Chris Marcus: Like Father, Like Son
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
SAN JOSE — Having been raised by a plumber, it’s no surprise that Chris Marcus grew up to become one himself. “My father, Phil, has been a plumber since before I was born,” he recounts. “I started going to work with him when I was eight or nine years old. As time went by, I started doing bigger and more complex projects, and by the time I was 16, I had pretty much decided I was going to do plumbing as a career. After doing my own thing for several years, I ended up going into business with my father, and we’re still partners today.”
Today, as CFO of Miracle Plumbing Inc., Chris says his favorite part of his job is the variety. “Plumbers deal with a wide range of problems, so I appreciate the fact that I get to do something different almost every day. Plus, I love taking on the challenges presented by all the different aspects of plumbing.”
A resident of San Jose, Chris spends most of his time outside of work with his sons, Josh and Zane. “Josh is in college and Zane is four, so they’re on very different levels,” he says. “Zane pretty much just wants to play all the time, which is a lot of fun, whereas Josh and I usually do things like play video games or build computers.” Chris also enjoys walking around the historic downtown areas of nearby towns like Willow Glen, Saratoga and Los Gatos.
In regard to a professional philosophy, Chris espouses the value of taking pride in your work. “I believe you should take pride in how you present yourself, how you conduct business and how you treat your customers,” he asserts. “If you do that, you can be sure to get the maximum value out of whatever you’re doing. Plus, your customers will recognize and appreciate it as well.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Chris says he’d take a tropical vacation. “I’ve always wanted to go to Bora Bora and stay in one of those huts above the water. I can just imagine waking up in the morning, jumping into that crystal clear water, getting back out and having a cup of coffee. That would just be awesome!”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Kyoto Palace in San Jose.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: Movies.
Q: What was your favorite toy as a child?
A: My first Nintendo system I got when I turned five.
Q: What’s your all-time favorite video game?
A: The original Super Mario Bros.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to eat for dessert?
A: A warm chocolate chip cookie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
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