Los Gatos Weekly-Times Photograph by Max Becherer Letter-carrier Laura Petrizzo loves her job with the Los Gatos post office, and she's a familiar face in and around the downtown area, where she delivers the mail regardless of sleet or snow. The Best of Los Gatos 1998 People & Professions Service with a smile. That's what our readers like. And it's what they get in Los Gatos, especially from those who garnered the most People and Professions votes. Most of the winners say they gather a following simply by adhering to the Golden Rule--they treat customers and clients the way they'd like to be treated. From parish priests to dentists to hairstylists, what these best-loved Los Gatans have in common is their concern for people. It all fits. People are what make a community, and people love Los Gatos for its sense of community. When people talk about small-town charm, they mean the shops and the schools, the trails and parks and open space, but behind it all, what makes Los Gatos special is its people. Best Interior Designer Quai Gregory Quai Gregory of the Rose Collection believes the key to interior design is to learn as much about her clients as possible, because the designer's job is to help clients express themselves. To do this, she tries to steer them toward focal points, the thing they want to stand out, be it a view of the ocean or the valley, or perhaps a piece of art. "The home is a person's haven," Gregory says. She believes it's important for a family to have the right surroundings, especially as our society keeps changing. They should love it and have fun with it, she says. Gregory, a Cincinnati native who got her unusual first name from her Francophile mom, received her bachelor's degree in design from the University of Cincinnati in the early '60s. Gregory expanded her design skill while living with her former husband in places like Brazil, Egypt, Houston, Scottsdale and Chicago, and practicing her profession any way she could. She's learned batik painting and taught art; she has worked in commercial interior design, in museums and in the upscale wholesale furniture showroom of Baker, Knapp, and Tubbs, where she actually did quite a bit of interior design. Gregory now lives in a new condo in downtown San Jose. She loves working at the Rose Collection. Her clients are glad she's there, too. Quai Gregory, The Rose Collection, 155 N. Santa Cruz Ave., 395-5445 Best Waitress Christi Higgins Twenty-something Christi Higgins is a free spirit, says her co-worker, Nicole Franza. She's been a cocktail waitress at the Los Gatos Bar and Grill for two years and can bring a smile to anyone's face. Words co-workers use to describe her are cute, giggly, brilliant imagination, charming. "I'm good at talking to drunk people," she says, laughing. On Fridays and Saturdays, Higgins serves cocktails; on Tuesdays and Wednesday, food. When Higgins wanted to move north from Gilroy (where she'd been waitressing since she was 16), the Los Gatos Bar and Grill was the first place she tried to land a job, and she's been there ever since. By day, Higgins is an apprentice at the Pure Path Salon, where she is learning cosmetology. It's not something she was pursuing but something that has developed over time. With her great personality and skill in serving people, there's no doubt Higgins will do well wherever the career path leads her. Best Letter-Carrier Laura Petrizzo If I did anything to give her customers bad service, Laura would take my head off," says postmaster Kathie Faupel. Faupel says Laura Petrizzo is one of the best. A New York transplant, Petrizzo discovered and fell in love with Los Gatos more than 15 years ago. She got a job at the post office and a place to live in town. Every day she pushes her cart out of the post office to deliver mail on Santa Cruz Avenue and parts of University Avenue. She takes pride in providing good service. After delivering to downtown for six or seven years, Patrizzo knows her customers well. When mail with a goofy address like "the white house with the green shutters" comes through, she can often figure out who it is meant for. Holiday cards are particularly noted for strange addresses. Like many who work in Los Gatos, Patrizzo couldn't afford to buy a house here. She's recently bought a home for herself and her three dogs in San Jose and left her home of 10 years--the Ivy house on N. Santa Cruz Avenue. No matter where she lives, when Patrizzo takes her dogs for a walk, people stare. Two of them are three-legged huskies--sisters each of whom had a leg shot off by a farmer in Idaho. "We get around together pretty well," she says. Best Waiter Kevin Pribble He's got more regulars than Elvis had women," says Kevin Pribble's roommate and co-worker, Kelly Harris. "He's the ultimate dining experience. He's the show." This "show" is at the Los Gatos