A lifelong dedication to the study of woodworking and design began in his family's construction business and was refined through study at Buckminster Fullers' design department at Southern Illinois University. Lake came to Hawaii in 1980 as an architectural woodworker after a woodworking apprenticeship that took him all across the US.

These "journeyman" travels put him in touch with master craftsmen, architects, and artists, and allowed him to work on a wide variety of challenging projects. Years spent in the Pacific Northwest allowed him to become involved with forestry as a way of life, and today a cornerstone of the work he produces is the connection of the craftsman with the long-term health of our forests.