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Sunny. High 81F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..
A few clouds. Low around 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.
When, 33 years ago, Orlando Trujillo purchased a corner house in the Baywood neighborhood of San Mateo, an eyesore neglected for years, he transformed it with a new coat of paint and new landscaping. He also put up his sign: “Orlando Trujillo Painting” on the front yard. Neighbors and passers-by took notice and soon if someone needed a paint job they hired Trujillo.
By then, he already had a successful business headquartered at its present site on Amphlett Boulevard. He had 45 employees and the company worked throughout the Bay Area. But from the start, it was a family business. His wife, Elida, was the bookkeeper, office manager and banker. She did everything but wield a paint brush. Without her, Trujillo said the business never would have succeeded. His brother and sister also worked for the company. His brother Michael still does; his sister Gloria Matthew retired after 30 years.
Trujillo retired a year and a half ago and now it is his children who are in charge with a little assist from two grandchildren. Sons Orlando Jr. and Joseph run the business (a third son is an engineer) and granddaughter Allison is the office manager, while grandson Matthew is part of the paint crew. Two other granddaughters have not been hired as yet. Trujillo proudly explains his company now encompasses three generations.
Orlando Trujillo was born in New Mexico 73 years ago. His father and brother were carpenters and, after high school, he entered the family trade. By then, the Trujillos were living in the Bay Area where Orlando attended Sacred Heart High School and graduated from Mission High School in San Francisco. That is where he met his wife, his mainstay, and they have been married for 54 years.
However, Trujillo did not like being a carpenter. The work in San Francisco was rough and he was pounding nails until his hands were sore and blistered. He quit and tried his hand at painting. He found his niche. He worked for a San Francisco paint company until he decided he could do just as well on his own and started his own company.
And he did do well. In addition to residential units, the company’s customers have included Oracle, Hillsdale Shopping Center, Foster Towers and the Gramercy in downtown San Mateo. The latter proved to be one of the biggest challenges. Inside there is a big pool in a huge atrium.
“We had scaffolding hanging in the ceiling,” he said.
When Tom Mack was mayor, he and Trujillo started the first citywide effort to get rid of graffiti. He has served on the board of Samaritan House, PAL and was a former member of the San Mateo Rotary Club. I asked what was the secret of his success.
“Work hard and be fair. Give a fair price and do high-quality work,” he said.
Today in retirement Trujillo enjoys his beautiful home and playing golf but he admitted that sadly he was not a good a golfer as he was a painter.
In a previous column about the height limit and density allowance initiative in San Mateo, I wrote that Measure P (an extension of the original Measure H) prevented San Mateo from looking like Redwood City. A letter to the editor asked what was wrong with Redwood City. The writer was correct in that there are many good things going on in the city, the bustling downtown (on Broadway), the successful movie theater, the community square outside the historic courthouse. But what I object to are the too tall buildings on Veterans Boulevard and neighboring streets, not near transit, and out of place even in an urban suburban setting. That being said, I am for increased density allowances by transit and keeping heights at a reasonable level.
Sue Lempert is the former mayor of San Mateo. Her column runs every Monday. She can be reached at sue@smdailyjournal.com.