Meet Gabe! He's a Carpinteria, California-based principal software engineer whose passion for building led him to Procore.
In this monthly blog series, we shine a light on Procorians across the globe who are living our values of ownership, openness and optimism as we work to improve the lives of everyone in construction. They are Groundbreakers in every sense of the word, and these are their stories.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. When I was ten, we moved to Pennsylvania to be closer to my mom’s family. My grandparents owned a Christmas tree farm, so my mom’s immediate family lived on it and had their own lots. I have really fond memories of growing up with all my cousins and waking up early to work in the fields.
I went on to study computer engineering at Penn State and married my high school sweetheart a week after graduation. We moved to Maryland for my first full-time gig, but I always had this urge to return to Southern California one day because it felt like home. I discussed this with my wife, and that’s when we stumbled across Procore.
I was looking for something new and challenging, and Procore was still in its start-up phase at the time, so I’d be around the 400th employee. When I flew out to interview at headquarters in Carpinteria, I felt so welcomed by everyone and was blown away by the energy on campus. That trip also brought back fond memories of living in Southern California, so I accepted the offer, and we moved out a month later. I’ve been with Procore for seven years now and have learned so much in that time.
Other than that, I love to play soccer, hike and see the world. My wife and I are both avid travelers—our favorite trips so far are when we explored the fiords in New Zealand and the tropical waters and islands of the Philippines. We also had a baby girl in December, so life looks a little different these days, but it’s been our greatest and most rewarding adventure so far.
Gabe and his wife hiking Figueroa Mountain in the Santa Ynez Valley
What does a typical workday look like for you as a principal software engineer?
My days vary widely, and I rarely have consecutive days where I do the same things. It can be a challenge, but it’s also something I enjoy.
In my role, I participate in many components of software development and delivery at Procore. One day, I could work on architectural designs, documentation and plans. The next, I might align cross-team deliverables and how we will execute and sequence our work. Sometimes I pair up with the development team on challenging problems they are trying to solve or help build proof of concepts for upcoming projects. Now and then, I also get to head-down code on some of my own tasks. I have to context switch frequently, but it makes for a challenging and engaging work environment. Our brains aren’t designed for multitasking, so I have to window out my time to be productive.
Gabe repping his Procore gear while sailing with friends
Who or what inspires you in your career?
I am most inspired by seeing what other people, teams, developers and companies can build. I am personally motivated by building and don’t like getting deep into technical discussions just for the sake of it. Most of my inspiration comes from seeing cool and challenging projects come to fruition and figuring out how to incorporate some of that success to achieve similar results in my work.
What is something you are excited about right now?
I’m excited about the project I’m working on with Procore Pay, which is a new service launching in 2023 that will allow contractors to pay other contractors through the Procore system. We already have an invoicing product that allows general contractors to receive invoices from specialty contractors, but it’s a very manual process to pay specialty contractors outside of the system. Procore Pay will help revolutionize payments in the construction space, reduce friction, simplify processes and help people get paid faster. It’s an exciting opportunity to deliver business-to-business payments, and we have an excellent team built around this new initiative.
What is something you do to "hold the door open" and help others get into your field or the construction and tech industries?
Outside of providing output and having a tangible impact, another part of my role as a principal software engineer is to help mentor and guide other engineering team members. There is a lot of responsibility in that, and I’ve been fortunate to have this type of mentorship throughout my career, so I want to continue to pay it forward.
What is your reaction to being called a Groundbreaker?
I don’t know if everyone shares the same definition of what it means to be a Groundbreaker, but to me, it means someone who is extremely hard-working and pushes the boundaries to have a positive impact. When I hear that people want to give me that label, I feel humbled and encouraged that those around me appreciate my work.
What is a fun fact about you that others might not know?
Some people may be surprised to learn that my journey to become a software engineer wasn’t linear. I was once on a path much more oriented around electrical engineering and circuit design, but before graduation, I realized I was much more passionate about software. So while most of my experience up until that point was on the hardware side, I accepted a role as a software engineer upon graduation.
What is your joy?
My closest relationships bring me the most joy. At the top of that list is my wife, my newborn daughter, my parents and my closest friends. I’m not a big social person and have a pretty small circle, but because of that, I have deep connections with the people around me, and they mean so much to me.
Gabe with his daughter
Do you have any tips for aspiring Procorians?
I would say that Procore isn’t just in one industry—we’re in construction and tech. The roles that Procore hires for span a wide range of expertise. So while you might not think they have a position for you, there most likely is one. Don’t be afraid to make the jump—changing careers is a big deal, and I had a similar feeling when I accepted my role, but it’s as good of a company as you hear about. As the business has grown, they have stayed true to their core values of ownership, openness and optimism, and company culture. That has helped Procore achieve some sizable scale without losing who they are.
Conclusion
A big thank you to Gabe for walking us through his story!
We’re always looking for Groundbreakers like Gabe to help us continue to improve the lives of everyone in construction. Explore a career with Procore today, or join our Talent Community to stay connected.
Kiersten Albert
Talent Brand Communications Specialist
- Engineering
- Groundbreakers
- Working Parent
