For those of you who remember the old TV show MacGyver, you’ll recall that the main character had the unique ability to get out of tough situations in creative ways. By applying his in-depth knowledge of physics and mechanics he could find solutions using whatever unconventional materials he found nearby. Growing up, Steve Locklar imagined himself doing just that — solving problems in creative ways. Today he is living that dream as the Chief Building Engineer at Millennium Tower in San Francisco.
Fortunately, he doesn’t have to improvise as often as MacGyver did. Instead, he can simply head down to the basement level shop where he has access to everything he needs to do the job right. From tools to lightbulbs, the shop is a mini Home Depot.
As Chief Engineer, Steve’s job is more of a supervisory and strategic planning position, but as a leader, he finds more value working alongside his crew and minimizing the time he spends behind a desk. He’s even been known to show up late at night to get his hands dirty fixing a broken pipe deep inside inside the 58-story tower.
Steve Locklar and His Engineering Team
Steve’s goal is to have his work be seen, but not necessarily be seen himself. The residents of the luxurious high-rise expect to find a well-oiled machine and Steve prides himself on providing the highest level of service available.
“It’s like Christmas anytime I get to learn something new. I don’t consider it work when I get to figure out what’s wrong with something and make it right, it’s what makes me tick.” That’s Steve’s perspective on a typical day at Millennium Tower. He genuinely loves going to work, despite the hour-long commute from outside The City.
His start in the workforce came after an injury ended his aspiring baseball career and he took a job at a steel mill in his home state of Louisiana. With an aptitude for all things mechanical, Steve worked his way up the ladder, but changed course when Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005. Not wanting to experience another hurricane, Steve and his wife made the move west and landed in Northern California where he went to work for a federal contractor. He again quickly climbed the ladder, ultimately achieving the position of foreman.
Along with his team, he spent six years renovating the Golden Gate National Cemetery near San Francisco, a painstaking task that involved the removal and repositioning of all 113,000 headstones on the premises.
Steve Locklar
”It’s like Christmas anytime I get to learn something new. I don’t consider it work when I get to figure out what’s wrong with something and make it right, it’s what makes me tick.
From there he went to work as a Chief Building Engineer at a Bay Area Marriott. He stayed there for five years until he was introduced to Action Property Management and Millennium Tower. His first position with Action was as Assistant Chief Engineer, but he was soon promoted to the Chief position. His first act in the new job was to decline to immediately hire a replacement for his now vacant previous position. Instead, he opted to reallocate some of those funds to another team member, in order to retain him in a very competitive market. He continued to build the trust of his team by saving that open job for another engineer who is a few months shy of the required years of experience for the position, but will be a perfect fit for a promotion once the time is right.
When asked about his approach to problem solving, Steve summed it up this way, “In high leverage situations, the textbook answer isn’t aways the answer that gets you where you are going. It’s only crazy if it doesn’t work.” On this job when everyday is a new challenge, an open-minded approach is not only an asset, it’s a requirement.
After making the long ride home each day, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife and two kids. With a 15-year-old and a four-year-old in the house, he might find himself helping with homework one minute and being ridden around the living room like a horse the next. His favorite weekend is the one with no plans at all except for spending time with his family.
Steve sums up his view of work with a simple idea. “The difference between a good day and a bad day is often only your perception.” With a mind focused on solving problems, even the most challenging day can be a good day.
