The following is a recent conversation with McCaffrey Homes President Brent McCaffrey.

How did you get into the homebuilding business?

I grew up in the business.  I’m proud to be part of the third-generation leadership team.  I worked as a young boy helping the crew with moving frames, cleaning gutters, and sweeping out the homes.  I guess you can say I learned the business from the ground up.

What did you learn during those early days about the homebuilding business?

My grandfather, John Bonadelle, taught me a lot, but the most important lesson he taught was one about integrity.  I remember him saying:  “rise and shine, it’s building time!”  The most important lesson he taught me that I live by today is that you are only as good as your word.

What was the path that led you to be part of the third-generation leadership team at McCaffrey Homes?

I was fortunate to play football for USC and was looking to start a professional football career with the Denver Broncos.  But, an injury ended that journey before it began.  I earned a degree in urban planning and this was about the time I lost my grandfather, so I was pulled back to the family business.  I realized that this was my calling – the building industry was in my bones.

What is your inspiration for leading McCaffrey Homes?

What we do touches every facet of society from health and the economy to education and the social fabric of the community.  It is important to me that we are good stewards of the land and build lasting communities where families can thrive for generations.

What impact do you want McCaffrey Homes to have on the region?

We have a responsibility to create a vibrant community that contributes to healthy families and strengthens the region.  I am proud of the role that McCaffrey Homes has played as an inaugural homebuilder at Tesoro Viejo, Madera County’s newest award-winning, master-planned community.  We have taken a community from its infancy to a sustainable, vibrant community.  It was important to us that we were part of planning a strong infrastructure for the community from the very start – that’s why the Madera County Fire Station, Madera County Sheriff Substation, and the K-8 school were built well before the first homeowner moved in.

What is important for your children to understand about the work you do?

Besides learning the importance of hard work, I want my kids to understand the responsibility that we have in building strong communities.  Once I had children, I came to understand the critical importance of education in unlocking their future.  That’s why our communities are closely tied to the neighborhood schools.  Education is foundational for thriving communities.

What do you regard as one of your biggest accomplishments?

I would have to say the work we are doing at Tesoro Viejo with the miles of hiking and biking trails that connect to the San Joaquin River.  It’s exciting to see the residents of the community enjoying the trails, and people throughout the region coming out to enjoy the trails.  It’s that kind of regional impact that I am most proud of.

What advice would you give others in the homebuilding business?

Create a way to actively solicit feedback, but also find ways to informally gain insight.  Observe and listen.  And most importantly, be a student of your own work.