Brewing Company starting Thursday nights when it gets busy, That's when Pribble "works his rear end off" being the best waiter in Los Gatos. He's been at the LGBC for six years and has built up regulars that include the 49ers players and cheerleaders. They call him the Michael Jordan of waiters because he is soooo good. His regulars don't even need a menu because he knows what they like and takes care of them. Pribble says he puts the blinders on at 5 p.m. and just focuses on his customers. "I used to be known as the best partyer in town," says Pribble. But he got tired of that and the drugs that went with it. Pribble is a recovering drug addict, five months clean now. "I haven't lost my personality, though," he boasts in his husky, laughing voice. He's a born-at-Los Gatos-Community-Hospital native and knows everyone in town, and he knows the territory, too. During the day he mountain bikes along the trails around here. He's gotten heavily into physical fitness in the last six months, which keeps him in shape for work. "I'm a traditional waiter," Pribble says, which means this is his job, not a second- income job. If having a following like he does is any indication, his regulars love him. He's made an art out of serving people at LGBC. And he has fun with it. Best Bartender Bill Montana Bill Montana has worked at Los Gatos Bar & Grill, 15 1/2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., for four years and says he loves his job. A sociology major at San Jose State University, Montana says his job is like an internship; he gets to study people, but at the same time he's having fun. Montana, who has worked in various locations on N. Santa Cruz Avenue for 10 years, says he is known around town. And he is the only original employee of LG Bar and Grill since it opened four years ago (new owners recently took over the popular restaurant). With only nine more classes to go at SJSU, Montana says he enjoys the flexible hours. He also says he enjoys the fun atmosphere that includes a jukebox and gummy worms. And yes, Montana says he makes a "really good martini." Best Retail Clerk Dee Lane Dee Lane grew up in Los Gatos but had a few adventures before settling in at the Indian Store in Old Town, where she's earned a reputation as the best retail clerk in town. After completing her education for teaching through West Valley College and San Jose State University, she lived in Alaska and Canada for three years as a wilderness guide and a cook in a hunting lodge. It was almost by accident that after starting up a career as a teacher that she got her job at the Indian Store. She had visited the place over the years, even brought her fourth-grade class from Delphi Academy in Los Altos in for a bit of history. One day as she chatted with owner, Janice Benjamin, she mentioned that working at the Indian Store would be a fun. Benjamin said she didn't need anyone. Lane said she didn't need a job. Benjamin said, "Can you start tomorrow?" Lane quit teaching and has been there since 1989. Although she had no retail experience when she started, her outgoing, friendly ways and her love of reading and history (and maybe the part Cherokee blood that courses through her veins) has come together to make her a great retail clerk at the Indian Store. She has developed an interest and expertise in antiques, Native American, Mexican silver and Victorian jewelry. These days, Lane lives in Santa Cruz with four cats. Three of them are "rescue kitties," either abandoned or homeless. This "book-reading-cat-loving fool," as she calls herself, is also a waitress at Hooked on Fish in Scotts Valley. Photograph by Max Becherer For the people who voted Edward Larsen, D.D.S., as best dentist, this is the view of him that they see most frequently. Best Dentist Dr. Edward Larsen Dr. Edward Larsen strives for nothing less than the near-impossible: making patients look forward to their trips to the dentist. After nearly 20 years of practicing in Los Gatos, and two previous Best Dentist recognitions, he must be doing something right. Larsen, who decided on a profession in dentistry when he was still in high school, says he tries to make every patient as comfortable as possible. With his sense of humor and purposefully low-volume practice, patients say they are at ease in Larsen's dentist chair. "They probably think of me as a friend," Larsen says. Edward Larsen, D.D.S., 320 Dardanelli Lane, Suite 20-B, 374-0530 Best Financial Planner James McConnell James McConnell has already retired twice, once as an executive at IBM and again from Conner Peripherals, a startup business that rose to the Fortune 500 faster than any business had before; it was bought out by Seagate. After such success in the corporate world, McConnell asked himself what he really liked to do. Since his degree from Stanford was in economics, he