In my first post on this topic, I told you about my admiration for a law enforcement officer and a small business entrepreneur in West Linn, Oregon.

I’m proud to know both Chief Oddis Rollins and Scott Andersson of Ace Computer Repair, LLC. https://thebeerchaser.com/2026/06/23/beerchaser-notables-an-excellent-public-servant-and-three-outstanding-entrepreneurs-part-i/

Welcome back to Thebeerchaser. This is a long post. If you’re receiving it through an e-mail, please visit the blog by clicking on the title at the top to see all of the photos and so the narrative isn’t clipped. (# External photo attribution at the end of the post #1)

Both young Elliot Schwartz, a recent Lakeridge High School grad and Don Fuchs, a former colleague at the Schwabe law firm, also deserve commendations for their entrepreneurial efforts and to be “honored” as Beerchasing Notables.

You’ll Take a “Shine” to Elliot

I first met Elliot over one year ago when he came to our house and pitched his window washing service. He greeted me by my first name and gave an eloquent and somewhat aggressive pitch on why we should join our neighbors and hire him.

My first reaction was “This young guy seems pretty brash.” We didn’t need the service then and I turned him down. Then about one month ago, Elliot brightened our doorstep again. I’d seen him doing a number of my neighbors’ homes with his team and I decided to give him a try.

Part of the rationale was that my wife of forty-six years had informed me if she ever saw me on a ladder again, that I (not her) would be leaving the house and moving to an apartment. (#2 – #3)

Well, he did an outstanding job and Elliot insisted that before I paid him, I walk around the house and inspect his work. And our windows did shine. I thought Elliot had an interesting story, so I invited him in to interview for Thebeerchaser.

So how did 18-year-old Elliot become an entrepreneur? Perhaps he was born with a passion for sales because he started selling candy in second grade, followed by opening successful lemonade stands.

His parents were very supportive although they didn’t tell him what to do – he wanted to do it. His dad makes his living as leadership coach and it’s evident that some of this rubbed off on Elliot.

His siblings went to private school at the prestigious Oregon Episcopal School, but the young entrepreneur wanted to go to public school and chose Lakeridge where he lettered in soccer.

From his freshman to junior years, he worked part-time in commissioned sales reselling Nike shoes and did pretty well. After seeing others advertise residential window washing on social media, he decided at the end of his junior year to form his company.

In that short time, PaineCrime Window Cleaning has hired two technicians (window and roof cleaners) and a door-to-door sales rep. (Check out his website) “Streak-free, spot-free glass for homes and businesses across Lake Oswego, West Linn, and the greater Portland metro.”

He developed his logo himself through AI and now also has merchandise. The reviews on social media are excellent – here’s two examples:

“The work these guys did was outstanding. My windows have never been cleaner. I would highly recommend them and definitely going to be using them again!”

“PaneCrime Window Cleaning services my business in the Irvington area and does an amazing job! Very thorough job cleaning of the exterior windows, punctual and great to do business with!”

Talking to this remarkable young man was a pleasure. He stated:

“My grandfather, Robert Abel Davies III, has been a huge inspiration to me from an entrepreneurial perspective throughout my life. He told me that I should always strive for excellence, and everything else will follow. That philosophy has really guided how I approach PaneCrime Window Cleaning and everything else I do.

His five-year plan includes starting college at San Diego State University in the fall majoring in finance and accounting. It wouldn’t surprise anyone who knows him to see him have a successful career in sales.

He keeps a journal for self-reflection and states he loves learning from other people and states, “I want to continue spreading positivity.” (#4 – #5)

I’m sure that Elliot’s parents are proud of him. I am too and I just met him. Give him a call for windows “So clean, it’s criminal!”

Don Fuchs – Lawyer turned Entrepreneur

I spent the last twenty-six years of my career working at an outstanding regional law firm based in Portland – first as Business Manager and the last thirteen as the Chief Operating Officer. Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt – now known as Schwabe – had a great team-oriented environment and I’m proud to say – Management had an open-door policy. (#4)

During that time, I saw many excellent law school students start their careers as summer law clerks, join the firm as associates and go on to become partners. Others, after an initial tenure at the firm, moved to careers in public service, as in-house counsel for our clients or became corporate executives.

Some of my favorites were undergrads at the Business School at Willamette University and then earned their law degree at the school. Willamette University’s joint JD/MBA program through the Atkinson Graduate School of Management, has an excellent reputation.

It was to the firm’s benefit to have young lawyers who, besides being skilled in legal theory, understood the requirements of running a business. In Schwabe’s case, when I retired in 2011, we had about 150 lawyers and five offices. Three of my favorites from Willamette Law School with Business School credentials were Don Fuchs, Jeff Hern and Tom Tongue. (#5 – #7)

Both Hern and Tongue are now partners and have thriving corporate practices – Tongue also was appointed as Schwabe CEO in 2025 and Fuchs is now CEO of Harris Thermal Transfer Products – an Oregon corporation based in Newberg.

