World Traveler

Linnette Welle/CST Precision, Inc. Co-Owner

Although I’ve lived all over the world, the Upstate is one of my favorite places to call home. I’m originally from Puerto Rico and my husband, Matthew, is from Minnesota. We met in Seattle at a conference, when we worked for the same company. After we got married, we lived in Connecticut for 13 years, and then moved to the Greer area about two years ago.

We got tired of the New England winters, and since I love the heat and my husband loves to golf, we started looking to move to the Carolinas and own our own business. The opportunity to purchase Carolina Tool Works presented itself when the previous owner wanted to retire. We bought the company and brought it into a new era, launched a new website, introduced a new mission, and announced a new name: CST Precision. We work with companies in various industries to find solutions from concept to prototype and from print to part.

Before taking over this company, I didn’t have any experience in this particular industry, but my husband did. I’m the Human Resources and Training manager, while my husband takes care of the customers and day-to-day operations. That’s been an advantage with the new company, because we’re able to wear different hats and we complement each other. It’s a good recipe for us.

We are huge movie-buffs, so our ideal date-night is dinner and a movie. Select is one of our favorite restaurants in Greer, which is where the mayor took us for lunch, and we keep going back. Matt is really enjoying the ability to golf year-round. He’s in the process of finding a club to join, but is taking his time because he likes playing all of the area courses.

I have a photography business as well and am making a lot of connections with other creatives. That’s one of the things that has really impressed me here, folks are just so friendly and willing to help. My hairdresser at Boheme Salon was instrumental in connecting me with other women and I’ve found such a strong support system, which to me, is extremely important.

We also have good neighbors at work. We have two buildings, one on Poplar Drive Extension and the other on South Buncombe Drive, and those around us have made us feel at home right away. The first year we were here, the city of Greer even hosted a BBQ on our front lawn so we could meet folks. Everyone knows each other and suggests who to call. Our banker knows a lawyer, who knows a realtor. It’s been really great.

And it’s wonderful to see the downtown develop, and watch how Greer is modernizing aesthetically. We’re proud to have CST Precision be a part of the local business boom. We really like it here and love our location. Of course, once Covid ends, we’ll get back to traveling, but all journeys now end here, at home.

CSTPrecision.com