Melvin Rucker and Leroy Brock III are 50 / 50 owners of Professional Glass Installations , Inc . ( PGI ), a small glazing ( C-17 ) company located in Alameda County . Melvin and Leroy are both union trained with a combined 25 years of experience between them , and started out working for other business owners , through whom they learned the trade . “ It was very inspiring to see a long-established , minorityowned business making progress and doing well ,” recalls Melvin .
Melvin completed an apprenticeship from 2006 to 2011 with Haywardbased Adolph ’ s Glass Company , worked for USGA , Inc . from 2011 to 2015 , and oversaw field operations for All Bay Area Glass Inc . from 2015 to 2018 , before founding and incorporating PGI with Leroy in March of 2018 .
Leroy and Melvin compare building a business to having children , “ No one can tell you how to do it – you really have to learn hands-on . Doing builds confidence . Like parenting , you develop wisdom and skill with experience .”
Melvin and Leroy have put a lot of time , effort and hard work into growing PGI . As Melvin explains , “ There ’ s a learning curve to gaining experience in any field – whether it ’ s getting your contractor license , securing insurance , working with unions , or the financial challenges of supporting yourself while investing funds into your business .”
50 / 50 owners of Professional Glass Installations , Inc . ( PGI ), Melvin Rucker and Leroy Brock III
Melvin and Leroy initially reached out to the Alameda Contractor Technical Assistance Program ( CTAP ) after attending a procurement event for the Port of Oakland , where they first learned of the program . CTAP staff worked with them to establish a line of surety credit and obtain bonding for their first bonded public works project . “ Our first project was a small one ,” says Melvin , “ but it got our foot in the door , allowed us to prove what we can do , and helped us start building good working relationships – all of which has led to PGI being awarded additional projects .” Melvin and Leroy have since obtained several certifications ( DBE , Micro- SB , SLEB and others ) and have completed projects for a community college , the Modesto Irrigation District , Caltrans , and window replacements for the State of California building
“ Leroy and Melvin compare building a business to having children , “ No one can tell you how to do it – you really have to learn hands-on . [...] Like parenting , you develop wisdom and skill with experience .”
FALL / WINTER 2020 CONTRACTOR REPORT - 13