Cal & Helen Stilley …..Cal returned from WW II to help in his brother Hugh’s camera shop, “Stilley’s”, in Santa Ana, in 1947. He managed the store on Broadway through the 50’s and in 1960, met the person that would change his life forever. He married Helen that same year, and in 1962, Cal and Helen purchased Mear’s camera from Bud and Frances Mears. Mears’ Camera was a combination camera store and hobby shop, located at 1778 Newport Blvd. Within 2 years, with the help of Helen at the books, Mary Knipp at the photofinishing counter, and Bernie Pautsch at the sales counter, Cal’s had already outgrown it’s space, so Cal purchased the building at 1780 Newport Blvd. from Wright’s Hardware, and the legend that was to be Cal’s Cameras was begun. A new salesman, Roger Rowe, was hired, and later in 1969, Jim Dell was hired to meet the demands of a growing business. Helen continued to manage the finances of this growing business, working late evenings, while raising her four daughters, Pat, Roberta, Becky, and Lisa. In 1971, a wonderful opportunity arose to purchse the large property at 1770 Newport Blvd. from Wright’s to accomodate the fast growing business. Cal’s Cameras and Video still resides at this site having remodeled extensively in 1981and recently completing a major remodel in the summer of 2000. Cal and Helen have always personalized their family business and have remained close to it through the years, with Helen still active in the financial affairs, and Cal guiding the policies, philosophies, and direction of the business, though they have been officially retired for several years.
They are passionate about their golf, they travel far and wide in their beauitiful motorhome, and are enjoying the fruits of their exhaustive labors as their children care to the day to day running of the business. Cal and Helen are true examples of the American Dream.
Pat Hegwood, Chief Financial officer,
has worked at Cal’s since 1962.
Mark Stilley, the Vice President of Sales, came to work at Cal’s Cameras and Video at the age of 14 in 1962. Working part-time through school, he learned the business from the ground up. He was married in 1970 to Janet and continued working at the store until 1972, when he joined the prestigious sales team at E. Leitz, manufacturers of Leica photographic equipment. He lived and worked in Texas for E. Leitz until 1975. Upon returning with his wife to California in 1975, he managed Terry’s Camera in Long Beach, a store that had recently been purchased by Cal Stilley, to act as a training ground for managing Cal’s. He returned to Cal’s in 1977, and with the help of his brother, Kurt, and sister, Pat, has managed the store ever since. Mark’s passion is sailing, and when time permits, he and Janet enjoy sailing their beautiful boat, “Apparent Joy”, on the sunny waters off Newport Beach.
Kurt Stilley, Vice President of Operations, and twin brother of Mark, came to work at Cal’s at the age of 22 in 1971, fresh out of the service. He worked at Cal’s from the transition of the old store to it’s current location in 1973, when he married Marion and moved to Oregon to become an elementary school teacher. After living the rural life, he and Marion returned to Southern california in 1980, where he has worked at Cal’s ever since. Kurt, a strong Christian, and his wife, Marion are actively involved in their local church. Their quiet time is spent in a rustic little home they have restored near the Sequoia National Forest.