A New Project Manager To Beat
The Band.
You might say that Tommy Tortorich is a project manager of note–a whole bunch of them in fact.
Because while Tommy brings a lot of experience to SEI as a project manager, he’s also a pretty good composer, too. He’s written and recorded a slew of songs, most of them about life in his native bayous of Louisiana. He’s even written a few jingles in his day.
“I started out on piano. My mother made me take lessons, and I didn’t want to. Then I discovered the guitar and girls.”
Which is as good a time as any to mention Yukari, Tommy’s wife of ten years. The two of them met and fell in love. Together, they’re discovering a newfound love for the mountains of east Tennessee.
Those childhood piano lessons were the beginning of Tommy’s love affair with music. Yet while he’s gifted in music, he sure knows how to keep a construction project humming along.
“My sweet spot is managing the totality of a construction job, from beginning to end. I think that comes from growing up an entrepreneur.” Working his way from the ground up, Tommy has been a contractor his entire working life. So what’s Tommy’s secret to success?
“When I meet and work with a client, we are lifelong friends. I’m regularly on the phone with people with whom I’ve worked and who have worked for me. I specialize in cooperation and managing expectations, which is the key to ensuring trust.”
Tommy certainly has a diverse set of interests, having earned a BS in Business from SLU in Louisiana, along with minors in Psychology, marketing, and accounting from SLU in Louisiana. But while Tommy has been successful in his own right, he also is proud of helping his own employees start their own businesses.
“I’ve always remembered a quote from the CEO of Tandy Corporation, how he was proud to help so many people become millionaires. I’ve always been there with those people and stay in touch.”
That attitude to work and people are what made Tommy Tortorich and SEI a perfect fit. He found Kenny and a company that shares his same values.
“There’s incredible teamwork among the folks here. What’s more, Kenny’s treatment of subcontractors as partners is so important on so many different levels.”
We’re glad Tommy is here as well. At SEI, we think great work begins with great values. And making sure all our team members are singing the same tune.