When I was five years old, I told my parents I was either going to build things or be a priest. When I got older, I realized why priest hood wasn’t for me. I had to fall back on building.
Len Christensen is one of the greatest teachers I have known. He was my freshman football coach in high school. I have always held that high school football taught me more relevant life lessons than anything else.
Taken 85th of 90 kids on the freshman football team, it was unlikely that I’d be good enough to play all four years. But I remember the echoes of Christensen’s voice: “That’s not gonna cut the mustard around here Caputo!” The tone of his voice made me realize it wasn’t a criticism, it was a challenge. He was always able to motivate, to relate the importance of what we were doing, and the importance of doing it well.
I went on to play football all four years and received the Tim Swenson Memorial Award recognizing the most inspirational player. I learned that with persistence and focused effort we are capable of more than we think. Never doubt, never give up and go after what you want in life.
I value persistence in people. This quote by Calvin Coolidge is one of my favorites: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”
The ethics I cherish in a workplace are: commitment, honesty, solution-focused thinking and loyalty.
The most meaningful lessons I’ve learned revolve around the importance of decisions, commitment, and people. Decisions need to be made, commitments need to be kept, and neither can happen without the right people.
Construction is about creating new value and purpose. That’s our role as a builder.
The Bay Area is the center of innovation for the world. It’s like a giant think tank. We build the spaces that enable these great minds to collaborate and innovate solutions for today and the future.
We must first build relationships before we can build anything meaningful together.
We must try to do and be better today. Yesterday is in the past and cannot be changed. The future cannot be known with any certainty, so today we must try to do and be better.
A great leader is someone that has respect for people, who has a clear and relatable vision, and a relentless pursuit to achieve it.
The capacity to achieve great things is only limited by our imagination and determination to see it through.
The most exciting thing about the construction industry is the ability to innovate and do our job better tomorrow than we do today.
We all come from different places, diverse experiences, and individual levels. This makes communication and understanding difficult at times. Take the time to clarify and understand others positions and experiences, they will help you reach your goals.
I rarely think in terms of having an impact on the world. Instead I wake up every day knowing I want to make a difference in the lives of my family, friends and colleagues. I want to add value and be respected and valued by those who know me best. I care less about what the world will say about me when I’m gone, and more about the person at the desk next to me.
Truebeck can and will be what you make it. The company is the right vehicle to take you anywhere you want to go. Where will you drive it and what route will you take to get there?
When I leave the office I most look forward to walking in the front door at home and being greeted with hugs, kisses, and daily stories of my family.
Education
Civil Engineering
Santa Clara University