Eli Polite has been a woodworker since childhood, first using a Skil saw at age eight. He earned a degree in carpentry through his high school’s vocational program and advanced from construction and cabinetmaking to plant manager of a 50-person cabinet shop. After the 2008 market crash, he co-founded a countertop and cabinetry business, earning national recognition for his granite work. After receiving a lathe in 2015, he developed a passion for segmented turning. His work won first place at the 2017 Segmented Symposium in St. Louis and three first-place ribbons at the Delaware State Fair.