DMT honors North Bennet graduate with award

Diamond Machining Technology of Marlborough, Mass., recognized Evan Kistler in May with its annual Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship. Kistler is a recent graduate of the preservation carpentry program at the North Bennet Street School in Boston. The annual award, now in its second year, is designed specifically for North Bennet students to show recognition to exceptional craftsmanship while encouraging the next generation of artists. 

North Bennet faculty nominated and selected Kistler for the award, which is required to go to a graduating student who has demonstrated excellence in craftsmanship, created an exemplary body of work and whose leadership skills have contributed to fellow students and to the school. The award comprises a gift of $1,000 and complimentary DMT sharpening products.

North Bennet department chairman Steven O’Shaughnessy says Kistler was an ideal student and emphasizes that Kistler is reliable, focused, interested and hardworking, as well as helpful to both his instructors and other students.”

“Whether in the shop, at his bench or in the field, Evan has contributed to the success of projects the program has taken on with good questions, helpful techniques and a ‘let’s get this done’ attitude,” O’Shaughnessy says.

Kistler expressed that he certainly appreciates being chosen for the award, but is also very grateful for his two years at North Bennet refining his preservation carpentry skills and learning the history of the craft.

“I am excited to be graduating and extremely humbled to be receiving the DMT award. I am very grateful to DMT, my instructors, and everyone else at the school for selecting me out of a group of students whose skills impress me on a daily basis,” Kistler says. “I look forward to a long career spent protecting and renewing our architectural heritage by hand, one house at a time.”

He recently accepted a position with Kevin Cradock Builders of Boston, a building and renovation firm. 

DMT vice president Stacey Brandon presented the award May 29 in a pre-graduation gathering at North Bennet. “Having the opportunity to personally present the award to Evan was very meaningful to me. This is one of the true pleasures of my job, getting to meet and support the craftspeople that use our products and particularly exceptional young talent like Evan.”

This article originally appeared in the July 2015 issue.