Vow takes boss to new heights

GOOSE CREEK — Rick Seidman is nothing if not a climber. He started working at Quoizel as a salesman some 20 years ago and rose from there.

Now, he's the lighting company's boss, and he's still climbing — to the company's office rooftop.

It's one of those things that sounded like a good idea at the time: Seidman promised his employees he'd spend a night on the roof if they could raise $26,000 for Berkeley County Habitat for Humanity.

But that was back in the springtime. It was warm then.

The temperature was forecast to dip into the mid-30s by this morning.

And how could he know his employees would trounce the fundraising goal and rake in more than $47,000 for the charity?

So there he was on Thursday afternoon at the company's headquarters. Bundled in a turtleneck, fleece and scarf, jeans and no long johns.

His employees say he's always pulling crazy stunts like this.

"He's got a lot of guts going up there," said receiving supervisor TJ Brennan. "We'll have to start calling him frosty."

Marlene Woods, an executive sales assistant, said she knew she had a fun boss when he showed up to her job interview dressed as a Rastafarian, dreadlocks and all. It was Halloween, but still.

"This is typical Rick," Woods said, glancing up at the makeshift bedroom set up on the roof.

The company borrowed a bed, nightstands and lamps from Berkeley Habitat's thrift store.

Seidman had nothing specific planned for the evening. He had his cell phone at hand and expected do some texting with his wife and two teenage daughters.

He also packed water and a small battery-powered television, though he didn't plan to watch it.

"I have a gift of being able to fall asleep as soon as lay my head down."

Seidman, 42, said he expects the hardest part to be the break in his morning routine. He usually wakes up, eats oatmeal, reads the newspaper, walks his dog and heads to the gym before work.

Waking up on a roof, cold and coffee-less should be interesting, he said.

The company's annual warehouse sale kicks off at 8 a.m. Friday, and Seidman plans to be wide awake to welcome the shoppers. "I plan on getting a good eight hours up there."