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Scott Duncan: Westward Expansion

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Program Reporter

SANTA CRUZ — For Scott Duncan, the decision to migrate from the East Coast to the West was prompted as much by the allure of adventure as it was by an occupational opportunity. “When I was 27, I moved from Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Santa Cruz,” he recounts. “My dad moved here a short time before I did, and he told me that in California, anything you could want to do was within a day’s drive, whether it was hiking, fishing, sailing or visiting the city. So, when my uncle gave me an opportunity to apprentice at his plumbing business, I eagerly accepted.”

It didn’t take long for Scott to realize he’d found a good fit in the plumbing trade. “I found that I enjoyed everything about plumbing, from the technical aspects of the work to interacting with customers,” he says. Today, 15 years after striking out on his own and founding Duncan Plumbing Ent., Inc., Scott says as an employer, he’s grown to appreciate another aspect of his job. “I get the most satisfaction from seeing my younger employees come into their own and make their place in the world.”

As a resident of Santa Cruz (where he lives with his wife, Joy, and their sons, Chance and Josh), Scott enjoys being a part of his local community. “As a business owner, I’ve enjoyed forming long-term relationships with local homeowners and business owners,” he says. “I’ve done work at the grocery store my wife shops at, as well as for our mechanic and insurance agent, so it’s just neat to see how the local business community relies on each other.”

Outside of work, Scott spends the bulk of his time with his family. “Through my boys, I’ve become an expert in two things: Legos and fishing, which are their respective obsessions,” he says. “We also like to go on short trips to the snow or nearby lakes and just enjoy nature. Basically, whenever we get a chance to get away for a day or two, we take it.”

In regard to his professional career, Scott espouses a piece of wisdom he gleaned from his grandfather. “When I was a young man trying to make my way in the world, my grandfather told me it didn’t matter what I did; as long as I did the best job I could, I’d be successful. That’s stuck with me throughout the years, and in addition to applying it in my own life and career, I’ve passed it on to my employees.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he could retire tomorrow, Scott says he’d embark on an expedition to the United States’ northernmost annex. “I would take a trip by boat to Alaska. And I don’t mean just take a cruise—I’d buy a boat and sail there myself. That’d be a dream come true.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The New England Patriots.

Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
A: An early bird.

Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Talk radio.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Salsa’s Taco Bar in Santa Cruz.

Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Anything salty.