David Tetrault: A Northwest Progression

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN MATEO — For David Tetrault, a westward relocation precipitated a northward advancement in his professional career. “I’m originally from Massachusetts, where I got my start in the construction industry,” he says. “In the mid-2000s, I decided to pack up my tools and move to California. Initially, I got a job as a carpenter, but I soon realized that if I wanted to get ahead, I’d need to go into management. Someone suggested that I get into the hardscaping industry, so I took a job as a project manager for a local paving company. It was a pretty seamless transition, Read more

Jorge Paiva: A Service Calling

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

MORGAN — After requesting a service call to fix a broken appliance, Jorge Paiva ended up getting a lot more than he bargained for. “My apartment had a broken dishwasher, so a technician was sent out to fix it,” he remembers. “We got to talking and he told me the company he worked for was hiring. At the time, I was working in the high-tech industry, but I had some familiarity with appliance repair, mostly because my father worked in the field. I told the technician I was interested, so he arranged for me to talk to his boss and I ended up with an apprenticeship. Read more

Roger Boucher: Appliance Legacy

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SANTA CLARA —Roger Boucher had originally planned to become an accountant, but over the course of working at his father’s appliance business, he realized he’d rather create a family legacy. “My dad started Boucher’s Appliance Repair in 1972, which he renamed De Anza Appliance in 1985,” he recounts. “I started working here part-time while attending college, where I was studying to become an accountant. I started in the front office doing administrative work and gradually moved into appliance installation and repair. Eventually, it occurred to me that I was enjoying my part-time job more than the subject I was studying, Read more

Will Phinney: From Brokering to Breakers

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

ROHNERT PARK — Formerly a real estate broker, Will Phinney moved into the electrical service field following the financial crisis of 2008. “I’ve known Ray Reyff, the owner of Reyff Electric, for over 20 years, so when the real estate market crashed, I came to work for him,” he explains. “Coming from a totally different field, it was initially a challenge to find my place here. I worked my way through the customer service, marketing and service departments before eventually moving to the administrative side. Today, as operations manager, I handle employee hiring and management, along with a lot of behind-the-scenes things that keep a business up and running.”

After 11 years at Reyff Electric, Read more

Julian Meza: Fencing Pride

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN JOSE — When asked how he got into the fencing industry, Julian Meza says he was simply raised in it. “My father, Julian Sr., has been in the industry since the late ’80s. My brother, Juan Carlos, and I grew up going with him to jobsites and learning the trade. As we got older, he would send us to pick up lumber or have us handle smaller projects. In 2000, he founded Meza’s Fence, and we’ve been working here since the beginning.”

Today, as project manager of Meza’s Fence, Julian says his favorite part of his job is the variety. Read more

Brad McCarthy: An Unexpected Achievement

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN RAMON — Sometimes in life, even the most disheartening of setbacks can eventually reveal a silver lining. For Brad McCarthy, this came in the form of losing his job as an airline mechanic. While devastating at the time, this twist of fate would put him on the path toward a professional achievement beyond his wildest dreams. “In the wake of September 11th, there were mass layoffs throughout the airline industry and I lost my job,” he recounts. “No one was hiring airline mechanics at the time, so I had to look for another line of work. I had a friend who owned a cabinet business, Read more

Dave Erickson: Taking the Long Road

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

ROHNERT PARK — A lifelong veteran of the automotive industry, Dave Erickson has traveled a long and storied road to arrive at professional success. It all started when he was just a boy. “I grew up on a 100-acre ranch, where we had lots of tractors and other vehicles that needed to be maintained,” he remembers. “My dad was gone a lot for work, so I was the one who had to keep all the equipment running. I pretty much taught myself by reading books and tinkering around from a young age.”

When Dave was a teenager, Read more

Mitch Alves: A Hands-On Inclination

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

UNION CITY — When asked how he got involved in home remodeling, Mitch Alves says it was just part of his upbringing. “My father and grandfather were both builders—real hands-on guys. I learned to do carpentry and masonry work at a young age and went right into the trades following high school. I wound up working for one of the largest general contractors in the United States, where I was eventually promoted to Western Regional Manager.”

Despite his prominent position, Mitch felt drawn toward a more hands-on professional situation. “As an employee of another contractor, I would often see flaws in the way things were done,” he explains. Read more

Mike Petrovich: Tree Service Roots

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

CONCORD — When asked to recount the origin of his tree service career, Mike Petrovich says it’s rooted in family. “My dad had a tree service and landscaping business, so I grew up learning the trade from him and my uncles. After high school, I decided to continue on that professional path. I worked for a handful of companies before starting my own business, Mike’s Tree Service. In 2003, I started my current business, Absolute Best Care. In addition to my 40-plus years of experience, both of my sons have been involved with the company, so it has been neat to pass my knowledge to the next generation.”

Mike says his favorite part of tree work is helping customers in their hour of need. Read more

Andy Zhang: A Generational Move

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO — As a second-generation mover, Andy Zhang looks back on the origin of his industry involvement. “My dad started Fast N’ Reliable Moving in 1994,” he recounts. “He was previously in the restaurant business, but after being laid off he went into the moving industry, where he worked for a few years before branching off on his own. I started working with him when I was 20, and when he decided to retire in 2004, I took over as owner of the company.”

Today, Andy says his favorite part of his job is the variety. Read more