Member Spotlight: Al Anderson
Each month we try to feature a Chapter member, asking them about SMPS and more. Find out below how Al got into the A/E/C industry, his favorite TV shows, movies, and books, and much more!
What led you to the A/E/C industry?
After college I had been a high school teacher, a journalist, and a technical writer and editor. I had a job working for the University of California Forest Products Laboratory editing a book about the Urban-Wildland Interface, but once the book was done I was out of a full-time job for many months. A friend of mine I played softball with said his engineering company was looking for someone called a “Marketing Coordinator” and thought I might be interested. I got the job (this was back in 2002) and have worked in the A/E/C industry ever since.
Why did you join SMPS and/or why do you continue to be a member?
My second marketing job was for CSDA Architects in San Francisco, and my boss told me she wanted me to be a member of SMPS and I said, “Okay.” I haven’t regretted it, and it’s been especially nice to keep the connection since I have been working in Napa since 2010 and can’t go to many SMPS SFBAC events other than the Pacific Regional Conference (PRC).
Do you have a favorite memory of an SMPS event?
I’ve been to almost all of the PRC’s and they’ve been quite good and are very worth attending. The one in Palm Springs might have been my favorite though I’ve enjoyed them all.
What’s your favorite job task?
I like the fact that I have a job where I get to work with words. I always enjoy the moment when the proposal has been successfully delivered.
What’s your least favorite job task?
Commuting to get to my job.
Do you work from home, in the office, or a hybrid?
I work for a construction company, not in San Francisco, and there was a definite sense in my company that if our construction staff physically had to go to work the office staff should too. So, we did hybrid for a year but then we were all required to go back to the office full-time in March of 2021 (I believe). The pandemic seems like a long time ago to me now, which is not the case for many people reading this, I know.
What’s something you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self?
I would advise anyone never to worry about things you can’t control. You can waste a lot of time worrying about things that are never going to happen, but even if something bad does happen you might as well just deal with it in that moment.
Do you have any hobbies?
30 years ago, my older brother suggested that I start a men’s softball team and then he and my younger brother could play on it. So, I started a team. My older brother played for 3 years, and my younger brother played for 23. This is my 30th and final season. I think it’s time to quit because the players on the other team now occasionally address me as “sir,” and the gray-haired, cantankerous umpires now greet me like I’m an old friend when I step up to the plate. The other reason I need to quit is that if I get a base hit I may soon need a walker to get to first base, and that might be a bit awkward.
Do you have a favorite TV show?
Nothing current really grabs me. About 10 years ago my brother-in-law gifted us the first season of Leave It To Beaver. I was surprised by how well-written and well-acted it was and we ended up watching all 6 seasons!
Do you have a favorite movie?
I have many favorites, but my all-time favorite is: It’s a Wonderful Life. I first saw it when I was in high school and had the now almost-impossible privilege of seeing it with almost no advance information, which would be difficult to do today in this era of the internet and social media. So, the quality of the movie took me by surprise, and especially the way it hides its design from us. I did not expect the Twilight Zone-style plot twist that adds unexpected significance to everything that happened before. If you’re the rare person who hasn’t seen it, I highly recommend it.
Do you have a favorite book?
I’d like to give a shout out here to the Bible, which I think is the most meaningful book you could possibly read. Many people think they know what’s in it, but haven’t actually taken the time to read it. I think we’re probably looking for a more lightweight suggestion here, so I do have one: Three Men in a Boat (Not to Mention the Dog) by Jerome K. Jerome. My college-age son recommended this to me, and I asked him if this was a recent book. He told me it was a classic written in 1889, which, being an arrogant English major, I didn’t believe, having never heard of it. I read it and was quite impressed (and amused). The book was intended to be a travel book about three young men taking a boat trip up the Thames River from near London to Oxford, but the author puts in so much comedy that the travelogue aspect is quite overshadowed. The comedy seems surprisingly modern for 1889: it’s like reading a 19th century Seinfeld episode. Relevant quote: “I like work. It fascinates me. I could stare at it for hours and hours.”
Do you have a favorite local restaurant?
At my work in Napa we tend to go out to fancy restaurants for lunch to celebrate people’s birthdays. Last time it was my birthday I decided to be counter-cultural and suggested we go to IHOP. Naturally I was mocked (as expected), but afterward everybody said they thought it was great and thanked me for suggesting it. So…there’s a lesson in there somewhere.
Do you have a favorite local spot?
The Oakland Coliseum! You all need to go and see an A’s game and try to save the team!
Is there any vacation spot you recommend?
If you are going with your spouse or a friend, the best vacation spot is the one that the person you’re going with really enjoys. If the people you’re with are having a good time, then it’s a good vacation spot no matter where it is.
Do you have any upcoming vacation plans?
My son is starting law school in Virginia in the Fall, and my daughter will start her senior year at San Diego State. So…I’m certain I’ll find myself in San Diego and Virginia at some point.
Do you have a secret skill?
I’d love to say that it’s brevity, but you would know I was lying.
What do you like to do most in your free time?
Hanging out with my lovely and talented wife, who will be reading this article closely.
