“West Palm jewelry designer recalls glory days as paratrooper” |
| West Palm jewelry designer recalls glory days as paratrooper Posted: 01 Sep 2010 06:20 AM PDT By Kevin D. Thompson Palm Beach Post Staff Writer As a decorated paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division for 15 years, Steve Copening is no stranger to danger, having parachuted into such hostile regions as Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. Now the 51-year-old West Palm Beach resident lives a much more quiet life as a custom house jewelry designer. "A lot of my Army buddies are jealous," Copening said. "I'm in a warm, dry place behind a desk." Copening co-owns and operates Premier Resources, a company that designs engagement rings and wedding bands. Copening said his company works with about 300 clients and earned $500,000 in sales last year. Average price for his jewelry: $2,000. Copening never advertises because he said he doesn't have to. "We get enough business by word of mouth," he said. The company recently launched a new line of rings honoring paratroopers. A portion of the proceeds will be contributed to the 82nd Airborne Association, a nonprofit organization, to benefit wounded soldiers. The series of rings are embellished with a likeness of the U.S. Army parachute badge. "We wanted to give something back," Copening said. The best part of designing jewelry, Copening said, is working with young couples. "You are creating something for a happy event," Copening said. During his paratrooper days, Copening, who is 40 percent disabled (bad knees and shoulders) said he loved the thrill of being on call at a moment's notice. One time his division got a call to fly into Panama. Eighteen hours later, Copening was jumping into an international airport. "You always had to be ready," Copening said. "I loved that." Now he enjoys helping couples cement their love for each other. "A lot of our clients become our friends," Copening said. "You know they say you should always have a lawyer and a jeweler as your friend." Where do you go to get away from it all? 'I scuba dive every week.' If you have one thing to do over, what would it be? 'I would've stayed at the University of Texas and went to law school.' What is the most unusual item you own? A woody magnum speargun. If you could switch jobs with anybody, who would it be? 'I'd be a dive instructor.' If your life were made into a movie, who would play you? 'I'd say Mel Gibson, but now I'm afraid to.' This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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