decided to become a registered investment adviser. Not the kind who helps people budget their money, he cautions, but the kind who advises people who want to allocate their assets. McConnell was a broker for awhile but didn't like the sales aspect of it, so he dropped it. He's been known to give free advice to young people when they have no real assets. He figures they might come back later when they do. "I do it because I love it, for fun. I don't make a lot of phony promises. I don't take everyone," he says. "And sometimes if I feel my services are not what a person needs, I send them where their needs will be taken care of." McConnell is active in Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and on the board of the Friends of the Los Gatos Library. He's gotten into physical fitness and works out at the Los Gatos Athletic Club. James McConnell, 409 Aberto Way, 356-0990 Photograph by Max Becherer Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Capt. Duino Giordano has been with the department for 30 years. Voters say he's the best cop in town. Best Cop Capt. Duino Giordano After nearly 30 years with the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, Capt. Duino Giordano still enjoys coming to work each day. Giordano has lived and worked in Los Gatos his entire life in a variety of positions with the LG-MSPD. Giordano began as a reserve police officer in 1968 and is now one of two captains on the force. The father of two says some of his most enjoyable moments have been working with families and children. Giordano says he also enjoys going to classrooms and teaching children on a number of subjects and even receives a number of letters from youngsters he has helped in the past. His experience isn't limited to Los Gatos. Giordano also spent 30 years in the California International Guard working in communications. Best Chiropractor Dirk Reed Many people don't like forceful chiropractic techniques, explains Dirk Reed, who says he works in gentler, more specific ways to make adjustments. He uses applied kinesiology, which means he uses the strength and weakness of muscles to check out how the nervous system is working. And he's the only chiropractor south of Millbrae to use the Toftness Technique, a more recent chiropractic method for detecting and treating nerve stress. Reed believes this technique, also quite gentle, is one of the most effective methods in modern chiropractic health care. He adapts all chiropractic techniques to each patient's needs. The more difficult the problem the more he likes it. "I'm a Spanish, Jewish, white Anglo-Saxon blend," says Reed, who was born in Brooklyn. After graduating from New York Chiropractic College in 1980, he moved Virginia, where he practiced for 10 years, till he decided to move west. Three years ago he moved his practice to Los Gatos. Reed Chiropractic/Los Gatos Saratoga Medical Center, 777 Knowles Dr., Suite 6B, 866-5167 Best Manicurist Tie: Patti Nagainis, Sue Phan Manicurist Patti Nagainis gives the pedicure to die for. "She goes beyond nail polish," daughter Lisa Cagliostro says. She has healing hands, is into wellness, and she has many years of experience. "A pedicure is the most nurturing thing you can do," says Nagainis. "All your nerves end in your feet." She uses reflexology, aromatherapy, hot paraffin, exfoliating creams (all natural sea products) and massage and can spend up to 1 1/2 hours doing a pedicure. When Nagainis moved from New York to California in 1974, she was the first person in the Bay Area to do artificial nails. She had to send to New York for supplies. Nagainis has owned two salons in Los Gatos: Hair Tech and Palare, where her daughter worked for her. Now, after selling her business, she works her magic at her daughter's salon, Cagliostro Hair Design. Sue Phan, who has a license in cosmetology from Milpitas Beauty College, says "I save the working on hair for my family at home." Nails are her specialty. She loves to do nails. "I can make fake that don't look fake," she says. In 1992, after working in Oakland, Phan and her husband, Bill, started Natural Nails and built the business one customer at a time. And because her customers stay with her, she has developed quite a faithful following. One customer who followed Phan all the way from Oakland says Phan goes the extra mile; if a nail chips or breaks, she fixes it for free. Patti Nagainis, Cagliostro Hair Design, 20 S. Santa Cruz Ave., 395-2960 Sue Phan, 191 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, 395-1817 Photograph by Scott Lechner Gary Schloh has made his mark in Los Gatos, where he's been an architect for the past 28 years. Not only has he designed many local homes, he's been a tireless volunteer for community projects, especially those that involve the downtown. Best Architect Gary Schloh When Gary Schloh