Blog | Kenmore Air

Meet the Kenmore Air Family

Aug 18, 2021

Munro’s descendants and their spouses: Leslie Banks, Tim Banks, Gregg Munro, Margie Munro, Todd Banks, Jayne Banks, Olivia Banks, Hunter Banks, Mason Banks, Allison Russell, Chris Russell, Kylie Russell, Logan Russell, David Banks.

3 Generations of Mr. Munro’s Descendants (and Counting)

AT THE NORTH END OF Lake Washington, tucked beside the mouth of the Sammamish River, sits a humble airport. It has sat there ever since Bob Munro founded Kenmore Air in 1946 with two high school friends.

What started out as a one hangar, single seaplane company has grown into a thriving multi-faceted business. Today — 75 years later — picnic tables serve as departure “gates”; employees park among company aircraft, and, Munro’s descendants have been raised — quite literally. The original family home still stands at the westernmost edge of the five-acre campus where Munro and his wife Ruth raised their three children, Leslie Banks, Gregg Munro and Margie Munro.

August 18, 2021/by Mikaela Judd

Washington’s Pig Headed War

Blog, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Jul 26, 2021 Mike Vouri

Photo by Tomas Nevesely

The killing of a pig nearly plunged the United States and Great Britain into war in 1859. Fortunately cooler heads prevailed.

Long before the San Juan Islands were a vacation destination, they were the focus of an international crisis ignited by an unlikely incident: The shooting of a pig in a potato patch. This was the famous Pig War of 1859, when military and naval forces of the United States and Great Britain almost came to blows in midsummer after the death of the Berkshire boar.

But in the end, not a single shot was fired. The nations opted for peace, an outcome that was commemorated more than 100 years later with the creation of San Juan Island National Historical Park. The issue, aside from mid-19^th century notions of honor, was mainly about real estate.

July 26, 2021/by Mikaela Judd

75 Years of Doing it Right

Blog, History

Jul 11, 2021 C. Marin Faure

To most of us, flying is simply a fast and efficient way of getting from here to there. But it can be so much more. Accelerating across the water at the point of a sparkling vee of spray, lifting off to look down through big windows at the shining towers of a city beside a deepwater bay, skimming close over a jigsaw puzzle of islands and inlets, soaring around the ice-draped peaks and looming volcanoes that make up some of the most impressive mountains on the planet… Now that’s flying.

That this remarkable experience can be had by simply buying a ticket on Kenmore Air is due entirely to a single gust of wind which shortly before the outbreak of World War II flipped over a tiny, two-seat Aeronca floatplane on Seattle’s Lake Union. Seattle seaplane pioneer Lana Kurtzer salvaged the plane, stacked the pieces behind his shop and forgot about it until 1944 when a pair of young Navy Reserve aviation mechanics asked if he’d be willing to sell it.

July 11, 2021/by C. Marin Faure

Paula West, Pottery Artist

Blog, Featured Artists, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Jul 7, 2021 Mikaela Judd

In a small converted garage, roughly six miles southwest of Friday Harbor, you’ll often find Paula West covered in clay.

A Connecticut native, she came to San Juan Island in 1990 (by way of New Hampshire, California, Oregon, and Canada). It was here that she met her husband, Joe Cooper. And it was here she set up her studio in 1993.

July 7, 2021/by Mikaela Judd

Express Assistant Chief Pilot Christina Rzeplinski

Blog, Kenmore Family

Mar 8, 2021 Mikaela Judd

Express Assistant Chief Pilot Christina Rzeplinski

Flying wasn’t the original plan for Christina Rzeplinski. But after taking a private jet to tour colleges on the East Coast, the trajectory of her life was forever changed. Christina wanted to be a pilot.

“I was really lucky. A girlfriend from high school took me with her to tour colleges. We flew on a private jet to New York, Boston and Connecticut,” Christina said. “Most people get on a private jet and think, ‘I wish I could always fly on a private jet.’ I got on and said, ‘I want to fly this thing.’”

