Hispanic Heritage Month
Pedro Rodriguez: Project Superintendent
To Superintendent Pedro Rodriguez, Hispanic Heritage Month is about feeling pride in his Mexican culture and spreading his love for building a better world for those around him. In the 17 years Pedro has been with The Walsh Group and Archer Western, he has enjoyed working on big projects that are meant to impact the lives of thousands of people, and the next generation as well.
Pedro began his work at Archer Western in 2004, as an Assistant Superintendent on the Bachman WTP Ozone Facility & Chemical Feed project in Dallas, Texas. “I got a call from my old boss with whom I worked back in 1994, at another company,” Pedro recalled of his start. “He offered for me to join the team…[and] it was a good project. I had an excellent experience.”
Over the years, Pedro has gained invaluable knowledge of water and wastewater treatment processes and worked with many different water treatment technologies. Of course, as these technologies evolve, so does the way he works. When asked how the construction industry has changed over the years, Pedro says, “back in my days the physical effort was [used way more]. Today, new technologies and equipment have changed the way we work, making our work safer, faster and…better quality.”
These changes have allowed Pedro to continue striving for safe, quality work, though this did not come without difficulty. “My biggest challenge has been language,” he explains. “As a non-English speaker, it was a challenge to overcome the barrier of communication and still being able to succeed at my job. [I] have improved on my English skills over the years, but I still find this to be a challenge.” To individuals wishing to pursue a career in construction, Pedro advises that: “You need to love construction and treat the company as yours.”
Pedro enjoys the relationships he has built with his coworkers over the years and leads by example, encouraging respect to those around him while motivating everyone to improve each day. Though the language hurdle was certainly a challenge he had to overcome to get where he is today, Pedro hopes that anyone pursuing a career in construction or any other industry will “put your heart in the work you are doing, understand that what you are building today is going to stay there for many years, and it’s going to impact the lives of thousands of people.”
As a Latino in the construction industry, Pedro is most proud of his initiative to puzzle out the most creative ways to solve day-to-day problems, and other improvements to production. Having learned most of what he knows from a foreman back in 1983, Pedro looks forward to spreading his own knowledge and continues building for the future. In his spare time, he likes to keep busy with home projects and is always improving on his house; though of late, he spends a lot of time building toys and playground areas for his grandsons.
“I love what I do,” he says. “I just think construction is in my blood.”
Story by: Yvette Acosta and Rebecca Saindon