STEVE POTTER, Production Manager - Estates, and his team work on our largest projects that span anywhere from 1-3 years and have very intricate plans. Get to know Steve with our Q&A.
What do you do at Allen Construction?
My role as the Production Manager of the Estates Division is to provide the best experience possible for the client and their architectural team. We pay attention to the smallest details – from the inception of a project all the way through to the final cleaning. I have acted in a similar capacity for the last ten years in Santa Barbara, the last two with Allen Construction.
What kind of projects do you work on?
What defines an Estates-level project is the size, scale, and location of the property, as well as the level of finishes contained within. The projects are often complex and long-term undertakings. They require a team that is patient, knowledgeable and comprehends all of the details these projects encompass. Our team of five, with over 100 years of combined construction experience, strives to bring together a dream team of subcontractors and specialty trades to provide a service and product as unique as each client
How did you get started in the construction field?
My interest in the field started as a young kid admiring construction projects each summer on the UC Irvine college campus. I was fascinated with the day-to-day progress of these seemingly humongous buildings, growing over the course of a summer, when I would tag along with my father who was a Physics professor on campus. In middle school, I spent countless after-school hours working on wood shop projects with my shop teacher, Mr. Carser. Then in my 20’s, I worked my way through all the disciplines of the residential construction industry—from sweeping floors to finish carpentry—before opening and running my own company in Portland, Oregon. Ultimately, my family and I were drawn back to Santa Barbara and we’ve been here since 2010.
Where do you live?
Our family consists of my beautiful wife, Kim, and our two sons, Charlie (13) and Evan (9). We live on the western edge of Goleta with our two crazy cats, Manny and Grey Grey.
Steve and his sons, Charlie and Evan, enjoying a summer outing in the Eastern Sierras.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Pre-Covid, most weekends you’d find me on some sort of ball field with my boys—most likely soccer and baseball—or in the mountains on my mountain bike or snowboard. With the pandemic, our focus has shifted from the playing fields to the ocean; surfing and paddle boarding have become our outlet for exercise and family time.
What is your proudest achievement?
I wake up each day so proud of the boys Kim and I are raising and the communities (in both my personal and professional life) I’ve become a part of over the last 10 years in Santa Barbara.
What was the last book you read?
My son’s math textbook.
We wouldn’t know it to look at you, but…
I have a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from UCSB; the Tibetan Buddhism class I took my sophomore year really opened my eyes to the world.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the construction industry?
Pay attention to the details. Respect the skills of those around you. Try to do something better each time you do it.