Sean Koriat: An Energy-Saving Career

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

PALO ALTO — Upon moving to California from his native country of Israel, Sean Koriat traded a career of saving lives for one of saving energy. “Before I came to the United States, I worked as a paramedic in Israel,” he remembers. “I met my wife on a vacation to California and ended up moving here permanently.” When it came time for him to establish a new professional livelihood, Sean decided to try his hand at a trade that had always interested him: HVAC. “The idea of making people’s homes more energy-efficient and comfortable really appealed to me. I started out working for a local HVAC company and eventually decided to start my own company that specialized in attic cleaning and renovations.”

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Chris Morimoto: An Unexpected Transition

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

BENICIA — Having a good personality goes a long way, but for Chris Morimoto, it led to a totally unexpected career transition. “Back in 2001, I called a local HVAC company to get a consultation for replacing my furnace,” he recounts. “At the end of the appointment, the technician said, ‘You’re a pretty cool guy, you should meet my boss.’ At the time, I was interested in switching careers, so I decided to take his advice. I met with the boss and he hired me on the spot for a sales job. Over the next few years, I moved from sales to doing service and installation. Read more

Nate Missildine: Expanding Horizons

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

CAMPBELL — After nearly a decade working in the HVAC field, Nate Missildine was ready to expand his professional horizons. Ironically, this meant returning to the field where he’d originally started his career. “My first job in the trades was doing remodels with one of my friend’s brothers right out of high school,” he remembers. “After I turned 20, I went to school for heating and air conditioning, where I earned my certification. I worked in the HVAC field for about nine years but eventually felt I wanted to do something with a little more variety, so I got back into building and remodeling. Read more

Liam Caldwell: Homegrown Talent

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO — When Liam Caldwell started working at Armstrong Carpet & Linoleum Co. as a teenager, he hadn’t the slightest notion that he’d one day be president of the company. “I started here when I was 15, working after school and on weekends,” he remembers. “I did everything from making deliveries to binding carpets and making pads. Even after I went to college, I would return every summer and work at the store.”

After graduating, Liam figured it was time to move on to a new career, but a simple phone call disrupted his plans. “I was considering career options when Steve Balestrieri, Read more

Simon Spark: An Artistic Inspiration

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN FRANCISCO — Simon Spark has always been an artistic person, but he never expected to apply his talents to the realm of residential remodeling. “I started working in the construction field to support myself while attending college, where I studied fine arts,” he remembers. “After graduating, I spent the next 10 years working as a professional artist, doing primarily mixed media sculptures and drawings. Eventually, in my mid-30s, I came to a crossroads where I wanted to start a family and needed a more financially lucrative livelihood. So, I got my contractor’s license and went into business doing residential building and remodeling in San Francisco.”

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William Young: A Competitive Edge

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAN MATEO — As a general contractor, William Young had considered getting into roofing for a long time, but he knew if he did, he’d need to find a competitive edge. “More and more, I was coming across projects that required roof work, so going into roofing just made sense,” he says. “Eventually, in 2006, I got my C30 license to specialize in roofing. However, in order to be successful, I knew I’d need a great team of installers, so I sought out roofers throughout the Bay Area who had good reputations. Edge Roofing was built on the knowledge and experience of myself and my team.”

When asked his favorite part of his job, Read more

Corey Haney: Playing it Safe

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

MOUNTAIN VIEW — When Corey Haney was unsure about his next career move, he took a shot at a job opportunity in the life safety industry. “I had been working in concrete construction, but I got laid off when the economy crashed in 2008,” he recounts. “I wanted to get into an industry that was more insulated from economic turbulence, so I started researching. I found an opening with Statcomm Inc. and it seemed like a good fit—not only did life safety strike me as a pretty interesting field, it was definitely more stable than construction. I started as an apprentice, Read more

Rory Moore: From the Farm to the City

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

SAUSALITO — After four decades in construction, Rory Moore reflects on how his upbringing provided the foundation for his later career. “When you grow up on a farm in the West of Ireland, you learn a lot of different trades,” he recalls. “We had to build our own barns, walls, you name it…so it all started at a very young age for me. After I turned 12, I began working alongside my older brothers for a local plasterer during the summers, and things progressed from there.”

Eventually, Rory made his way to San Francisco, Read more

Roee Erenshteyn: Getting Acquainted

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

RICHMOND — When asked how he ended up in the water and fire damage restoration industry, Roee Erenshteyn says it resulted from making an acquaintance that, while remote, was very close to home. “While researching job opportunities online, I got in touch with Erez Gilad, owner of 911 Remediation, via Facebook,” he explains. “We’re both Israeli, and although he lived in the U.S. and I still lived in Israel, we had a lot of mutual connections. After interviewing with him, I started working for his company remotely. In May 2017, I moved to the U.S. to assume the position of CEO.”

When asked his favorite part about his job, Read more

Nikolaos Margaritis: Building Forward

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

Before he came to the United States, Nikolaos Margaritis was a building contractor in his home country of Greece. While his relocation initially posed a professional setback, it ultimately set him up for greater success. “I started in construction many years ago when I lived in Greece, and at one point I even had my own general contracting firm,” he recounts. “However, as the situation in Greece began to worsen in the mid-2000s, I made the choice to immigrate to the U.S. Upon my arrival, I got back into construction, but I basically had to start all over again as a laborer. Read more