. But it’s very easy to start something and never finish it. I found I’m far more successful if I have other people to share my whatever with – do a little show-and-tell every now and then. My goal with Spokane CREATE! is to bring together people of all ages who share common interests, because you learn much faster if you can work next to somebody who knows how to do something you don’t.

S-R: Are some people who come here more teachers, and others more learners?

McGee: Absolutely. But because we do so many things, some people are teachers in one subject and learners in another. They might be expert software developers, but have no idea how to weld.

S-R: How has Spokane CREATE! evolved?

McGee: We started out in a small office space, with almost no machinery, so we were pretty much limited to electronics, software development and 3-D printing – things you could do without making a giant mess. Now that The Toolbox (a collaborative innovation center for product-based startups) loans us space and equipment, we’ve expanded into welding, cutting and other manufacturing kinds of things.

S-R: What’s your mission?

McGee: To help people achieve self-reliance. When someone builds something cool, they gain self-confidence. High schools do a good job of that. We want to provide the same opportunity for everyone, whatever level they’re at, whether super low or super high.

S-R: Spokane CREATE! is only open Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. What’s your typical attendance?

McGee: It partly depends on the season. During summer, people have other things going on in their lives. Another factor is the sort of projects people are working on. But we get anywhere from eight to 15 people most Wednesday nights. Some stay a little while, others the whole evening.

S-R: Are they supervised?

McGee: For the most part, no. If they haven’t used a particular tool before, we’ll show them how. Once they’re comfortable, they’re on their own.

S-R: What about liability?

McGee: That question has come up several times. We don’t have a lot of metal-cutting and wood-cutting power tools, such as angle grinders. We had a table saw, but got rid of it for safety reasons.

S-R: What’s the atmosphere?

McGee: Very informal. The first Wednesday of the month starts with a quick meeting to update people about any new classes we have coming up. For instance, the other night one of our guys taught people how to use our new CNC (computer numerical control) router, which can cut patterns out of 4-by-8 sheets of plywood. Beyond that, it’s come and go as you like. If someone wants to learn a particular skill, I’ll teach them or plug them in with someone who knows how to do that.

S-R: What’s the range of projects people take on?

McGee: A couple of kids who were going to have a water-balloon fight found some scrap roofing material, took the handles off coffee pots and made shields, doing some welding themselves. Another guy is building an autonomous pet that walks around robotically and is connected to virtual reality gear.

S-R: Any memorable successes or failures?

McGee: One failure was when we tried to do a group project making a cloud chamber – putting dry ice in an aquarium to super-freeze pure rubbing alcohol, which was supposed to allow us to see particles of the sun passing through it. We couldn’t see anything, and ended up just playing with dry ice. On the other hand, a 13-year-old brought in a 3-D printer he couldn’t get to work, and we had it up and running in five minutes. Since then, he’s built three more 3-D printers. And two guys ride here every week on homemade electric bikes powered by batteries they salvaged from laptop computers.

S-R: What’s your personal favorite project?

McGee: We built an augmented reality sandbox that simulates water running off mountains. We saw one online and thought it would be a fun way for multiple people to interact, so we built everything but the software, and the whole thing only cost $200 or $300, compared with thousands of dollars retail.

S-R: What do you like most about this endeavor?

McGee: Meeting people who do interesting things, and helping them connect with others.

S-R: What is your least favorite part of running a nonprofit?

McGee: The minutiae of administration – making sure licenses are renewed.

S-R: What are you most proud of?

McGee: With essentially no budget, we’ve put together this awesome, well-equipped facility, which is pretty incredible.

S-R: What has Spokane CREATE! taught you about yourself?

McGee: It’s very easy for people to think of ideas. The hard part is following through. Turning this idea into reality has given me more confidence.

S-R: What’s your long-term goal?

McGee: We currently share space and equipment. I’d like us to eventually have our own building and staff so we can be open longer.

S-R: Are there misperceptions about your organization?

McGee: People can’t seem to wrap their head around the fact that this is free to anyone what wants to build a project. And we’re eager to help. Just show up. But don’t expect us to build your project for you. People learn best by doing, not watching.

Writer Michael Guilfoil can be contacted at mguilfoil@comcast.net.