takes on a project, he follows it to the end. From the drawing board to the planning board to permits and through construction, Schloh stands by his custom home designs and is there for his clients. "Many people are surprised at that," he says. "They think we just give them the paper, and that's it." He also tries to make his designs sensitive to his clients' needs and to incorporate innovative styles that address a homeowner's wants but keep nature and the environment in mind, as well. The Kansas native has been living and practicing in Los Gatos for 22 years. Schloh has designed many Los Gatos and Monte Sereno homes, including a small Los Gatos landmark, the smallest house on the smallest lot in Santa Clara County. Schloh has long been active in downtown Los Gatos, often recruiting his fellow Lions for projects that range from hanging banners to weeding planter boxes. Gary Schloh, Architecture by Schloh, 213 Bean Ave., 354-4551 Best Hairstylist Lisa Lischka Lisa Lischka knows choosing the right hairstyle can be a stressful experience, so at her salon, she works hard to make it easier on customers. From aromatherapy to relax clients and ionizers to mask or remove the chemical smell of some hair treatments, to old-fashioned individual attention, she has been opening customers' minds to new styles and taking the stress out of hair care at her Pure Path salon for nearly five years. Lischka, a hairstylist for 17 years, takes pride in that fact that she makes clients feel special each and every time they come into the salon, not just the first or second time. "I am very customer-oriented," she says. "I never treat my clients like a number." (Her Pure Path salon took Best of Los Gatos honors under the Goods & Services category, too.) Lisa Lischka, Pure Path, 110 S. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A, 354-3852 Best CPA Keith Plottel Three-time winner Keith Plottel takes pride in his long-term relationships with his clients, and credits the firm's ability to anticipate problems before they arise. Clients go to him for both personal tax work and business accounts. Although his practice continues to grow, Plottel delivers personal service, making personal calls to let clients know about changes in the tax code, for instance, that could affect their assets. Because he has owned a small business, he knows from personal experience what it's like to be the owner of such a company, and today, he specializes in working with small businesses. He's been practicing in Los Gatos for12 years. Keith Plottel, 718 University Ave., Suite 213, 399-6966 Best Real Estate Agent Katy Gallagher The best part of her job, Katy Gallagher says, is when all the pieces fit into place and the excitement of moving into a new home is written all over a client's face. Then, Gallagher says, all the hard work was worth it. "I guess I just really care about people, and I try to do my best for them," she says. The Los Gatos resident of some 20 years says she tries to explain the real estate buying and selling process to her clients thoroughly and to help them through each step. Gallagher began her career as a real estate agent with Cornish & Carey and Coldwell Banker three years ago, but she is not a stranger to the world of real estate, having been an appraiser for seven years. Katy Gallagher, Coldwell Banker, 325 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road, 395-1500 Best Massage Therapist Lee Holden After being introduced to massage by a martial arts professor at UC-Berkeley, Lee Holden began practicing his techniques on friends and family as a hobby. When he gave a massage to the owner of the Los Gatos Athletic Club--and was offered a job as a therapist at the facility--his hobby became his profession. And six years later, the Los Gatos native and graduate of Los Gatos High School is still plying his trade on grateful clients. Holden travels to Thailand, Southeast Asia and China to hone his skills and learn new techniques. He also practices yoga and tai chi. "That helps keep my energy level up when I'm working with clients," he says. Lee Holden, Los Gatos Athletic Club, 285 E. Main St., 354-5808 Best Lawyer Rebecca Jones Rebecca Jones says she works by one simple rule: "I treat my clients like I like to be treated." The general-practice attorney first began working at Gallagher, Reedy and Jones 15 years ago--about the same time her brother and fellow attorney, Mike Jones, also began at the Los Gatos firm. She worked there all through law school and when she became a lawyer herself 11 years ago, a spot was open for her. Jones also teaches legal research and writing to first-year law students at Santa Clara University in the evenings, a task that keeps her plenty busy but, says Jones, also keeps her fresh and on top of her trade. Rebecca Jones, Gallagher, Reedy and Jones, 