The list of his accomplishments over the past 29 years is astounding. He’s consistently ranked in the top 1% of all realtors in the nation. In a slow year, he’ll be involved in about 75 real estate transactions. In a busy year, that number exceeds 400.

Dennis Regen started his real estate career in 1981 at Lincoln City’s Taylor and Taylor Realty. Twelve years later, he and his wife Vickie had purchased the company. Today they employ 12 brokers and Prudential Taylor and Taylor Realty Co. holds more than 20% of all real estate listings in Lincoln County.

What accounts for his success? Hard work and an absolute commitment to outstanding customer service. Whether you’re buying or selling a starter home, a vacation cottage, or a multimillion dollar compound, Dennis is there for you with 100% effort, 100% of the time. His clients are given his cell phone number and know that he’ll always answer, even in the middle of the night.

Dennis works closely with construction developers and other local businesses to bring jobs and economic vitality to the central coast. When a business owner is looking to sell, it’s often Dennis who finds a buyer who will keep the business and jobs in the community.

Prudential Taylor and Taylor has for years supported many local charities. Dennis is very involved in the community and encourages all of his brokers to do the same. He’s been a member of the North Lincoln Hospital Foundation’s Board of Trustees since 1987.

Why does Dennis have his personal and business accounts at Oregon Coast Bank? “They consistently deliver the same high level of personal service that we provide for our own customers,” explains Dennis. “I can call my bankers on their cell phones, even on weekends… you just don’t get that kind of service at the chain banks.”

When Dennis’s customers need a real estate loan or construction financing, he routinely refers them to Oregon Coast Bank. We appreciate his loyalty, admire his work ethic, and we’re proud to serve as his bankers.

You could say that excavating is in his blood. Dan Kauffman’s father operated a quarry and was known for his expertise in installing rip rap seawalls – his work to stabilize the Salishan Spit is still effective today. After a few years of working for his father, Dan became an independent excavator in 1981. His reputation grew and so did the business. In 1997 Dan began leasing his dad’s quarry. Today, he and his wife Sherry Riedesel own and operate three separate companies: Dan Kauffman Excavating Inc., D K Quarries Inc., and Central Coast Readymix Inc., all headquartered in Lincoln City.

Dan and Sherry’s companies employ 20+ workers and are actively involved in residential, commercial and government excavation projects stretching from Cannon Beach to Florence and as far inland as Sheridan. Customers include homeowners, contractors, ODOT, the forest service and many local municipalities. The companies’ services include site work, stump removal, road building, ponds, sewers, septic systems, water lines, road grading & maintenance, pile driving, crushed rock and delivery of concrete readymix. They currently operate six different quarries serving Lincoln, Tillamook, Polk and Yamhill counties.

As diverse as the company’s operations have become, Dan Kauffman Excavating is best known for its expertise in rip rap. Up and down the central coast the company has been credited with saving many homes from sliding into the ocean. Their office proudly displays many heartfelt thank you letters from customers expressing their gratitude to the company for saving their homes. Some of those letters point out that Dan Kauffman Excavating was called in emergency situations and literally worked around-the-clock during holidays to save homes.

The excavation business is by nature equipment intense. Dan and Sherry’s companies own a full line of bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, front end loaders, dump trucks and crushers. Of course that equipment doesn’t come cheap, so it’s important for Dan & Sherry to have a strong banking relationship.

“We’ve been customers of Oregon Coast Bank since they first opened in Newport more than seven years ago, and we highly recommend them,” explains Sherry. “Whenever we needed a loan, Fred (Fred Postlewait, Oregon Coast Bank’s President) would drive up himself and bring the paperwork,” comments Dan. “They also provided our mortgage when we built our home out near Rose Lodge.” Working with Oregon Coast Bank got even more convenient three years ago when the bank opened its Lincoln City office. “They’re all super friendly and whenever we need anything we just call Eric (Eric Greenawald, Manager of Oregon Coast Bank’s Lincoln City office).” Dan and Sherry also appreciate being able to use their Oregon Coast Bank Line of Credit to purchase new equipment.

It could be said that a man who loves to move dirt and rock with heavy equipment is really a boy who refuses to grow old, and judging from his other hobbies that may be the case. Dan remains an avid dirt bike rider and his eyes really light up describing the Harley he bought last summer. Now empty nesters, Dan and Sherry’s blended family includes four sons, a daughter and a grandchild. The couple spends much of their spare time maintaining their 66-acre property.

You can’t help but admire Dan and Sherry. Through hard work and dedication they’ve built three strong companies that all have had a positive impact on our local communities. In fact their motto for Central Coast Readymix is “whatever it takes”. When we asked Sherry to describe Oregon Coast Bank she replied: “They’re definitely hometown, that’s what we like about them.” Of course when you think about it, that’s a great way to describe Dan and Sherry, too. We’re just appreciative that they’ve chosen to bank with us.

At the precocious age of 23, Randy Neal opened Car Care Specialists in Lincoln City. At the time, his business philosophy was based on a question he asked himself every day – “What can we do to exceed the expectations of our customers?” Twenty-two years later, he still continuously asks himself that same question, which may be why Car Care Specialists has grown so successfully.

