Manuel Jimenez

I've been in the construction trades my entire life with a wide variety of experience. I am currently an Estimator working on educational projects in the $5M to $40M range. I started in construction as a young teenager and worked my way up as a carpenter and then a General Contractor in San Francisco doing remodels and restorations on Craftsman and Victorian homes. One of the funner projects I did was for the State of CA restoring the Governors Mansion and turning it back into a livable residence after being a museum since the 1980's. With a mindset tuned from a BA in Physics I enjoy the "how' and "why" of construction and build from a thorough understanding of the systems (MEP, waterproofing, structural and the like) while at the same time understanding methods and techniques developed over thousands of years of man building shelter. Outside of building I am passionate about the environment and have spent many years since leaving Vermont on the California coast surfing, kiteboarding, camping, fishing, crabbing and enjoying its beauty. I have also developed a love for History and read primarily non-fiction. I find History regarding man's use of the land and use of technology to be most informative to understand the actual events that occurred. While the individuals and their trials and tribulations appear most noteworthy what they may have had for dinner and what tools and resources they were able to harness can tell more about them and their interactions with others. Understanding History can only lead to one place and that is an understanding of the current world. Our modern issues of social justice, economic justice and environmental stewardship are of utmost importance to me and I understand their challenges largely through my understanding of History. Every day is an opportunity take better care of the environment and expand opportunity to all people throughout varying economies and geographies. I'm looking forward to the next decade in construction. The world has a lot of environmental and social challenges and the construction industry will need to be part of the solution. Demand will be high for civil construction as we develop more land to utilize and a challenging environment to manage. Infrastructure for energy systems, transportation systems and construction to support research facilities will also be in high demand. It's an exciting and rewarding time to be in construction and I look forward to the coming opportunities.