At Raymond, we have outstanding employees, so we decided to feature some of them on our blog. Our next Employee Spotlight features Antonio Bongiovanni, Project Engineer for Raymond’s San Diego region. Antonio joined Raymond through our internship program while attending San Diego State University. Recently, he has finished up work at our UCSD Pepper Canyon West project and is taking on estimating responsibilities in our San Diego office.
We sat down with Antonio to learn more about him and his time at Raymond.
What does a typical day look like for you? My typical day can consist of a variety of tasks including conducting purchase orders, coordinating and scheduling deliveries with suppliers, writing RFI’s, creating submittals, generating access reports, walking OpenSpace for 360 video documentation, updating architectural plans with RFI’s, closing punchlist items, and other small miscellaneous projects.
What brought you into the construction industry? I’ve always had a passion and interest in construction. And I’ve always wanted to contribute to an industry that helps build the future of our society and has a positive impact on the community.
Favorite project at Raymond and why? I was recently on our UCSD Pepper Canyon project in La Jolla. I loved being able to connect with new people while working on site and being able to walk the job and get a firsthand look at the construction taking place. It’s great to be able to contribute to a project and see the hard work become a reality.
Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood provides 1,304 single-occupancy rooms for transfer and upper-division students at UCSD. The project comprises 580,500 gross square feet in two 22- and 23-story towers, with connected five-story buildings featuring outdoor terrace seating. The project also includes retail and open spaces. Raymond performed metal framing, drywall, lath and plaster for Clark Construction. Pepper Canyon West has been built to LEED Gold certification.
Three words to describe Raymond? Teamwork, dedication, and quality.
Are you working on any personal projects? I’m preparing to begin my master’s degree in business administration and am excited to continue working towards my future goals. It’s another step towards success and will teach me important lessons that can apply to my career.
What’s the best thing about your job? The best part of my job is being able to work with the team and observe how successful we can be when we work together. Having good team chemistry and open communication is key to good relationships and a successful project.
What is your proudest moment at Raymond? Earning my promotion from Project Engineer Intern to the Project Engineer position. It was symbolic of my growth and my first big step into the construction industry.
Pictured: Antonio with fellow Summer 2023 Project Engineer Interns Carlos Gonzalez (currently Estimator in Las Vegas) and Troy Simpkins (currently Proejct Engineer in Southern California)
What is the most challenging part of your job? Coordinating clearly with all team members to make sure we meet the project schedule. With a large team and tight deadlines, it can be challenging to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
How would you describe your career progression at Raymond? I’ve progressed as a person and as a project engineer constantly throughout my time working at Raymond. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my experience, it’s that you learn something new every day. Coming into the company as an intern with no previous experience in construction was a big step for me, and I knew it would take time and hard work to become a successful project engineer. Compared to before, I now feel confident in my abilities and am always ready to take on new challenges.
What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Everything happens for a reason.
What advice do you have for prospective Raymond candidates? Raymond is the right choice for you if you desire to be a part of a collaborative team who is willing to support you and aid you in achieving your goals.
Pictured: Antonio representing Raymond at SDSU Career Fair
What do you like doing when you’re not at work? I enjoy the outdoors, exercising, the beach, eating out, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family.
Favorite thing to do? My favorite thing to do is go on hikes and enjoy the beautiful San Diego scenery.
What inspires you? My family and everyone who has overcome struggles in their life. Knowing that there are people who work hard every day to take care of their loved ones inspires me to push myself so I can be there for people just like them.
What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? Family.
What country do you want to visit but haven’t? Italy. I’m Italian so I would love to be able to visit where my ancestors came from and become closer to my heritage.
How do you balance your career and your family? I try to work hard and complete my tasks during the day so I can go home worry free and enjoy being surrounded by loved ones.
What is something most people don’t know about you? The field team created a nickname for me, and I’m known on the jobsite as “Little Italy”.
