I have been with Simpson Strong-Tie for more than 27 years. I joined back in 1997 when flannels were still in style and few people understood what the internet was. I was two years into college, with a kid on the way, and needed a job, quick. I asked friends if they knew of anyone hiring and thank goodness one of them had a brother who worked as a press operator for a little company that had just gone public called Simpson Strong-Tie. I didn’t even know what going public meant.
I started on January 15, 1997, and immediately went to work on the V&O, one of the oldest presses still running at Simpson, at least here in our Riverside, California, manufacturing location. I was running and boxing 50′ CS coiled straps. That day Laura showed me how to run the machine and load coils. My wrists were killing me for the first two weeks, until I got used to the movements.
A few years into my career at Simpson Strong-Tie, I met Barclay Simpson, the founder of our company, on one of his many visits to the old Brea location. As I said, I was young, but still very appreciative that the founder of the company would take the time to meet with his employees. That really left an impression on me and helped solidify for me that this is a company where people come for a career, not just a job.
During my time running automatic presses, I learned how to drive a forklift, load coils, change die setups, and work alongside so many awesome people, many of whom are still with the company today. I learned a ton from them, and I am so appreciative of their generosity and the knowledge they passed on to me. After five years of working the second shift while my wife completed her nursing program, I took a position in our literature training department. During my two years in this position, I was fortunate enough to work with coworkers who I still consider close friends. While that role and those years were such a blast, it was not long before an opportunity to work for our National Accounts team presented itself and I couldn’t pass it up.
I was only a few months into my recent sales role when I attended my first ISM (International Sales Meeting) in Langley, Virginia. I got to see our nation’s capital for the first time. (Picture the aw-shucks Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, that was me.) There I once again was able to meet Barclay Simpson and our senior leadership team at the first-timers cocktail hour. I was a bit shy and didn’t really know what to say but was once again impressed with how down to earth they all were. There were so many highlights during my seven years in sales. That role took me to Hawaii for the first time in my life, doing overnight Home Depot store resets with my supervisor, Steve Zanco. In two weeks, we hopped from Oahu to the Big Island to Maui and then to Kauai while lugging 50 pounds of equipment from airport to airport. It was exhausting, but I loved it. I learned so much in those seven years as a retail rep. To say that it took me outside of my comfort zone is an understatement. I learned how to prepare and present product-knowledge training classes, organize contractor events, build displays, coordinate schedules and complete overnight resets. That role enabled me to learn building terminology and work closely with people at Simpson Strong-Tie whom I’ll be indebted to for the rest of my career.
I am so grateful that the company gave me the opportunity to grow and stretch myself in ways I could not of have imagined. I was still young and a bit naïve but being in sales gave me the opportunity to learn to take chances. Looking back, it felt as if the company, and more specifically the people within the company, had faith in me and that was such a blessing. As a retail representative, I was fortunate to get to know our distributors, designers, end users, DIYers and most importantly our incredibly great outside sales team. After seven wonderful years, another opportunity presented itself, and this time it was a chance to work in the engineering department. Me work in engineering? I had become good at taking chances, so I figured, “Why not?”
As a technical representative in the engineering department, I have learned more technical knowledge than I ever thought possible when I was driving the forklifts in the warehouse. This role has allowed me to continue so many of those relationships I formed with our customers when I was in the field. I have had some great mentors in this position, and, as I’ve evolved, I now can act as a mentor and train the newer people that join our team. I’ve worked hard to gain the skills and knowledge that I have and am grateful that this is a company that rewards challenging work. I’ve since become the supervisor for the technical representative team and am getting my feet wet as a people leader. These last 10-plus years have flown by. It’s such a tremendous honor to work in this department with such a fantastic team. To say that I’ve learned a lot hardly scratches the surface. It has truly been a blessing.
Looking back now on almost 30 years with Simpson Strong-Tie, I’m so grateful and proud. When people ask what I do or where I work, I’m thankful that I can proudly say I work for a company that has provided me and my family with stability and a place for me to grow. Simpson Strong-Tie has encouraged and supported me in my long journey. I encourage anybody that is looking for a wonderful place to work to investigate this company and ask about our culture and the reputation we have built over the years. I’m certain that you will find a workplace that will care and invest in your future as it has for me. If you’re looking for a place to build a meaningful career and be part of a special team, Simpson Strong-Tie may be just right for you.
