Building a successful company isn’t about completing one task at a time — it’s about having a clear vision for the future and making intentional decisions that help ensure that future. This is a philosophy that Marlou Rodriguez has carried with him throughout his career at Simpson Strong-Tie.
Long before becoming Simpson Strong-Tie Director of Product Engineering, Marlou was already familiar with the company. As a Cal Poly architectural engineering student, he used Simpson catalogs in his design courses, gaining hands-on experience with the products he would one day help develop. While the products first introduced him to Simpson Strong-Tie, it was the people who convinced him to build his career there.
Watching college friends begin their careers at Simpson Strong-Tie gave Marlou an early look at the culture and the values Barclay Simpson instilled in the company he built. One memory, in particular, stood out to him: “Barc would intentionally park on the far end of the building so he could walk through the engineering offices and testing lab and stop to talk with all the employees along the way.” That simple act of making time for people demonstrated the kind of leader Marlou hoped to exemplify.
Inspired by that culture, Marlou joined Simpson Strong-Tie twelve years ago, beginning his career in research and development. Eager to continue growing, he embraced every opportunity that came his way. After applying for a director position and not being selected, he welcomed the feedback, continued challenging himself and later became engineering manager for anchor systems. Rather than viewing that role as the finish line, he continued looking ahead. Five years later, he became director of research and development before stepping into his current role as director of product engineering.
Today, the product engineering team that Marlou leads helps bridge the gap between product development and product launch. Their role is to ensure every product performs as intended through rigorous testing and engineering evaluation before it reaches the market. Even after products are launched, the work doesn’t stop. Marlou and the team continue supporting products by testing them throughout their lifetimes, because earning and maintaining the trust of the individuals who rely on them doesn’t end when a product launches. By ensuring products continue to meet evolving industry standards, they provide the safety and reliability customers have come to expect from Simpson Strong-Tie.
When discussing product development, Marlou often asks a simple question: “What’s more important — a product passing the desired load or not passing the desired load?” His answer is always not passing the desired load. To Marlou, not achieving the desired outcome is where innovation begins. Every failed test provides valuable insight that helps engineers strengthen designs, improve performance and ultimately create safer structures. That mindset shaped his work on most of the products he’s worked on. Marlou and his team embrace the opportunity to learn, refine the design and ultimately build the trusted solutions the products solve today.
While Marlou takes pride in the products the product engineering team develops, he says, “the most rewarding part of my job is motivating people to do more than what they think they can and seeing them grow.” By encouraging the product engineering team to think differently, pursue new ideas and continually look ahead, Marlou believes leadership is about more than solving today’s challenges—it’s about preparing people for tomorrow’s opportunities. “My role is to see where we can be in the future and work toward the best possible outcome.”
