Career Options
The doyenne of drywallThe roots of the Rinomato family business tree began 30 years ago when 10-year-old Elem asked her father Tony, "What's drywall?" YOUNG M. UM |
|
 [ 2002-03-06 ] |
Elem Rinomato Pavan, president, Torino Drywall Inc.
Elem Rinomato Pavan had asked the right person. Her father, who started Toronto-based Torino Drywall Inc. in 1964 with merely a few dollars and a truck, turned the family business (named after his home town village in Italy, Torino di Sangro) into the largest drywall contracting firm in the city within five years.
Although Pavan always knew her heart was with the family business, growing up, she dreamed of becoming a comedian (the next Carol Burnett), and then a lawyer. After graduating from the University of Waterloo with a degree in urban planning in 1985, Pavan wanted to become the "world's greatest urban planner."
Her skills, determination and spunk were quickly noticed by prospective employers, and a series of lucrative jobs offers followed. The first six calls were from private planning and engineering consulting firms; the seventh, and last offer, was from her dad.
After a short mental "tough-and-war," Pavan, who always knew her career would involve building or construction, approached her father with a deal.
"I said to my dad, this was the stipulation. You give me the worst job in the office and you pay me 20 dollars less than the lowest paid clerk. But you give me free reign," she recalls.
Pavan joined the company in 1985 as its accounts payable clerk. Her ambition and determination to work hard paid off -- she was managing the company's office by 1990.
Pavan made it a priority to get to know the people in the industry and to be a part of the business in every aspect. Through hard work and dedication, Pavan gained the trust and respect of her builders and her peers -- she was no longer just Tony Rinomato's daughter.
In 1994, Pavan and her two younger brothers, who worked at their other company, Country Homes Ltd., became equal partners in the family businesses. The following year, Pavan officially became the President of Torino Drywall Inc.
Pavan's motto for getting to the top of her trade has been "Work hard and work smart." But she says she couldn't have achieved her success without the unconditional support and encouragement from her parents, brothers, husband and children, and also the ongoing support of the company's employees and builders.
"I think it's really important as a person, as a woman, to love what you do," she says. "It's really important when you wake up in the morning, that you want to go to your job. I really love what I do."
(Young Um is a Toronto-based freelance writer who can be reached at Young_Um@yahoo.com)
How many hours a week do you work?