MIKE THE PLUMBER

He's part surgeon. He's part comedian. He's all business!

By Glorietta Valentino

Mike's Quality Plumbing Service
6510 Dorinda Dr.
Riverside, CA 92503
Lic. #773162
24-Hour Service: (951) 907-9255

   To say that Mike Pena is merely.  "Just Another Plumber," would be the same as calling Mel Gibson. "Just Another Actor/Director!" Both men catch your attention and command your respect! Now, I really don't know Mel Gibson, but, I do know Mike Pena and to be quite honest.  the man's quite a character.

   Mike the Plumber stands around six feet tall, has a young 25 year old stocky physique, shares his pleasant personality with just about everyone he comes in contact with and is about as real a person as they come. Therefore, I know you'll understand me when I say that it's very easy to consider Mike Pena, "like family!"

   Once the dependable plumber makes a promise to visit your business or residence at a certain time. He'll arrive ready and able to perform his talent. dutifully. In fact, his business card, "Mike's Quality Plumbing Service" says that he can handle "All Your Plumbing Needs!" And you're also offered 24 hours service!

   Every remodeling/plumbing company we telephoned on or off the mountain usually gave us one excuse or another of why they could not find the time to schedule our cabin for work. One company even advertised in a local mountain newspaper. Nevertheless, when I called. the business owner either said I'd have to wait three months for service or the businesses informed me that they do not travel up the mountain, even the business that had placed an advertisement in the local mountain publication told me this. "We do not go up the mountain and do business!" I guess they expected me to bring my plumbing problems down the hill to their showrooms or plumbing supply office/store. "Now. That Would Have Presented Quite A Mess!"

   But not Mister Pena, he was the only plumber who'd travel to our cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains without making excuses and that's not all. Once Mike arrived at his destination he immediately fixed all of our plumbing problems. He and his workers performed an excellent job; cleaned up any mess that was made; presented me with the receipts for parts and whatever, then, collected his check and asked us to call him when we were again in need!

   For a brief moment I managed to stop Mike Pena at the front door of my cabin as he was about to exit and I asked him to play a quick game of Questions and Answers with me!

MPM: A Plumber Mike? Really? Why a Plumber? With your personality and intelligence you could have been anything that you put your mind too. You are a winner!

MIKE: Why not? It's an honorable profession! I like the plumbing business. Plus, it's a trade that I can do really well. I'm young and I'm also married. I want to build a strong relationship with clients and I also want to build a strong business, the kind that has a chance to grow along side my daughter, Lyandra and wife Crystal. People I meet have been very satisfied with my work and I'm happy to have them as a client. You know? It works both ways.

MPM: Are the majority of the people you deal with honest or have you met your share of deadbeats?

MIKE: Yeah! I've been in this business for seven years, but I'd have to say that most people turn out to be on the up and up; people are good they're usually on the level. But, sometimes I run into a person here and there who'll try to beat me out of a few dollars. Others tell me they can get it done cheaper. Then, I ask them if the guy is licensed or if the plumber is reputable? Did you check references? It's at that time I remind them that I stand behind my work. I don't want to cheat anyone out of anything. All I want to do is the best job possible and then maybe sometime in the near future a friend of that client may give me a call when I least expect it. That's what I call WONDERFUL!

MPM: I've met your helper Ryan. Tell me something Mike. Is it very difficult finding good help these days?

MIKE: Darn right it is. But, in this case I've been lucky. I've known Ryan since we were kids. I even lived with Ryan's family in their house when we were younger. I was in High School at the time. Together, Ryan and I know a couple of other good workers who stick with us from time to time. It makes everything a little easier.

MPM: You always seem to be in a positive mood. How do you do it?

MIKE: Practice! Practice! Practice! I really don't know how positive I was when we got stuck working three hours of overtime trying to stop an elderly lady's house from being flooded. It happened just yesterday. The woman's house had old rotting pipes and to be quite honest with you those old rotting pipes gave us all the trouble we could handle and MORE!

My workers and I didn't even have the time to call our families and let them know that we'd be "late-late!" And you know what that means. It means that by the time we finally made it home our dinners were "Cold! Cold! Cold!" I smelled so bad that I had to take an immediate shower before I could even begin to talk with my family. While. "talk about being tired!"

MPM: Where do you see yourself five, maybe ten years from now? Do you want the world or will you except being the neighborhood plumber or maybe working for an apartment building owner.

MIKE: Well, you know? The sky is the limit. This is America, right? If I work hard and take excellent care of my customers. then I have the chance to go all the way to the top. I have good work ethics and I only hire helpers who feel the same. That way we'll all do respectable work, all of the time. It's a win/win situation.

And as far as working for someone who owns apartment buildings. I say GREAT to that! That means security for both my employees and my family. We're proud people and our work is performed to satisfaction by proud people. You see, I appreciate each and every person who hires me to do a job. They could have hired anyone up or down the street. But, they didn't. They hired me and that makes me proud. Plus, after all, I mean, I still own my own business! Hmmm. Security. That's The Way Of The World!

MPM: Mike Pena and Associates possess something extremely rare in today's world, it's something called INTEGRITY and even you MPM Readers must admit that these days INTEGRITY is very rare, indeed.

MPM Readers:  Why not take the time to give Mike's Quality Plumbing Service a telephone call at 951-907-9255? And. by the way, don't forget to tell Mike Pena that you were recommended by Main Performance USA Magazine...