Carpenter Innovates
for Blind Client and Friend
After graduating from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in electronic technology, Brad Richard (’76) followed in his father’s footsteps and became a quality control circuitry technician — an old-school term for IT support. As a young, inexperienced technician, Richard knew he could always find work in the industry and spent several years working in the rapidly expanding world of technology.
However, Richard discovered that his real passion and inspiration came not from skills he learned through his major but from high school and college electives. The pottery and jewelry classes he took on a whim sparked his creativity and taught him that working with his hands was his gift to the world.
Drawing on those experiences, Richard decided to use his gift of design to build cabinetry — the kind found in kitchens, entertainment centers, tables, desks and dressers. Home remodelers became his primary customers, and his company The Cabinet Wizard took off. Richard quickly realized that using his hands to create furniture was not only lucrative but also immensely satisfying.
One prospective client, Patrick Sturdivant, called his shop just outside of San Antonio and described his bathroom remodeling plans. After discussing his needs, Sturdivant visited the shop to finalize the details in person.
“I had a big set of drawings ready to illustrate the concepts I came up with,” said Richard. “And when he walked in, he had a white cane and told me he was totally blind. I knew right away that my presentation would never work. This would have to be done verbally.”
Sturdivant was born legally blind and lost his sight entirely at the age of 14; the memories of his sighted years allowed him to visualize the details of what he wanted. He asked Richard to design cabinets to bring his ideas to life.
“I went with Patrick to his home and saw his collection of antiques,” Richard said. “He described what he felt, and I used his cues to fabricate mockups. Patrick wanted to feel the columns, the curves and the weight of the wood to experience the designs. I’ve never made replica samples for a client before, so this was a real learning experience for me.”
“You have to throw away your assumptions about what a blind person needs."
Sturdivant hired Richard to implement the plan and was pleased with the results, leading to a business relationship that evolved into a friendship.
“Patrick is quite a capable guy,” said Richard. “He had a career in IT at UTSA, and after retiring, he started working for a company that helps Fortune 500 companies make their systems more accessible to disabled and handicapped users. He could be retired and comfortable, but he’s back to work, using his special gifts — such a great guy.”
Richard said that he has learned quite a bit from his projects with Sturdivant.
“You have to throw away your assumptions about what a blind person needs,” he said. “Once I stopped relying on computer-designed diagrams and started using my hands to develop prototypes, it turned out that we were actually seeing the same thing — but Patrick sees things by touching them.”
Richard is a shining example of how UH alumni’s generosity and grit can elevate their communities to the next level. The story of his friendship with Sturdivant was covered by KENS5, San Antonio's local news channel.
Now 73, Richard is starting to slow down the pace of his work and consider retirement. He has six employees who help him serve his customers and envisions a couple of them carrying on the trade.
“I’ll probably always keep tinkering, though,” he said. “I really like working with my hands.”
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