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Decisions and determination temp fate: Christian Vanek

MOUNTAIN FOLK TALES

Omayra Acevedo
Posted 12/15/22

[caption id="attachment_96973" align="alignleft" width="243"] Entrepreneurship comes to Nederland: Christian Vanek’s creativity and skill are demonstrated in a sculpture he made from earthenware

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Decisions and determination temp fate: Christian Vanek

MOUNTAIN FOLK TALES

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Entrepreneurship comes to Nederland Above, left; Christian Vanek’s creativity and skill are demonstrated in a sculpture he made from earthenware clay. Above, right; Christian Vanek takes a moment to pose in front of the fireplace at Salto Coffee in Nederland. SCULPTURE PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN VANEK Entrepreneurship comes to Nederland: Christian Vanek’s creativity and skill are demonstrated in a sculpture he made from earthenware clay. SCULPTURE PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN VANEK[/caption]

The city of Glens Falls in New York has a rich history in Revolutionary War battles that resulted in some of its numerous historical sites. It was known for its destruction during the “Great Burning of 1780,” caused by a British punitive expedition.

As fate would have it, the city underwent necessary renovations, making it one of the most charming places in Warren County. Glens Falls’ small-town appeal with big city amenities has earned it the title of “Hometown USA” by Look Magazine.

A small but impactful part of Glens Falls has made its way to the Rocky Mountains, and he isn’t only changing the face of Nederland, he’s changing the lives of so many in our mountain community.

Meet Christian Vanek, a Colorado resident since 2009. When Vanek was a young kid in Glens Falls, he spent his time between his father’s home in the country and his mother’s residence in town. At 16 he moved to Andover, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Andover High.

His dad is a sculptor, and his mother is a painter. Having two creative parents allowed Vanek to dabble in a little bit of everything, including roleplaying games, board games, video games, anime, and sculpting.

As an introverted individual, Vanek didn’t care much for after-school activities. He did not even care about taking lunch breaks when he became part of the professional world. His favorite pastime was and is spending time in the woods.

After graduating from high school, Vanek realized he could not afford college. To make ends meet, he began finding work where he could. This included working for a temp agency after the company he started fell apart, taking everything he had.

Little did he know that his decision to work as a temp would be the kickstart of a successful career in systems development. This would eventually lead him to the town of Nederland. But let’s backtrack a little. Taking a temporary job at Boston University’s parking office, where he automated subway pass pickups to use student card scanners, was the kickstart of an unexpected and successful career.

Work in Progress Christian Vanek poses in front of the former Snyder’s Garage, now in the midst of spectacular renovations. PHOTO BY OMAYRA ACEVEDO Work in Progress: Christian Vanek poses in front of the former Snyder’s Garage, now in the midst of spectacular renovations. PHOTO BY OMAYRA ACEVEDO[/caption]

“It was fun and much more efficient than using physical signatures. They hired me full-time after that and I stayed for a few years before building a consulting company that ultimately turned into SurveyGizmo,” Vanek says.

Vanek’s business partner at the time lived in Boulder. In 2008, Vanek visited Colorado in February, finding the 70-degree weather in Boulder much nicer than the 4-degree weather back home.

By 2009, he had moved to Louisville, Colorado. Two weeks before the flood of 2013, Vanek made his second move in Colorado and purchased a home in Nederland. Three years later, the Cold Springs fire threatened his mountain home. Fortunately, it was one of the few structures that remained untouched by the fire.

The year was 2018 when Vanek sold his business and found himself a retired young man. Four years later, and with no real plan, he made another decision that would begin to change the lives of many Nederland community members.

Between his love of entrepreneurship, nature, and small towns, he began investing in the town of Ned. He was “looking for ways to get involved with the community,” shared Vanek. Purchasing Snyder’s Garage was Vanek’s first professional mountain venture. Snyder’s Garage is receiving a beautiful facelift, which could take a few years to complete.

His second investment was the Peak Performance Realty building. This building will also get much-needed improvements, including meeting ADA compliances. Plans in general for all the properties are to redevelop them. This means starting from scratch for 196 W 1st Street and Snyder’s Garage, with renovations for 98 W 1st Street.

Vanek’s goal is to start and run good local businesses for the community in each location. He defines a good local business as “making enough money to pay employees good wages with benefits, providing things to do in town for us locals and visitors, and supporting the essentials of a small town.”

Though Vanek is taking large steps to positively influence the residents of his community, he confesses, “I don’t need to be known widely for anything. Amongst my friends, I would like to be known for being inventive, trustworthy, and fun to spend time with.”

So, why Christian Vanek, why Nederland, and why is this important? Simple. Vanek believes in improving the small mountain town he now calls his forever home. But this is not only about investments and money. Vanek is diligently working to provide his community with opportunities it never had or are challenging to find.

There’s no denying that Ned has always been a quintessential mountain attraction, but thanks in part to the decisions and determination of one individual, it will continue to get better. Incredible things are in progress, and excitement should be part of the town’s history and future.

Just as Glens Falls went from a tiny town to being destroyed to today being one of New York’s most beautiful and charming places, the town of Nederland is in the process of meeting the same fate.