RockBlog
How do you get to the top of the construction industry? Ask for more, do more
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Wed, August 14th, 2019, 1:43 pm
SAN JOSE – This could be an American dream story you’ve heard before.There’s a guy who starts at the bottom on a paving crew, and through hard work, rises to the top of field management.John Garcia’s story is that, plus more.It’s about a solid guy with a heart for heavy civil construction, respected by his peers and project owners, who fosters dogs with his wife and enjoys the scenery of a train ride through the Rocky ... Read More
Construction haul truck driver says 'It's like putting a steering wheel on top of your house'
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Fri, July 19th, 2019, 3:57 pm
AROMAS – Tracey Rego drives a mining haul truck – the size of a two-story condo – like other people drive a Prius.His comfort level and attention to safety at the wheel of Caterpillar’s 777G have been built over several decades, beginning with pulling horse trailers on his family’s property while growing up in Aromas.“I could back up a horse trailer before I could legally drive on the road,” said Tracey, Graniterock’s second most senior haul ... Read More
Construction Rock Star knows stone pavers better than almost anyone
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Fri, July 12th, 2019, 9:45 am
SEASIDE – As soon as Y&T exits the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk stage Aug. 2, Walt Combs will be getting cranked up across the street at Coasters Bar and Grill with his heavy metal band Hammer Down.Like past summersHammer Downhas followed Y&T’sBoardwalkshow, the Coasters’ crowd will be standing-room only to hear Walt and two high school friends – Todd Townsend and Bryant Miller – play out their childhood fantasy.Walt was a kid born and raised in ... Read More
Swinerton project executive perfectly suited to building schools
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Fri, May 10th, 2019, 10:21 am
SANTA CLARA – Take the girl out of Texas, put her in the country’s hottest construction market and she’ll shoot up the management chain to become one of the area’s go-to experts on building schools.Angie Woo never imagined a construction career, which is surprising considering she just celebrated 20 years withSwinerton Builders, and is one of the 131-year-old company’s few female project executives in the San Francisco Bay Area.“I take ownership of my projects, and I ... Read More
A road materials construction career started at the beauty counter
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Fri, April 12th, 2019, 3:44 pm
AROMAS – Asphalt binders, gradation graphs and air voids seem a world away from her mother’s bathroom counter in Western Mexico, dotted with pretty jars of creams and perfumes that cast a spell on Elvira Paniagua at a young age and would inevitably define her future.“I always liked to mix stuff and see what it would do,” Elvira, 26, said of her attraction to science, particularly chemistry. “I played a lot with my mom’s shampoos and ... Read More
SF Bay Area masonry contractor hits the bull's eye with every project
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Mon, April 8th, 2019, 1:16 pm
LOS ALTOS – Camped out in the backyard of a large corner lot in Los Altos, saw blades and mixing paddles in action, mason contractor Pat Knowles and his crew are working their magic.They will spend several months overhauling this otherwise ordinary property with a single-family home into a Silicon Valley masterpiece – a place you’d find on the pages of a glossy lifestyle magazine with drool-worthy custom features, including an outdoor kitchen, columns covered in ... Read More
Constrution transfer truck drivers build lasting friendship
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Wed, February 6th, 2019, 11:15 am
AROMAS – Ricki Mancebo and Dave Engelking built a rock solid friendship over thousands of miles and a CB radio.The two most senior drivers on Graniterock’stransportation team– with a combined 70-plus years’ experience – pull construction materials up and down northern and central California behind 65-foot-long, triple-axle transfer trucks.Individually, they can log up to 400 miles a day.“There isn’t a road out there that can take either of them by surprise,” Graniterock dispatch manager Chago Ramirez ... Read More
Slurry seal construction career built on strong faith
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Thu, January 24th, 2019, 1:50 pm
SAN JOSE – John Waiters’ early slurry seal career meant missing a lot of his kids growing up.He missed sports and school activities, family dinners and often had to skip church because work was seven days a week during the season.Five, sometimes six days in the off season.Missing out was the sacrifice John – who also serves as an assistant pastor at a Baptist church in East Palo Alto – made for providing a comfortable life ... Read More
Heavy-duty repairman Roger Langley pumped on asphalt career
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Tue, December 11th, 2018, 2:05 pm
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO – It’s pretty clear Roger Langley spends a lot of time around tools and machines.Immediately, you sense there’s nothing he can’t fix.His white hard hat and bright yellow safety jacket are muted by thick black traces of oil and dirt.His hands and boots, too.Mechanics come second nature to Roger whether it’s a car, 980G loader or 60-foot stacker conveyor loading material into the hot mix asphalt plant.After more than 25 years in the ... Read More
Construction career founded on scouting principles
Posted by Shanna Crigger on Mon, November 26th, 2018, 4:26 pm
SAN CARLOS – What do you get with someone who has the character and dedication of an Eagle Scout and spent a ton of time playing with Legos as a kid?Toss in a love for math and physics, and the result is Mike Paye, a senior project manager for Truebeck Construction.Mike, who earned the Boy Scouts’ highest honor while growing up in Eureka, has been part of the San Francisco Bay Area ‘s commercial building boom ... Read More
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