About the maker: Greg Corkron

My wife and I are Peoria natives. She grew up going to Manual High School, while I graduated from Woodruff in 1999.  We met on August 10th, 2001, when I cam home from the Navy to see my oldest daughter, Jalyn, after she was born.  Colleen and I hit it off right away and got married on October 24th, 2001.  Yes, you are reading that correctly. We got married after only a few months. We knew it was the right thing for us.  

Adalicia, our oldest together was born in November 2003, and shortly after that I was medically discharged from the Navy. Cassandra was born a few years later, in March of 2006. We were happy but not complete. Our family was missing something.  Well, February 2009 Elyjah was born. Now our family was complete. That is what we thought anyway.  

After living in Georgia for 3 years, we moved to Washington in August 2014, where we still reside.  While we kept moving in the direction of today, we had a few people come into our lives that have changed our family dynamics. We have essentially adopted 3 more daughters, and their mom.  Kelsey is the oldest, Keira in the middle and Kiersten is the youngest.  Yes, 3 more girls. Where do they fit into the mix, well, Kelsey is younger than Adalicia by a few months, she was born January 2004. Keira was born in July 2005 and Kiersten stole my heart AND my birthday, in March 2013. Their mother, Melissa, is one of our best friends. We joke all the time that Colleen and Melissa are sister wives. 

So how did GC Customs come about? 

I started GC Customs in the fall of 2023. Really it was a way for me to get through the time of pain and grief from losing my oldest daughter, Jalyn, to cancer, and recovering from a knee replacement.  I always loved the smell of wood, but I am NOT an artist. Jalyn and Adalicia are the artists.  I have been working with technology is some fashion for the last 20 years and I figured this was a good way to use my knowledge to do something productive. I always enjoyed art, but I never though of trying it myself.  I bought my first laser in November 2023, I figured I would give it a go.  

I was still employed at this time by a large technology company. Still working retail and not really enjoying my job. One thing I have always said is if I am not happy there, I will make a change.  Well, I dabbled with leaving but ultimately stayed with the company, while starting to grow my own business. In November 2025, I was notified the company was downsizing and I was being laid off at the end of the year.  It was time to put my business in motion. 

Your story deserves to be carved in stone—or in this case, premium wood. As a Veteran-owned shop, GC Customs combines disciplined craftsmanship with deep respect for your memories. Every cut, sand, and finish is done with one goal: to create a gift that brings your legacy to life. 

GC Customs is a service disabled veteran-owned small business specializing in custom engraving and handcrafted woodworking. We work with wood, resin, leather, and metal to create personalized gifts, keepsakes, and functional pieces—from cutting boards and tables to ornaments, planter boxes, and engraved keychains.

Every item is made to order with attention to detail, durability, and craftsmanship.