Tim Cramer
Vice president
Tim's father and one of his older brother were general contractors. But as a kid, Tim didn’t feel like construction was in his future; he dreamed of being a police officer.
“My oldest brother was a police officer when I was growing up. I grew up in a small town close to San Diego, and some of my friends’ dads growing up were sheriffs and police officers in San Diego. That was a desire that I had growing up, but things started shifting over the years,” he said.
Deciding on construction
By the time graduation came around, his desire to be a cop was gone, and he decided on construction. He started as a laborer and flagman at San Diego-based Hazard Construction. He did anything and everything on the job, including flagging traffic, shoveling, and laying subdrain.
Before long, he moved to another construction company called Signs and Pinnick, where he worked until 2006. At Pinnick, Tim got his first taste of big earthmoving, checking grade, and operating equipment. He became a grade checker, equipment operator, and finally a manager.
Starting at LB3 enterprises
Then Tim's father-in-law, Larry, invited Tim to come work at his company in 2006. Tim accepted.
“For Larry and myself, we both came from the field. We didn’t come from the office. Larry was an owner-operator who started at 21 years old. He was able to grow and learn the business from the field side, and I started in the field as well. I don’t feel like we would be where we are today without that hands-on experience and knowledge. You have to know all sides of the industry," Tim explained.
What Tim loved about working construction
Tim loved learning about all parts of the industry. He said, “I learn something new every day, whether that’s a trade secret or a different way to do things. I try to have that open mind with our people, and I think they should as well. It keeps everybody thinking.”
Looking back, he wouldn’t change a thing about his career path.
“I love what I do. It becomes stressful at times, just because of LB3’s size and some of the challenges we face, but I like the challenge," Tim said. "I like the culture of the people and giving back to the community. If I could go back in time, I would pick this same course.”
Tim's best advice for you
Tim also encourages young people to embrace the tough work that he spent his first few years doing.
“The problem with a lot of the newer generation is that everyone wants a quick reward. They want to be running the GPS machine within six months, even if they’re starting. It takes time and experience to grow, and everything that you do—from checking grade to reading plans to excavating—you learn a different aspect of the business,” he said.
So, where's the best place to start in the Dirt World? Most people start as laborers so they can learn the foundational skills they'll need to move up in the industry. Learn more about what laborers do.
