Meet the Team

Travis Barton

Vice President & General Manager

Travis is a Maine native now living in Topsham with his girlfriend, children, and dog. Although he has a degree from the University of Maine Orono in forestry, the interior stone world has become his professional calling. Travis heads for spots in Moscow and Moosehead Lake and is a self-proclaimed grill-master. This enthusiastic outdoorsman reaps the rewards of hunting, fishing, and gardening, and it’s no surprise that he’s a hockey player.
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Ed Bradford

Installer

Ed is a resident of Bath and lives with his wife, Marcia, and has a family crew of five members – Colin, Courtney, Catelyn, Ed Jr., and Emily. Born in Kingston, NY, Ed moved to Maine in 1994 and is an Army veteran, serving his country from 1997 to 2000. Outside of Morningstar, he likes to direct his interests on his past-times, including antique hand-pumped fire engines, gold panning, and disc golf.

Nick Brown

Inside Operations Manager

Nick lives with his wife, son, and daughter in Minot. With a BS from USM in Technology Management under his belt, Nick has seen various aspects of the industry from the ground up. In a past life, Nick was a licensed arborist. His adventurous side gets down and dirty on a muddy four-wheeler, and he happily braves the Maine winters ice fishing. This proud Army brat loves hunting, fishing, and golfing in his spare time.
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Nate Gordon

Installer

Nate was born and raised in Portland and now resides with his girlfriend and a household of five children in Bowdoin. He attended Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, finished his degree at the University of Maine Augusta, and applied his design skills in the architecture and engineering fields. Nate enjoys spending his spare time watching and umpiring baseball games, and if time permits, playing a round of golf.

Derek Kenney

Safety Officer

Derek was born in Brunswick and now resides in Woolwich with his wife, Amanda, and their two sons, Timothy and Bently. Derek spends his free time hunting and fishing in Maine’s great outdoors. He has a solid background in the automotive industry, so it’s no wonder some of his spare time pursuits are focused on cars and sporting events.
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Lesa Lemar

Office Manager

Lesa resides in Pittston with her husband, Mike. She is the proud mother of sons, Joshua and Devan, and daughter Rebecca and is looking forward to the arrival of grandchild number four. Outside the office, Lesa’s interests include antique shopping and restoration, quilt making, and auto racing. She served our country in the Navy Reserves for eight years as a Seabee.

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Nichole Mann

Treasurer & HR/Finance Manager

Born in Brunswick, Nikki enjoys life with her husband, Eben, and two children, Lexie and Kaden, in Litchfield. Nikki spends her spare time with them when not handling her many roles at Morningstar. She attended local schools including Thomas College and Central Maine Technical College and worked in the cable industry before joining Morningstar.
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Ryan McCarthy

Sales & Marketing Manager

Ryan is a life-long resident of Maine. He resides in Durham with his wife, Tesia, and children, Finnian, Dalia, and Fletcher. Between Beer League Lacrosse and the kids’ sporting events, Ryan applies his talents to baking sourdough bread. Ryan’s secret talent lies in the instant movie script line recall when in a challenging situation.
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Steve Ploetz

Fabricator

Steve has been a Mainer for the past 17 years. He is originally from the Chula Vista area in San Diego, California. Steve lives in Topsham with his wife, Jaki, and their dog, Marley. He is a graduate of Mount Ararat High School. Steve’s interests include spending time with good friends during the summer season, playing with the family dog, and squeezing in an occasional round of disc golf.

Nate Rittal

Tile Installer

Nate has deep roots in Maine as a life-long resident of thirty years. Born in Bowdoin, he now lives in Brunswick with his wife, Kristen and daughter, Avery. His interests outside Morningstar include fishing, disc golf, and sporting events. He also enjoys being at the beach. Nate claims to have a pretty good artist’s touch and a good hand in basketball.

Nick Robertson

Tile Installer

Nick was born in Portland and resides in Lisbon Falls with his family – Silvia, Oliver and Logan. He attended the University of Maine Presque Isle and served the home front in the Air Force National Guard for five years. This life-long Mainer enjoys spending his free time doing anything that includes the kids.

Nick Whatley

President

Our fearless leader Nick became a resident of Maine in 1980 and shares his life in Topsham with his wife, Laura; he has two sons, Ben and Dan. A farmer at heart, the Whatley farm proudly produces organic veggies, pork, and duck eggs. When not tending to his farm, Nick plays the standup bass for Rough Sawn. Nick is active in renewable energy pursuits and is the co-founder of Topsham Solar Advocates.