Robert Stokes recently joined Sundt to open and direct our new office in Irvine, Calif., which will primarily serve the Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Prior to joining Sundt, Stokes worked for another major contractor for 22 years and oversaw the construction of multimillion-dollar projects in the life sciences, higher education and entertainment industries.
In addition to being a respected veteran of the construction industry, Robert is also an all-around nice guy with varied interests and hobbies. Here are a few questions we recently asked him for Sundt’s blog:
What brought you to Sundt?
I was interested in working for Sundt because I believe we have similar business goals, culture and ethics.
Sundt has been performing work in California for decades and already has offices in San Diego and Sacramento. What motivated the decision to open a new office in Irvine?
Sundt has constructed work in and around Los Angeles for years. Opening an office in Irvine will allow us to grow our presence in this major economic area even further to a broader range of clients.
What opportunities have we identified in the L.A. market, and how do those opportunities align with Sundt’s strengths?
We currently have several exciting opportunities in the area that, if successful, will make a nice statement for the new office. The hard work everyone has put in is already starting to pay off. The higher education, student housing, corporate office and life sciences markets, in particular, are the areas that we are pursuing aggressively and where we are already seeing the most potential.
What do you like most about living in Southern California?
The weather most definitely and the access to so many different kinds of outdoor attractions from the beach to the mountains.
How do you like to spend your free time?
Right now, what little free time I have is spent on soccer, basketball and volleyball with my 3 kids. When I get some time to myself, I like to golf, mountain bike and road bike. Needless to say my golf game needs a lot of work!
What’s the best advice you ever received?
Never miss the opportunity to listen and learn from those around you.
Where would you most like to travel?
I would like to go to Europe and see all the centuries-old architecture. After that would be a warm beach somewhere.
If you weren’t in construction, what would you be doing?
I would probably be in the military flying airplanes.
What’s your favorite sport, either to watch or to play?
To watch: football. To play: soccer.
Would you recommend a career in construction to a young person just starting out?
Yes. I think it’s very rewarding for people who find satisfaction in creating things that are real and tangible. In addition, the people in this business are some of the best you will ever meet.