19A N. Santa Cruz Ave., 354-1388 Best Optometrist Dr. Robert Vandenberg When Dr. Robert Vandenberg performs an exam, he doesn't just look into his patients' eyes; he looks into their lifestyles and occupational and health histories. In Silicon Valley, Vandenberg specializes in spectacles that can ease the strain placed on the eyes of cubicle-dwellers. And through Eye Contact Optometry, Vandenberg's selection of glasses is as wide as his exam is thorough, and he strives to stay on top of innovative products for his patients. But most of all, Vandenberg says, he takes his time with patients, making sure each one is looked at carefully so they might see more clearly. Dr. Vandenberg, Eye Contact Optometry, 350 N. Santa Cruz Ave., 395-3934 Best Physician Edward Littlejohn, M.D. Always a sportsman himself--in competitive skiing and soccer--Dr. Edward Littlejohn says it was a natural choice for him to seek a job in the medical profession, and to specialize in sports medicine and surgery and orthopedics. Patients say his dedication is intense, and after 14 years practicing in Los Gatos, he continues to really listen to his patients' needs and ailments. Previously, Los Gatans voted Littlejohn Best Surgeon. He was trained at UC-Irvine and UCLA. Edward Littlejohn, M.D., 14911 National Ave., 358-2757 Best Veterinarian Kyle Frandle For more than 50 years, the Los Gatos Dog and Cat Hospital has been opening its doors to sick and wounded area pets. And for 19 of those years, Kyle Frandle, DVM, has been providing personal service to both pets and owners alike. It's a track record of which Frandle is proud. "I think being in the community a long time is important," he says. "I'm proud of the fact that we've grown with the community." Clients say Frandle, who lives in Scotts Valley with his wife, an elementary school teacher, remembers not only his furry patients' names, but also their habits and the traits that make them beloved by their owners. Kyle Frandle, Los Gatos Dog and Cat Hospital, 17480 Shelbourne Way, 354-6474 Best Personal Trainer Judy Dowdy Judy Dowdy got into personal fitness in 1991 to get out of real estate, a profession she'd been in for 18 years. "I hated my previous life, and I knew what made me feel good in my life, and I wanted to share that with others," she says. Clients say she is positive and uplifting, traits Dowdy cites as part of her lifestyle approach. The Connecticut native, who moved to Los Gatos in 1984, says she tries to not only teach exercise to her clients, but also healthy living as well. Dowdy incorporates yoga into her sessions, which she holds at her own studio called Personal Enhancement. Judy Dowdy, Personal Enhancement, 455 Los Gatos Blvd., Suite 102, 828-9071 Best Grade School Teacher Jan Parker Jan Parker has taught at Lexington Elementary School for nearly 20 years and says she really cares about her students. Parker, who currently teaches second grade, has also taught kindergarten and fifth grade. In the classroom, Parker keeps her students interested by using a variety of methods, including incorporating technology into her lesson plans. She says she also teaches her students "to be independent and learn from each other." But at the same time, Parker says she tries to connect home and school life. One assignment is having her students write letters to their parents telling them what they learned in school. In return, Parker said the parents write "sweet" letters back to their children telling them their thoughts. Best Middle School Teacher Susan Frey Susan Frey's ninth year at Fisher Middle School comes with a change--she is no longer teaching math. For the past four years, Frey has been balancing her time as a part-time physical education teacher and as a math teacher. She was even Math Department head for the last three years. Frey says she blended traditional math with problem-solving methods. She was also part of a statewide Math Renaissance program, where she was a cluster leader who trained other teachers in problem-solving methods. But now, for the first time, she is going to change her focus by teaching sixth-grade coed P.E. and seventh- and eighth-grade girls' P.E. While she says that someday she will probably go back to teaching math, she is having fun with her new assignment. Best High School Teacher Joanne Benjamin As a popular Los Gatos High School teacher currently on a one-year sabbatical, Joanne Benjamin wears many hats. A Town Council member since 1982 and a former mayor, Benjamin is working as an independent contractor for APEX (Advanced Placement Excellence), a Seattle- based company. The LGHS economics and government teacher is putting some of her skills to work in developing a microeconomics course and a macroeconomics course available via the Internet. While virtual education is cutting edge, Benjamin is known