Trading Up: Fernando Guerrero

Succeeding in the trades demands a combination of skill, education, and artistry. Framers bring buildings to life as they raise them from their foundations. Electricians take pride in providing luxury and convenience for those who live and work within the walls they touch. Landscapers install the finishing touches that grace each project with beauty. It is because of these hard-working and talented people that we have the America we all call home.

Putting these skills to work is not without sacrifice. When work is plentiful, early morning commutes and long days are the norm. Unplanned days off the consequence when times are lean. Now imagine a job where the skills of a talented tradesman can be put to use in one building. Imagine a promise of steady work day after day surrounded by people you enjoy, who encourage you and help you become even better at what you do.

Fernando Guerrero is living that dream. He started his career as a tile setter, building military housing units around the San Diego area. In the early 2000’s when work dried up in the housing market, Fernando needed to find something new. Fortunately an unfinished mid-rise residential building was weathering the storm and the contractor needed help wrapping it up. Though the job wasn’t putting his tile-setting skills to use, it was a job nonetheless.

By showing up on time everyday and doing quality work, Fernando made an impression. When the building opened and residents started moving in, the HOA leadership asked him to stay on board. As the day-to-day operations of the building transitioned from the builder to Action Property Management, the HOA again requested that Fernando be kept on to provide building maintenance services.

That was thirteen years ago and Fernando is still working for Action today. In 2019 Savina, a brand new 36-story mixed-use residential building in San Diego, opened its doors. With a solid reputation as a hard-working and accomplished employee, Fernando was asked to help open a new building for the second time. One month before the grand opening, he became the building engineer and has spent the last six years learning every corner of the tower. Whether he’s turning a wrench or swinging a hammer, he enjoys the diversity the job provides.

With a well-earned reputation as someone who can be trusted to get the job done, Fernando doesn’t have bosses looking over his shoulder. No one needs to check up on him or tell him what to do. Given his disdain for tardiness, he arrives at work an hour early to eat breakfast and enjoy a morning routine at Savina before clocking in for the day.

The first hour of each work day is spent inspecting the building with the goal of finding anything that needs attention before it's reported. From there, he creates a to-do list and gets to work. Later in the afternoon, he does it again searching for anything that might fall short of the residents’ expectations for their luxury high-rise. From scuffed baseboards that need touch-up paint to light bulbs that need to be replaced, Fernando notices it all.

If you talk to Fernando for even a few minutes, you will quickly see that he loves his job and the people who surround him. He knows that he’s part of a team—from the managers, to the front desk associates, to the people who work behind the scenes, he relies on them all.

Company values are instilled in all of Action’s employees. For Fernando, the value that stands out the most is “We Care About People.” Over the past 13 years he has both been cared for and has cared for others. It’s the people around him that make the job enjoyable. “I’ve never had a grumpy manager,” Fernando said.

Steady work where his skills are valued, a reasonable commute, and people he enjoys all contribute to a job he loves. For Fernando, working for Action at Savina is a tradesman’s paradise and he can’t imagine working anywhere else.