Mitch Kohanek taught at the National Institute of Wood Finishing at Dakota County Technical College for 35 years and completed an internship at the Smithsonian Conservation and Analytical Laboratory. His program was the only certified wood-finishing program in the United States and produced many leading professional finishers, restorers, and repair specialists. Mitch has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, WOOD, and Fine Woodworking and has written for American Woodworker and Fine Woodworking. He now operates a finishing and repair consulting company and works with Fresh Air Finishers, specializing in waterborne and custom finishes, restoration, and on-site repairs.