THE STORY

At the age of nineteen, Mark Holt dreamed of joining the Coast Guard. His sincerity, grit, and focus made him an ideal candidate, so he flew to Seattle, WA. to begin the enlistment process. Mark was most excited about the possibility of being stationed in Alaska; however, his aspirations were challenged when he landed on the West Coast. Upon learning of Mark’s shellfish allergy, the USCG denied his enlistment, forcing him to instantaneously change his life’s trajectory. Though he was disappointed, Mark persevered. In need of immediate employment, he walked into a nearby Old Navy to apply for a position, unaware of how his life was about to change. 

While Mark conversed with an Old Navy clerk, a commercial window cleaner overheard the conversation, turned to the young Mr. Holt, and offered him a position. On his first day of work, Mark found himself atop the impressive 76- story Columbia Center—the second tallest building on the West Coast. His new employer thought it funny to surprise this nascent window washer with an extreme task. However, Mark embraced full immersion. For a few days, he served as a spotter as his boss repelled down the building in a Bosun chair. Before the week was over, though, Mark found himself begging to finish the repelling job himself.

After training amidst the skyline of Washington, Mark was ready for any task. He soon completed commercial window cleaning for companies such as Gap, Old Navy, and Starbucks, and returned to the Pioneer Valley to pursue his trade. Two decades later, Mark continues to cultivate his talents by staying abreast of new technologies, attending professional conventions across the nation, completing coursework, and obtaining his SoftWash Systems™ technician certification. The breadth and depth of his commercial and residential experience is remarkable, his meticulous artistry is incomparable.