Faces of the Industry: Zach Beebe
Division Manager • G2 National • Sparks, Nevada
Zach (left) with his siblings and his sisters’ dog, Tonks.
How’d you get into this industry?
I have been around the industry for most of my life as both my parents and grandparents have owned and operated component manufacturing businesses. During college, I began working as a truss designer during my free time while pursuing my Civil Engineering degree at the University of Nevada-Reno. After college, I continued to work in the industry and got involved with both the Sales and Management side of the business.
What’s your favorite part about being in this industry? What could you do without?
Throughout my time in the industry I have been a part of many different steps in the component manufacturing process. I have enjoyed seeing the business from different perspectives and learning what it takes to be successful at each step in the process. One of my favorite parts of the industry is being able to use my experiences to be part of a management team that can work to both better serve its customers, while still working to become more efficient in its own processes at the same time. I could do without the issues that arise from component manufacturers (CMs) being brought onto the construction team too late in the process.
What’s your company, market, or SBCA chapter focused on right now?
We are focused on working with architects, engineers, and contractors earlier in the construction process to help get the design for the roof right from the start. Currently, too many items are being left up in the air to be determined later and CMs are not given enough information to properly design projects. This results in frequent changes late in the construction process, leading to delays in the timeline that ultimately hurt the owner.
What challenges do you see for the industry in the future, and what should SBCA be working on now to meet those challenges?
As demand for pre-manufactured components continues to grow, the general focus on vocational education in the country has, unfortunately, decreased. Skilled truss designers and fabricators are continually in higher demand without the supply to support it. CMs need to work with their local schools to increase students’ understanding of the types of rewarding careers our industry offers and help them understand they don’t need to go to college to get a good job. Advances in software will have a limited affect if we do not have competent people to design and manufacture trusses.
When you’re not thinking about trusses, what keeps you busy?
I enjoy golfing, going to the lake, and spending time with family and friends. I’m a big sports fan, and have been involved in basketball my whole life. I have been the director of a youth basketball program since my time in college. I also have a woodworking shop in my garage where I enjoying building things out of wood other than trusses.
