Author – Tim Dupre President and CEO PBS Contractors
The Next 35 Years_Tim Dupre
I grew up in a blue-collar family, like most American families. My parents always struggled to make ends meet, although, as kids, we would have never known. We had a roof over our head, clothes to wear, food to eat, and we went on vacation every year. As a middle child of three, I had a great childhood. I learned what not to do from my older sister and had the responsibility of being the older brother. My father worked in construction since he moved to Florida at 18, and my mother was a homemaker who had her own cleaning business.
My parents instilled in us a hard work ethic, and my father, to this day, is still one of the hardest working men I have ever met. I remember being a six-year-old kid “helping” dad on Saturdays (which probably slowed him down more than anything looking back now). I was responsible for mixing the mud in the wheelbarrow and keeping the tools clean – very important responsibilities in the block/bricklaying trade. Then there were the weekends cleaning offices and condos as a family. It was work, but we always had fun.
As my siblings and I got older, and like all parents, they wanted more for us, but unlike most parents, they never pushed us to attend college. My parents believe you can be successful if you work hard and for the right people! While I love learning and knowledge, I was not a huge fan of school and was thankful for their philosophy. I started what I considered my first real job when I was 14 years old, working for my grandfather, who owned a small general contracting business – Tropical Builders and Home Inspections. We worked mostly in Del Tura Country Club, where we specialized in remodeling and repair work. I learned a lot about construction in those four years and was blessed to work with my grandfather, uncle, and father every day. There were many good memories and lessons learned.
The next chapter started at 16 when I met my future wife, Christine, and knew I would need a better job to start a family. One of my mentors taught me the difference between a job and a career, a lesson I have never forgotten. His name was William (Bill) Barnes, who, at the time, was the Vice President of Conditioned Air, and he asked me, “Tim, do you want another job or a career?” It was the same thing to me, or so I thought, but after a quick lesson from Bill, I chose a career. So, at 18 years old, I started as an apprentice installer at Conditioned Air. This was a great experience and my college education! Over the next 24 years, I climbed the corporate ladder from apprentice installer to President and CEO. I thank my father and mother for ingraining my work ethic and for the key mentors and coaches I have had in my life. I have been very fortunate to work with some amazing people and learn how and how “not” to run a business!
After 24 years in a great career and hitting my forty’s, I, like most, reflected on my life and what I wanted the future to be like for my family. During my tenure with Conditioned Air, I grew up in a company with a strong culture and a great reputation. I was not willing to settle for anything less if I was going to do something else. While at Conditioned Air, I met a lot of successful business leaders and people who made impacts in our community, which is also very important to me.
One such individual was Russell Budd. I first met Russell around 10-15 years ago when Theo Etzel and Russell were in the same Vistage group 2046. I was in Ancora, a middle management peer group, where I met Kim Ortegon and Mark Simmons, who worked with Russell at PBS. In 2018, I took Theo’s place in Vistage 2046 and learned more about Russell and PBS. To this day, Russell and I joke about that time and how it was a five-year-long interview process. What I didn’t know was Russell’s plan for his succession and what Russell didn’t know was that I wanted to change my path and set new goals for my family’s life.
As things developed and I learned more about Russell’s plans, and he learned about my goals, everything became aligned. What I love about PBS is the culture; the 28 Fundamentals are a way of life and are non-negotiable. The Purpose Statement of “We Build Better Lives for Our Team, Our Clients, and Our Community” was all I needed. As I met with the rest of the Team, I knew we would undoubtedly accomplish amazing things together. So, on December 1, 2021, I accepted the position of President and CEO and never looked back.
I now have a new mentor, coach, and business partner in Russell Budd. The future is bright for PBS; we have an amazing growing team, an environment where our Team does come first. When we take care of them, our Clients receive a better experience, and our Communities remain a great place to live! My goal is to pay it forward, as my mentors have done for me. We all have the ability and responsibility to make our community a better place and, by extension, the world!
So here is to the next 35 years of building upon Russell’s great legacy and making our homes, businesses, and communities a beautiful place to live.