But I want to focus on Fuchs today, because he is an unintriguing entrepreneurial story as well as one of family values. The first time he visited my office with some suggestions shortly after he started as an associate in 1998, I have to admit my reaction was similar to my initial encounter with young Elliot Schwartz – “This guy’s a bit cocky and brash.”

When Don returned with some constructive ideas – rather than just gripes – I was impressed. That said, I have to admit that his record as a four-year letterman (1990 – 1993) on the Linfield University Basketball Team, predisposed me to listen. This was affirmed when I saw how his elbow jumper helped our Lawyer’s League basketball team. (And he was a good teammate.)

I got to know Don well and I was saddened for the firm, but happy for Don, when he told me he was leaving to pursue his dream for the start-up Legal Anywhere – which he co-founded in 1997 and continued building while also meeting his billable goals as a new lawyer.

Legal Anywhere® became the market leader for enterprise collaboration and file sharing for law firms and corporate legal departments around the world. (#8)

In 2003, he became the Chief Sales and Strategy Officer, a position he held for almost fifteen years until the investors sold the company to High Q. He managed the sell side of the merger and acquisition process.

I’ll use AI to summarize Don’s career:

“(He’s held) senior leadership roles in global software sales, business development, and sales at various companies, including Opus 2, HighQ, and Legal Anywhere. He also co-founded and served as CEO of BK Direct and Compli Corporation.

Fuchs’ background is unique — he began his career as an attorney, later founded and sold legal technology companies, and then transitioned into running a 140-year-old family-owned manufacturing business – Harris Thermal Transfer Products, founded in 1885 and acquired by his family in the 1980s.”

In 2022, his career had a major transition – from software to heavy industrial manufacturing, when at the request of his dad, he took over as CEO of Harris Thermal Transfer. He wasn’t pursuing this position, but his family loyalty trumped his affinity for technology.

A few of the pictures below are from a recent visit I had with Don at the impressive Harris facilities and offices. He was definitely in his element. (We also agreed that we were both too old for a game of one-on-one.) (#9 – #10)

The company designs, fabricates, and repairs custom thermal‑process equipment for industries such as power generation, renewable energy, oil & gas, chemical processing, water treatment, food & beverage, mining, and pulp & paper.

You can see why family values are important to Don. (#11 – #12)

I’ll finish with a digression from his professional exploits….

His four years lettering for the Linfield Wildcats under legendary Coach Larry Doty, demonstrate his character, persistence and sense of humor. His freshman year, Don felt that he wasn’t getting enough playing time and Coach Doty seemed to ignore his pleas.

He informed Coach he was going to invoke a personal hot-water boycott after practice and games going forward until his playing time increased. Don told me that it was the middle of winter and he would exit the shower hyperventilating.

I asked him why the coach would care and he replied, “I was young and foolish and this was my first foray into sales and marketing…” It did get at least get the attention of Coach Doty and his teammates who “enjoyed seeing me frigid.”

Notwithstanding the boycott, his playing time the first two seasons didn’t end up to his satisfaction, but in his third season (1992-3) the Wildcats finished with a 28–0 record in conference play, winning the conference title and advancing to the NCAA Tournament.  “Fuchs’ consistent scoring and rebounding helped maintain the team’s high level of play throughout the season.” (Linfield University)

He was team captain the last two years and the only basketball player in Linfield athletic annals to receive the Don Porter Scholarship Award for the highest GPA all of his four years. (#13 – #15)

So #24 ended with a great college basketball tenure as well as an impressive and ongoing professional career. And don’t be surprised if Don hires Elliot Schwartz when he returns to Oregon from his studies at San Diego State.

External Photo Attribution

#1. West Linn Police Department Website (Police Home | City of West Linn Oregon Official Website).

#2 – #3. PaneCrime Window Cleaners (PaneCrime Window Cleaning: Streak-Free Windows Guaranteed).

#4.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons – PacWest Center 

#5. Linked-in Site for Don Fuchs (Don Fuchs | LinkedIn).

#6 – #7. Schwabe Law Firm Website (Counsel and solutions tailored to our region and your industry).

#8. Facebook Site for Legal Anywhere ((26) Legal Anywhere: Overview | LinkedIn).

#9 – #10. Harris Thermal Website – (Oil and Gas Industry Solutions – Harris Thermal).

#11 – #12. Courtesy of Don Fuchs

#13.  Public Domain – Wikimedia Commons (File:Linfield wildcats wmark.png – Wikimedia Commons) This logo image consists only of simple geometric shapes or text. It does not meet the threshold of originality needed for copyright protection, and is therefore in the public domain. Source: Linfield University – 2025.

# 14. Golinfieldwildcats.com  ( Doty earns record, Wildcats snap losing skid – Linfield University Athletics).

#15.  1992-93 Linfield Basketball Team courtesy of Don Fuchs.