Ricky Dronet joined the military in an attempt to kickstart adulthood. After he and his sister were adopted by their aunt and uncle, the family adopted two more toddlers from Ricky’s birth mother. Providing for this growing family was a major motivation for Ricky joining the military. While his adopted parents were making sacrifices, he felt compelled to do the same.
Rickey was an E-5, serving for 8 years with the army and even deploying to Baghdad for 18 months. In the wake of his active service, he struggled to find direction and purpose before finding his way to Performance Contractors in 2017. “The company has put me in a better place with the people I love most,” says Ricky.
His passion for construction was sparked at a very young age. Growing up, he often worked in the yard with his dad; fascinated by learning how to operate new tools and techniques. Today, he serves as a Piping General Foreman on our Chevron Pasadena LTO project.
“I’ve never had a job like this one that supports me as a veteran and a construction professional,” says Ricky. He values how the company acknowledges his service at every mass safety meeting and program he’s attended. “I would tell veterans that all the brotherhood, excitement, and sense of accomplishment you feel in the military can all be found at Performance,” says Ricky. “They really aren’t that different at all.”
He admits to growing a lot since joining the team at Performance Contractors. He’s learned to handle situations with fewer passionate reactions and more professional responses. He’s also learned to lean on his team instead of trying to do everything by himself. Finally, he’s learned the duty and responsibility of giving tactful constructive feedback while overseeing a job.
When Ricky’s not at work, he enjoys coaching baseball and woodworking.