for using innovative techniques in the classroom. In the past, she has held mock trials in her classroom to help students learn about court procedures and policies in an interactive way. Benjamin has also given students play money to invest in the stock market and teaches them how to buy, sell and trade stocks. Benjamin plans to come back to LGHS when her contract with APEX expires. Best Town Employee MarLyn Rasmussen For 10 years now, MarLyn Rasmussen has taken a personal interest in each person who comes to the town clerk's office. As Los Gatos' senior deputy town clerk, Rasmussen helps residents with a number of paperwork requirements including permits. "She tries to give Nordstrom service to whoever she helps," Town Clerk Marian Cosgrove says. She is very enthusiastic and is more than happy to tell someone what steps to take, Cosgrove says. Cosgrove says Rasmussen enjoys her job and giving personalized service to the town's residents. Her commitment to the community doesn't end with her job; she's active with youth programs and with the Los Gatos Community Foundation, which raises funds for local projects. She served on the Town Council from 1980 to 1984. Best Member of the Clergy Tie: The Rev. Jeff Kane, The Rev. Tony Pereiri The Rev. Jeff Kane has a passion for people. As the associate pastor at Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos for the past four years, Kane says he tries to enjoy all age groups. But in particular, the father of two is involved in a lot of youth activities. Kane coaches seventh-grade basketball and Powder Puff football and says in most circles people say "Hi, coach" or "Hi, Jeff." However Kane says he just goes where he is needed trying to help whomever he can. The Rev. Tony Pereiri of St. Mary's Catholic Church on Bean Avenue says he is a good listener who uses a variety of methods in his daily work. He says he uses everything from guitar to contemporary examples to explain scriptures. But most of all, Father Tony, who has been with St. Mary's for three years, says, "I do the Lord's work." It must be a successful strategy; not only did readers cast their votes for him, they also called St. Mary's the Best Church in Los Gatos. Best Contractor Steve Howard Steve Howard started his own construction business in 1984 to be his own boss and to provide quality service. The one-time project manager says that contracting is in his family with both his dad and uncle being in the profession. Howard says he has an eye for detail and works mainly on new high-end residential homes and also does complete renovations of houses. He believes part of his success is his management ability. While some of Howard's business comes from word of mouth, he says he also works with a few local architects who refer business to him. Steve Howard Construction Inc., 17460 High St., 395-9148 Photograph by George Sakkestad Los Gatos High School football coach Butch Cattolico enjoys a restful moment during a practice session. Best Coach Butch Cattolico After 22 years at Los Gatos High School, and 13 years as head football coach, Butch Cattolico knows what it takes to have a winning team. Under Cattolico's direction, LGHS has won league championships eight times and the Central Coast championships five times, including winning both championships last year. Cattolico says he has coached a lot of families where the parents played football for the school in days gone by and now he has their sons. Part of the popular coach's style is to keep the game "enjoyable and fun." Best Plumber Henry Thorne Thirty years ago, Henry Thorne, owner of Thorne's Plumbing, worked his way through college at a plumbing supply house. He later moved to Los Gatos, decided to be a plumber and opened his own business. Most of his business comes by word of mouth, Thorne says. He adds he is honest and trustworthy and that he treats his customers the way he would want to be treated. In college, Thorne earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, skills that come in handy with home service repair jobs ranging from water heaters to faucets. Thorne's Plumbing, P.O. Box 33231, 356-8500 Best Electrician Dennis Shrader Dennis Shrader, owner of Los Gatos Electric since 1973, says he tries to give his customers good service and quality work. His company gets a lot of referrals, Shrader says. Most of the electrician work his company performs in Los Gatos is service work. In addition, Los Gatos Electric works on new construction and remodels of homes and business. Shrader first began working as an electrician in 1961 by performing work for electrical contractors before opening Los Gatos Electric 25 years ago. Los Gatos Electric, 14879 Los Gatos- Almaden Road, 371-1526 [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, October 21, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.