March 8, 2021/by Mikaela Judd

6 Cuddle-Worthy Destinations in the San Juan Islands

Blog, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Oct 21, 2020 Mikaela Judd

6 Cuddle-Worthy Destinations in the San Juan Islands

Slow-paced island life, farm-to-table cuisine, and intimate accommodations make for the perfect winter escape.

Though the San Juan Islands aren’t as popular during the drizzly season, the relatively deserted towns make for a crowd-free adventure. The slow pace allows shop owners and artisans linger with customers. Cloudy days offer their own kind of beauty. Mist often clings to fields and shrouds shores, lifting like a translucent curtain.

The hikes remain beautiful and wildlife plentiful during the fall and winter months. But don’t feel pressed to go exploring. These cuddle-worthy destinations feature cozy fireplaces that may keep you indoors all day and all night. Whether it’s a solo getaway or a party of two, the San Juan Islands offer the perfect mix of solitude and hospitality.

October 21, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Caitlin Hunter — Boeing Field Supervisor

Blog, Kenmore Family

Oct 12, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Raised in the airline industry, Caitlin Hunter’s no stranger to helping make a passenger’s travel day fly by smoothly. She joined her mom at SkyWest Airlines in 2005, doing anything and everything that was needed.

“You name it, I’ve done it. Working the ticket counter. Loading bags. Pushing the airplane out. Being a gate agent. I’ve done everything but fly the airplane,” Caitlin explained in a break between customer service calls.

Five years ago, she joined the Kenmore Air family as a Seasonal Customer Service Agent. “Kenmore is a great place to work. I absolutely love it here,” she said. A people person through and through, Caitlin’s upbeat attitude made her a perfect fit for working with customers and she was quickly hired on year-round at the Lake Union seaplane terminal.

October 12, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Picnic Perfect: Where to Buy the Best Picnic Essentials in Seattle

Blog, Things to do in Seattle

Aug 26, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Picnic Perfect: Where to Buy the Best Picnic Essentials in Seattle

From sandwiches to a mix-and-match spread of fixings, discover some of the best places to get picnic food in Seattle.

Derived from the French term ‘pique-nique,’ a picnic initially described gourmands who brought their own wine when dining out. But by the Middle Ages, this beloved pastime began to acquire the respect it so rightly deserves. An elegant and leisurely affair — Seattle picnics are particularly renowned, if for no other reason than they mark the scant three months of Emerald City sunshine.

So, gather ye blankets while ye may. Load your coolers with a nosh-worthy spread from some of the area’s best shops slinging eat-with-your-hands goods. And, find yourself a sunny spot to lounge.

August 26, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Get to Know Stephanie Smith, Owner of Holly B's on Lopez Island

Blog, Things to do in the San Juan Islands

Aug 25, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Get to Know Stephanie Smith, Owner of Holly B's on Lopez Island

What makes a wetland biologist trade water and grass for butter and flour? For Stephanie Smith it was the desire to be more creative and find a career she could do anywhere in the world.

A Pacific Northwest native, she dove fingers first into a world of dough. And after completing the pastry program at Le Cordon Blue in Seattle, Stephanie ran the bakery for Microsoft’s catering service. But she longed to use her skills at a job where her hands got sticky, customers ordered in person, and her schedule allowed her to travel.

August 25, 2020/by Mikaela Judd

Lead Kenmore Air Machinist and Welder, Mike Smith

Blog, Kenmore Family

Aug 18, 2020 Mikaela Judd

Quality craftsmanship — that’s what motivates Mike Smith. As the lead machinist and welder at Kenmore Air, doing things the right way every time is essential.

“I like having to do stuff right. I like that part of my job,” said Mike. In his role at Kenmore Air Mike specializes in creating prototypes, fabricating custom parts, making tools, and producing small production runs of parts.

August 18, 2020/by Mikaela Judd