My family lived in Los Angeles since the early 1900’s and my grandfather on my mother’s side had a construction company that built many public works projects. My uncles continued in construction for many years and I was on my first construction site at the age of six. During high school, I spent a summer living with my uncle and working as a carpenter’s apprentice. I liked being on the construction sites, especially the excitement of a concrete pour. All the men rushing around, working together, a race against time, and at the end of the day a completed pour. Years later, when I saw the concrete bridges over the Los Angeles River from downtown to East LA, I recognized sophisticated design and great skill.