We are and always have been considered as Commercial Plumbing Contractors.
We have one of the best reputations for quality workmanship in South Florida.
Id like to think Ive lived up to that request.
What drove you to choose your career path?
I actually never considered becoming a plumber.
No one in my family had ever been involved in any of the trades as a profession.
I spent my childhood and youth as a professional drummer, always thinking that would be my career.
The Air Force drafted me close to my 18th birthday and I joined to avoid Vietnam.
Since Im colorblind, my choices for a career in the Air Force were very limited.
I was offered plumbing as one of my choices and you might say the rest is history.
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education do most plumbers need?
(I hear you became a master plumber at quite a young age!)
I often say that I received a Harvard Education in Plumbing while in the Air Force.
He was the mayor of Miami Beach and I worked there until I started my own business.
I would recommend taking classes in Physics, Science and Math.
Every day we use all three.
I knew that was my ticket to success… and it certainly has been!
What kinds of things do plumbers do beyond what most people see?
We cover a large geographical area, so we do spend a great deal of time in traffic.
Id like to think in my career Ive helped elevate the publics impression of a plumber.
Ive certainly worked very hard to do so.
Nothing could be further from reality!
For example, the oxygen you receive in an operating room for example was installed by a plumber.
The dental chair you sit in was installed by a plumber.
The decorative fountains you enjoy while strolling Lincoln Road on Miami Beach were installed by a plumber.
The gas ovens and stoves that prepare your dinner at your favorite restaurant were installed by a plumber.
The pneumatic (air lines) at factories and similar facilities were installed by a plumber.
Just a few examples, there are many more.
What misconceptions do people often have about plumbing as a job?
They think all we do is unclog sinks and toilets.
That its only a profession for the people who could not go to college.
That we dig ditches all day.
What sort of work hours does an average plumber keep?
I imagine some people specialize in emergency on-call work, but thats not for everyone.
You are a plumber 24 hours a day, seven days a week…. its the life we choose.
Plumbers do not keep bankers hours.
Is there anything that you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
We seek out the most complicated plumbing projects.
While many of our fellow plumbers steer clear of complex plumbing problems, we specialize in them.
Whats the worst part of the plumbing as a job and how do you deal with it?
Today its the traffic!
All of our trucks have great sound systems!
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
Ahh, the feeling of accomplishment for one.
I am so very proud of them.
I had worked so hard on that building.
They become part of you.
Where else do you get to have a picnic lunch with your pals every day?
What do people under/over value about what plumbers do?
Protecting the health of the nation is number one without question.
We have historicallyand still todayprotected the world from disease.
We charge too much.
Working plumbers average between 75 and 100k per year, more if you own your own company.
Youve come a long way in your career.
How do most people move up in your field?
Get every kind of license and certification it’s possible for you to!
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
I speak to many high school and youth groups as State Building Commissioner.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
reach out to the author at[email protected].
