The work that Angel Leon does always circles back to one simple question: why? For Angel, the answer to his “why” has always been the easy part. Everything he accomplishes as Senior Training Specialist and Outreach Coordinator at Simpson Strong-Tie ties back to a philosophy of asking himself what he can do to help others recognize their significance.
Angel plays a major role in connecting Simpson Strong-Tie with the communities we work alongside. “Someone made me feel that the things I brought to the table were a valuable contribution,” said Angel. “So now I want to recirculate that feeling and find the things that make others feel important.” That mindset has guided his involvement with organizations such as the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California (SEAOSC), where he serves as Outreach Committee Co-Chair, as well as the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Timber-Strong Design BuildSMCompetition (TSDB), the Construction Industry Education Foundation (CIEF) and the ACE Mentor Program. While outreach provides an opportunity to increase brand recognition, Angel also sees it as a chance to give back to the people and industries that have helped shape his own career.
That mindset is what led Angel to take ownership of Simpson Strong-Tie’s scholarship program. When he began leading the initiative, the company awarded 68 scholarships annually, providing up to $136,000 to university students pursuing careers in the architectural, engineering or construction management fields. Seeing an opportunity to expand the program’s impact, Angel advocated for increased funding and broader eligibility. Today, the program awards 120 undergraduate scholarships, 4 postgraduate grants, and 20 junior college / trade school grants to students, totaling $400,000 each year.
For Angel, however, the program is about much more than financial support. Each scholarship recipient is also given opportunities to gain industry exposure through plant tours, jobsite visits and networking experiences. He sees every scholarship as an investment in the future of the construction and engineering industries — planting seeds that will one day contribute to safer, stronger structures and communities.
Angel often says that Simpson Strong-Tie empowers employees to take ownership and “Be the Leader” of their roles — the growth of the scholarship program is a reflection of exactly that. Through his leadership, more than 1,400 students have received the support, exposure and encouragement they needed to pursue careers as designers, engineers and architects, with many involving themselves in major projects for organizations such as SpaceX, Gehry Partners and the U.S. Air Force, among others.
By investing in the next generation, Angel embodies our core principles of Give Back, Be the Leader and Long-Range View, ensuring that Simpson Strong-Tie’s impact extends far beyond what we see today. As Angel puts it, “The future of the construction industry is in their hands, and the impact they make will help shape the next 70 years.”
