News & Events

Employee Spotlight Interview – Jared Keehn – Purchasing Manager, Safety Director

Two important components of successful home building are maximizing the use of high-quality materials and minimizing costs. Our Purchasing Manager and Safety Director, Jared Keehn, works tirelessly with local suppliers to make sure West Hills Homes Northwest meets both of these goals. His love for the Pacific Northwest is evident through his efforts to acquire the most sustainable and cost-effective products for our homes. Read below to learn more about Jared’s life behind the scenes.

1. What do you enjoy most about working at West Hills Homes NW?
   The best part for me is working with the vendors and subcontractors in developing and providing a quality product. You develop relationships that extend beyond the work day.
2. What makes West Hills Homes different as it relates to home buyers?
   Hands down it’s the quality of the product. We take the extra time, energy, and money to ensure that our homes exceed the expectations of the buyer. This is represented in not only the visible finishes, but it is also hidden in the wall.
3. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
   Where to begin. I love doing all of the typical Portland activities: hiking, trying new restaurants and breweries, going to local shows, kayaking, and going to the Saturday Market on Sunday. I also enjoy playing golf, volleyball, and softball, as well as watching football, basketball, and soccer.
4. What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family?
   All of my family is back in the Midwest so for me, my friends are my family. We play volleyball, kickball, and corn-hole, go to Timbers’ matches and Blazers’ games, try new whiskeys at our favorite bars, and give each other a hard time.
5. Are you a Portland native? If so, where in PDX did you grow up? If not, what brought you to the city?
   I am a transplant. I moved here from Wisconsin a little over five years ago. I had two really good friends that were moving out here and they asked if I wanted to come out with them. I was working a dead-end job and had very little to lose, so I took the risk and haven’t looked back.
6. What advice do you have for those looking for a new home?
   Do your research. Look into the comparable homes in the area so you know what a fair market value is. Walk/drive around the neighborhood to identify the parks, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. When you are making such a large financial commitment, you want to ensure that you will be happy with not only the house, but also with the community.
7. What’s your favorite part of your home?
   It would have to be the location. I currently have an apartment a couple of blocks from Screen Door in NE Portland. There are so many restaurants, breweries, parks, and venues within walking distance that it is sometimes difficult to decide which one to go to, but that’s a problem I will happily live with.

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