Ever since the house burned down when I was 14, I’ve been fascinated with construction and renovation. Okay, it didn’t burn down completely... By 16, I was running a successful car repair service out of the garage in this very same house. I founded my second business at 21—a janitorial and maintenance service for banking facilities. This supported my wife and me and paid for my first college education, where I studied mechanical engineering. It also led me back to my true calling - Construction and maintaining real estate. You might say construction was in my blood. My grandfather “Charlie” helped in the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. So began my Construction Company- earned my General Contractor’s License by 25. I retired 10 - years later to Nicaragua, Central America. Bored with retirement, I undertook a resort development on the Pacific coast next door to a national refuge for sea turtles. Then, I lost it all. Long story. Could be a movie. Maybe it will be someday. And for now, back to business.~Starting Over~I returned to the States and began buying, remodeling, selling, renovating, leasing and managing real estate again, things were rolling along nicely until 2007-08 when the cracks in the housing market began and I lost it all...again.~Starting Over, the Sequel~A new plan: Get a business degree and full-time employment in facilities management.As a result, I re-discovered my passion for corporate facilities with a real estate twist, which included: shared asset management, renovation, and leasing. Juggling many issues and people, often at once are critical to facilities & building operations and fills my need for challenge. I get the biggest charge hearing how my team exceeded someone’s expectations.Ever-changing technologies make this an exciting time to be in facilities!