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Lupita Gonzalez: All in the Family

By Matt Solis, Editor

When asked how she got involved in the fence industry, Lupita Gonzalez credits the steady influence of her father. “My dad is the owner of Gonzalez Fence Co., and he took me under his wing when I started helping him while I was an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz,” she explains. “After graduation, I took a gap year before graduate school and continued to help him expand and diversify the company, which I’ve been doing ever since.”

Today, as secretary of Gonzalez Fence Co., Lupita says her favorite part of her job is the direct contact she has with the company’s clients. “Despite not seeing myself as outgoing, I have to constantly make calls, arrange estimates and stay in contact with a variety of individuals as part of my role, and I’ve grown to really like it. I’ve met a lot of interesting people through this work, even if it’s only for a brief period of time. Each job is a new opportunity to interact with someone from Sonoma County and improve my interpersonal skills.”

Born and raised in Cloverdale, Lupita expresses fondness for her lifelong locale. “My family is originally from Mexico, but I’ve lived in Cloverdale for as long as I can remember, so I’ve always called this place home,” she says. “I moved away briefly for college and I’ll be moving again for grad school, but Sonoma County will always be in my heart.”

Outside of work, Lupita likes to stay active by engaging in her favorite physical activity. “I love running, although I don’t participate in marathons or anything like that,” she details. “I’ve been involved in track and field throughout my entire education career, so staying active is important to me. I also like spending time with my friends—many of them are friends from school, so they don’t live in Sonoma County, but I like traveling to see them.”

In regard to a professional philosophy, Lupita espouses the importance of prioritizing customer satisfaction. “At the end of the day, our goal is to make our customers happy and fulfill their needs,” she says. “Sometimes, we encounter challenges like financing or communicating with neighbors, but we always strive to be the middleman and assist our clients in any way we can.”

When asked what her life would look like if she retired tomorrow, Lupita says she’d take the opportunity to see the world. “The first thing on my retirement list is traveling. I love seeing new places and immersing myself in different cultures, and I like the idea of not being bound to a specific work schedule. I would love to take an extended trip through Europe and just go from there.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite sport?

A: Formula 1 racing. I’m a big fan of the Ferrari team, particularly Charles Leclerc.

Q: What kind of music do you like?
A: I listen to pretty much everything, but I gravitate toward alternative rock.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: France. I’ve always wanted to visit the Louvre, so I would hit that first.

Q: What kinds of books do you like to read?
A: I’ve been really into fantasy lately, but it varies. I can’t seem to get into autobiographies, but I’ll try anything else.

Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Green apples with peanut butter.