Fergus Lenehan

I will never forget my first week with Webcor, it was April 1997. Bob Hopper was the man who took a chance on me, he told me to show up to a job called Electronic Arts in Redwood City. I had just arrived from Ireland, my first question was “where is Redwood City” He was kind enough to give me detailed directions over the phone.
The first few days were brutal, I was as a 40% Carpenter apprentice working for Gary Leifeld and Nate Saldana. They were tough but fair. That job had an all-star crew with Juvenal, Terry Peterson, Forrest Walch and Pat Reidy all part of that project at one stage or another.
I met two people that week that would have a profound effect on my life, namely Alberto Vasquez who remains a dear friend and Rod Verrips aka Safety Rod.
Alberto and I started the same day, I didn’t bring lunch so he shared his with me. Later he would teach me how sink 16 penny nails in 3 swings! I will admit to whacking my thumbs and fingers many times before sinking a nail with 3 swings.
Later that week I clearly remember the voices over the radio proclaiming “Safety Rod is on site, get your glasses on!” I thought to myself this guy must be scary with the reaction he has caused by showing up on the jobsite. He was anything but scary, he was so well liked and respected everybody wanted to do right by him. Rod became a mentor to me and many at Webcor. He was always positive, friendly, and kind. His passing a few years back was a sad day in the history of Webcor.
Which reminds me of many Webcorians that I have worked with along the way that left us too soon, Angel Gomez, Dennis Bagnani, Steve Kent, Gilberto Padilla, Jamie Viray, Sandy Campbell & Richard Lopez to name just a few.
A lot has changed over the years and a lot has remained the same. The family atmosphere where we were proud to bleed green has now evolved to a Community where we proudly Build Green. Long may it continue!