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ABOUT SOUTHERN SHUTTERS

AUSTIN, TEXAS CUSTOM PLANTATION SHUTTER MANUFACTURER

Welcome to Southern Shutters! We are the only company in central Texas devoted exclusively to designing, building, and installing premium shutters. Servicing the greater Austin area, shutters are our specialty and we are proud of our reputation as the best in the business. 


Mark Edmondson started the company in 1993. As many beginner shutter companies do, Mark purchased shutter panels from larger manufacturers. Over the course of the first three years in business, he bought from three different manufacturers. Each manufacturer produced shutters with their own unique defects. This gave Mark the opportunity to learn how to fix and improve shutters. With Mark’s degree in Production and Operations Management from the University of North Texas, he had the knowledge to set up his own manufacturing facility. 


In 1996 property was purchased east of Austin, in Manor, Texas. Plans were drawn up with an eye toward efficient use of space and maximizing quality output. In November of 1997, Southern Shutters moved into its present-day factory on Beltex Drive in Manor. Now, in order to provide the level of quality our customers deserve, we have complete control of every aspect of the shutter manufacturing process. From the initial sales call, to design, manufacturing, and installation, we do it all.


Austin Southern Shutters Factory

 
In 2008, we opened our showroom in Georgetown, Texas. Our showroom provides a comfortable location where you can become familiar with our product and the services that Southern Shutters offers. Southern Shutters provides in-home consultations where a factory representative will come to your home, design your shutters with you, and provide a quote the same day.

OUR OWNERS

Owner and Founder

Mark EdmonDson

Having grown up in a shutter household, Mark eats and breathes Plantation shutters.  Every day, he and his dogs are at the factory collaborating with 30 people to create truly unique plantation shutters in an industry full of competitors selling generic products. 


Mark grew up in Richardson, TX, watching his father run his own shutter business that he founded in 1974. Attending the University of North Texas, Mark's love of math and statistics led him to study Production and Operations Management. After graduation, Mark took a job working for 3M where he learned the long-lasting value of quality. Following that Mark worked four years in his father’s shutter company – in the process, learning about real world manufacturing.

In Mark’s free time he likes to play video games with his son. He takes advantage of the many bike trails throughout Allendale. He frequently finds himself at a Texas Hold’em table.

Mark Edmonson Founder of Southern Shutters

Partner and Factory Representative

chris lovell

With well over 25 years of experience in the shutters business, Chris’s love of designing and creating shines through during every interaction he has with Southern Shutters’ clients. He finds it very rewarding to partner with customers directly in order to come up with a product that blows their expectations right out of the water.


After selling a startup company in the 1990’s, Chris actually got involved in this field by chance. His next-door neighbor at the time convinced him to come work for Southern Shutters; he needed help with his small business and knew that Chris had plenty of experience already with both woodworking and managing businesses. He started out working in installation and then moved into sales later on. Through his devotion to the work and deep understanding of the craft, he was made a full partner in 2005!


Growing up, Chris’s father and grandfather were constantly designing, tinkering, and working with wood and other similar materials. They taught him all about design and troubleshooting throughout his formative years, and as an adult, he approached his own work with this same important form of thinking. Today, his mechanically gifted mind and humble disposition make him an indisputable asset at Southern Shutters.


In his spare time, Chris’s hobbies include cycling, coaching sports, and spending quality time with his loved ones. He and his wife also enjoy building all sorts of interesting projects together at home.



OUR team

Patrick Baylor

Production Manager & Arch Department Supervisor

Patrick Baylor trained as a woodworker in Germany for 4 years. He began his career with us in the summer of 2006 as an installer. After a year, he moved into the arch department as the supervisor. This is where his formal training really paid off. He oversaw the arch department until the fall of 2012. Thanks to him, we have a robust arch department and can back up our claim that "arches are our specialty!” In the fall of 2012, Patrick took over production management of the entire factory. Bringing with him the vigor of youth and his multifaceted experience. He coordinates the manufacturing and installation of our custom crafted plantation shutters. Patrick enjoys anything having to do with sports, especially baseball, football & soccer and he enjoys spending time with his family & his dog.

Skylerr Birnbaum, Office Manager at Southern Shutters

Skylerr Birnbaum

Office Manager

Skylerr Birnbaum has been with Southern Shutters since April 2014. She came to us from the Texas Department of Insurance where she worked in the Workers Compensation claims department. We were very fortunate to have her join our Accounting team. Skylerr is a native Austinite who grew up in Central Austin, graduated from Austin High and obtained a Liberal Arts degree from Austin Community College. In her spare time, Skylerr likes to read, dance, cook and do science experiments with her daughter. Skylerr has a passion for music, the Dallas Cowboys and really, really corny jokes. Skylerr has proven to be a great asset and is continuing to impress us with her abilities in accounting, office management and human resources.

Jeff Dornak, Factory Representative at Southern Shutters

Jeff Dornak

Factory Representative

Jeff Dornak started out as a satisfied customer purchasing plantation shutters from Southern Shutters in 2010. The quality workmanship, attention to detail, and flawless execution attracted Jeff to join our team from a long career in marketing sales. In his downtime, he enjoys exercising, watching sports, spending time with family, and golfing.



Eddie rodriguez

Lead Installer

Eddie has been with the company since the summer of 2005 when he started as a woodworker in the fabbing department. It did not take long for us to notice his love of woodworking and eye for detail. Eddie is very self-motivated. He moved into the installation department in 2007 and has been our "go to" guy ever since. For fun, Eddie enjoys billiards, watching sports, movies, and spending time with his family.

Tommy Washington

Installer

Born in Lubbock Texas, Tommy Washington moved to Austin in 1979, has been with Southern Shutters since 1999, and he loves installing shutters. Family always comes first for Tommy who co-stars with his wife on her YouTube channel “MAMA BEA’s Kitchen” and loves spending time with his grandkids. When he is not installing shutters, Tommy enjoys working on cars and in the yard, traveling, and supporting the Texas Longhorns. HOOK EM!

Stephanie olmstead

Paint Department Coordinator

Stephanie is a native Texan, born and raised in Elgin. She studied two years of photography at the Art Institute of Austin. From there, she learned flawless color matching. She came to Southern Shutters in 2018 and loves to help out wherever she is needed. In her spare time, she loves to be with her family and photography

dino rocha

Paint Department Supervisor

Dino first started as a sander in the paint department of Mark's father's company in Dallas in 1988. He continued to work as a painter in the Dallas area until joining us here in Austin during the summer of 2003. His 35+ years of experience in painting and staining shutters is evident in the furniture-quality finish he and his department apply to all our shutter orders.

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