JORGE GONZALEZ
Job Title: New Construction Manager
Company: LaFlamme Electric, Inc.
Location: Alpharetta, Ga.
Age: 28
Years on the Job: 10
Interests: Going to the gym, mountain biking, ATV off-roading, lawn care, and working on his cars
Jorge Gonzalez grew up around the electrical trade. From the time he was 10 years old, he accompanied his father on job sites and watched him work.
“Although I wasn’t of much help at that age, I found it very interesting how my father installed the electrical wiring in new homes, and, on a separate trip, he installed all the devices and fixtures,” he says. “I kept on going until I graduated from high school, at which point I started working full-time with my father as a subcontractor. I did that for three years before becoming a service technician for LaFlamme Electric.”
Born in Mexico and raised in Georgia, Gonzalez completed training on the job site after graduating from high school.
“Being on job sites full time for the same company for over 10 years has allowed me to learn how things are expected to be done and how the company operates,” he says. “I’ve been in every position that the company has to offer to any electrician: subcontractor, service technician, project manager, and now, new construction manager/estimator.”
As the new construction manager, his workday starts at 7 a.m. and ends at about 4 p.m. or 5 p.m., but he often stays late to complete his tasks. He works primarily in the office with homebuilders’ purchasing departments.
“I started as a technician, and now I am responsible for the major operation of the company,” he says. “My favorite part is providing bids to our customers in a way that they can use it as a shopping cart so they’re able to build their homes efficiently and within budget.”
During his career, he has worked with national, regional, and local homebuilders. He says technology plays a critical role in his work. For example, he provides all the estimates via spreadsheets and customer portals, and he schedules the jobs to go out via an app. “At LaFlamme, we are practically paper-free,” he says. “Everything we do is digital.”
