I started my my journey in the trades at 16, when I worked summers for an independent residential carpenter. At 19, I traveled to London and ended up staying for 4yrs, working as a carpenter. In 1990, I moved to the Bay Area, where I worked on residential and commercial construction projects. At this time, I was moonlighting as a bartender. In 2000 a partner and I opened a small neighborhood bar. By 2008, when the business was well established, I started looking for new opportunities. While still working at the bar, I got my real estate license. Entering this trade during the height of the real estate bubble gave me the opportunity to facilitate buyers of short-sales, foreclosures, and regular purchases. I worked with first time home buyers, and buyers looking for investment properties. I decided to get back into the trades because my wife was starting up her own business, and we needed a more consistent income during this time. I worked as a technician for the largest commercial boiler company in California. I performed annual maintenance, troubleshooting, repairs, and new installations on commercial steam, domestic and heating hot water systems. These jobs required wiring new panels and programming controls, troubleshooting and repairing electrical and mechanical issues, planning preventative maintenance, and oversight of projects. My present job, as facilities engineer, utilizes my combined skills in all aspects of building management. Although all of these jobs have required different set of specialized skills, they all share in the need for a propensity for problem solving, the tenacity to resolve issues, a willingness to collaborate, and a pride in one’s work.