First-time customers are always pleasantly surprised when they discover that Car Care Specialists offers free loaner cars, free shuttle service, a comfortable hotel-quality lobby, super-clean restrooms, even free Wi-Fi usage. Car Care Specialists is the only AAA-approved repair facility on the entire Oregon Coast and the company has been voted “Best Auto Repair Facility in Lincoln County” for the past two years by the listeners of KPPT Radio.

“We’ve invested heavily in equipment, personnel and training,” explains Randy. Among his company’s ten employees are five service technicians, each with ASE Certification. Car Care Specialists works on all vehicles, foreign and domestic. With the latest computer diagnostic equipment, the company can provide maintenance on virtually all new cars, which is important since Lincoln City has no new car dealerships. Car Care Specialists has earned a great reputation for fixing vehicles right the first time, which may be why their customers are so loyal, many have been returning for more than 20 years.

This past September, Randy launched an additional business. Car Care Tow-Pro provides 24 hour towing and roadside assistance throughout north Lincoln County. The company is AAA-approved and services all major motor clubs. So how does Randy exceed the expectations of towing customers? “Our trucks are newer, our uniformed drivers are friendly, and all of our tow trucks are multi-passenger, so when a tow is what’s needed, we can also transport passengers,” he explains.

Between them, Randy and his wife, Adena, have four children. Whether they’re boating, racing “dirt toys”, or just sharing time at home, it’s always a family affair. Adena also manages the Car Care Specialists office as well as the couple’s real estate investments and rentals.

In Randy’s words, “it’s imperative to have a financial institution that understands the coastal way of life”. That’s why he’s been an Oregon Coast Bank customer since the bank first opened. Besides handling all of his business accounts, Oregon Coast Bank has provided equipment loans and refinanced the building that houses Randy’s companies. It sort of makes us blush, but Randy insisted we print these words: “Without Oregon Coast Bank it would have been extremely difficult for our businesses to grow into what they have become today.”

We certainly appreciate his kind words and we truly value the opportunity to work with hardworking entrepreneurs like Randy on a daily basis. If you’re doing business on the Oregon Coast, we’d like to be doing business with you. Visit us in any of our five offices, and if by chance your car breaks down on the way, call Randy, he really does spoil his customers.

Gene Shannon’s first building project was a tree fort in his family’s backyard. Fascinated by the process, he soon built a small house a few feet away. But eight year olds are a little young to become contractors.

At the age of 21, Gene left the Coast Guard and obtained his contractor’s license. Aside from a few years operating a tool importing company, he’s been a contractor ever since. Gene Shannon Construction has been successfully building and remodeling homes in Oregon for more than 40 years now.

About 20 years ago, while building homes in the Portland area, Gene met Michele, who would eventually become his wife. She had enjoyed a 17-year career as a typesetter, but as printing technology evolved, typesetting jobs were rapidly disappearing. So Michele also became Gene’s business partner, working hands-on at job sites. “I’d get some funny looks while hauling lumber,” she remembers, “but I enjoyed the physical labor.”

These days Michele spends most of her time managing the company’s office, handling communications, and keeping jobs running efficiently. Gene admits to a slight concession to age, subbing out the company’s roofing work. “Neither of us bounce too well if we fall,” he points out with a smile.

In 1997 Gene and Michele decided to follow their hearts and moved to Lincoln City. “We knew that we were taking a big risk businesswise,” explains Gene. “Obviously, it’s a much smaller market than the Portland area.” But the couple kept reminding themselves of the benefit – “we get to live in paradise.” They purchased and cleared an empty lot a few blocks from the beach, lived in a trailer on the site, and built a chalet style home for themselves.

Over the years, Gene Shannon Construction has built 15 homes at the coast, but the company’s primary businesses are remodeling, home repair and restoration. “Dry rot repairs are one of our specialties,” says Gene. “Coastal weather is hard on homes.” In addition the company does siding repair, power washing, painting, home maintenance, weatherization, additions, decks, fencing, sheet rock repair, kitchen and bath remodels, hardwood floors, tile work, window & door repair, as well as dozens of other projects.

Over the past several years, the 2-person company has found a niche servicing more than 50 owners of local vacation rentals. “We do everything from 24-hour repairs to handing out keys to renters,” explains Michele.

What does it take to keep working steadily as a contractor at the coast, even through slow economic times? “Reliability and flexibility,” replies Gene. “You answer phone calls promptly, show up when you say you will, do quality work, and understand that even when people aren’t building new homes, older houses still need to be repaired.”

Gene and Michele are strong advocates of supporting the local economy. “We use local subs exclusively and buy all of our materials in town,” they explain. The couple even chose to bank at a locally owned institution. “We just feel more comfortable having our accounts and business loans at Oregon Coast Bank,” says Gene. Michele pays the company’s bills online and even uses Oregon Coast Bank Mobile Deposit to deposit checks from home using just her smartphone. “Whenever I have a question about my online accounts, I just bring my iPad to the branch and they’ll immediately help me. That’s remarkable service.”

Not only do we appreciate Gene and Michele’s loyalty, we also admire their work and ability to adapt to a cyclical economy. To succeed for over 40 years in the construction industry is certainly an accomplishment.