What’s your favorite thing about working with your team/department?
Striving to improve the fabrication process from beginning to end. Delivering a quality product from the shop, seeing our installers succeed with a great end result for the customer, and innovating while fulfilling project needs. In the earlier days, I found great satisfaction in doing hands-on work from start to finish. Now, as I manage a larger team, the most rewarding part is overseeing the process and watching my staff excel in their roles. Seeing all the pieces come together successfully is truly the best part.
Outside of work, do you have any favorite activities or hobbies?
I’m a dad to five boys, three sons, and two dogs and I love nature and sports. I’m always outside with them running, walking the dogs, and shooting hoops with my boys. I also really do enjoy hands on work and the satisfaction with the result, so I’m always in the middle of a home improvement project. The honey-do-list is never ending when you’re a carpenter.
What’s the best piece of advice you have been given relating to your job/career?
As the son of a union sheet metal worker, I was raised to see the value in skilled labor unions and the benefits they bring. Bouncing around a bit out of high school, some college, and a bunch of construction jobs, my father-in-law told me if you’re going to work in construction you must work for yourself if it’s non-union. I was told early that when working for someone else, union is the best way make a decent living. I believe there is a lot of truth there and good advice for youth in our field. When it comes to Carpentry, the best advice has been simple: the fastest way is the right way. Meaning if you don’t cut corners, do work properly the first time, it’s faster and better in the long run. This advice holds up for other aspects of life as well.
What’s one thing you never leave home without?
Usually my glasses, I’m blind as a bat without them. I’m nearsighted.
What do you do here at EDA?
As a Fabrication manager, I oversee the in-house fabrication department comprised of office fabrication drafters and fabrication shop floor staff. My role requires regular direct interaction with PMs, Field staff, Estimating, and Engineering to oversee the fab process from beginning to end. All related tasks to complete our mission as well as planning for vision goals falls under the role.
Cats or dogs?
Being the dog dad to Mav and Koda, 2 annoyingly energetic, mischievous, and demanding Whoodles, I’m thinking I chose wrong and I’m actually a cat person.
If you were planning your favorite meal, what’s on the menu?
Italian, likely one of the old man’s family recipes. Homemade Lasagna, ground sausage, pepperoni, hard boiled eggs, ricotta, mozzarella, marinara. So good and tastes like home.
How do you stay updated on industry trends and advancements, and are there any recent developments that have caught your attention?
Research on the web, conversations with vendors, construction publications, and additional software training. There’s a lot of cool stuff out there these days. Incorporating new technologies to improve interests me a great deal.
What's your proudest accomplishment, either in your work or personal life?
Career related, I was fortunate to participate in and win the 2011 General Carpentry Contest at the Phila JAC as a graduating apprentice back during my time there. It was awesome to compete against other top apprentices and the win gave me confidence moving forward in career.
Personally, I’m most proud of my family and being married after 17 years with 3 great boys.