ASSOCIATION HIGHLIGHTS
CEO Peter Tateishi Well-Equipped to Lead AGC of California into Second Century
By Carol Eaton
Sacramento headquarters, a framed quote offers a bit of insight into the man who has been charged with leading the state’s largest construction trade association into its second century of growth. “Pay no attention to that man
O
behind the curtain,” the placard reads. It is a quote made famous by the wizard in the “Wizard of Oz” when Dorothy’s dog, Toto, pushes the green curtain aside to reveal a small man at the controls of a machine that is projecting the image of a larger-than-life, omnip- otent ruler to those on the other side. While the wizard’s message may
have somewhat darker connotations in the movie, it has frequently been used as a metaphor for someone with strong “behind the scenes” skills and influence who doesn’t personally seek out the spotlight. It’s a message that resonates deeply
with Tateishi. “Tat’s been my motto forever,” he
says. “I see myself as more of a coach when it comes to my management style. My focus is to help empower my staff to be the best they can be, so we can deliver the best quality of work for our members.” Tateishi has embraced the “man
behind the curtain” approach in an array of roles in his life, whether it was serving as a high-school swim coach for nearly a decade, as chief of staff to a national legislator, as head of the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, or currently as the chief executive officer of AGC of California. He directs a statewide staff of over 30 serving a membership base of 1,000
20 May/June 2018
n a wall just inside CEO Peter Tateishi’s office at the AGC of California West
California construction industry firms, and growing.
Path to Leadership Tateishi’s path to
leadership in the political and business arenas began with an early interest in politics and public service. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in political science from Sacramento State University and an MBA from the University of Southern California, he accepted a job working for U.S. Congressman Dan Lungren in Sacramento in 2005. Two years later he started his own consulting business, a move that allowed him time with his soon-to-be wife, Anna Feliz, who was then stationed in Hawaii with the U.S. Army. When she deployed to Iraq for her second tour of duty in 2009, Tateishi accepted an offer to rejoin Lungren’s office as chief of staff, splitting time between Sacramento and Washington, D.C. In 2013, he accepted an offer from
the Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange to serve as its CEO; he and Anna Feliz happily settled in Carmi- chael with their young family (which recently expanded to six, with the birth of their fourth child this February). His time at the Builders Exchange is “where I fell in love with construction,” Tateishi says. “I got to be around all different types of contractors and learned to really appreciate and enjoy contracting and the construction community.” Two years later, he joined the
Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce, the state’s second largest regional Chamber, as their top executive. Over the past three years he was instrumental in developing the Sacramento Chamber’s 501(c)3 chari-
table foundation, which grew into a million-dollar annual operation under his watch. Tat effort enabled the organization to expand its programs on a faster trajectory and broader scale than may have otherwise been possible. “We were able to take
that non-profit space and harness it in a new way,” Tateishi comments. He
envisions the same potential for growth with AGC of California’s non-profit arm, the Construction Education Foundation – an entity he sees playing a vital role in addressing the industry’s workforce deficit.
Change of Guard at AGC When AGC of California reached
out to Tateishi last year as part of its expansive national search to replace retiring CEO Tom Holsman, the opportunity to lead an association that has played such an integral role shaping California’s construction industry for nearly a century was too good to pass up. His appointment marked AGC’s first chief executive leadership change in over 30 years. “Tis just happened to be the right
opportunity and the right industry,” he says. “I look forward to the new challenges that are here. Being able to refocus on one industry, and one I absolutely appreciate and value, really made this the right fit.” Tateishi is energized by the
challenge to take a deep dive into the “whys” of every aspect of what AGC of California delivers to its members. He is focused on ensuring the association is flexible, nimble and adaptable to both current and future needs of its members and in sync with a changing industry landscape as AGC rings in its
California Constructor
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