Tim Regan, owner of Regan Paving, relies upon wisdom from the highest source as he goes about building a well-balanced company with a rock-solid reputation.
The benefits of a solid reputation is something that Regan Paving has come to enjoy and appreciate. Nearly a full third of their business, 30% to be exact, is non-bid work in which contractors or development companies simply offer them the job based on time and material. Only long-term relationships based upon top-quality work engender this type of reputation and trust.
Tim's father, Charles C. Regan, first established Charles C. Regan, Inc. in Anaheim in 1968. It was then, as it is today, a full-service asphalt paving company that performs new installations, fabric overlays, asphalt removal and replacement, seal coating, cold planing/grinding, crack filling, minor patching and repair and striping. A healthy sign of growth, however, is their expansion into other arenas of the asphalt business. When they first started out, the main staple of their business was done for oil companies-doing maintenance work and new installations; and working for contractors installing and maintaining new gas stations. And when Tim took over in 1988, he applied himself to expanding the business by hiring key salesmen to bid additional work in the private sector. A full 95% of their work is performed for the private sector, and 5% for the public sector. This strategy worked, for today 50% of their business involves working for contractors and utility companies, while 50% of their business remains with the oil companies of yore.

(Left to Right) Chris Maynez (Production Manager), Tony Navarro (Sales), Cathy Regan,
Tim Regan (President), Luis Munoz (Sales), Kim Vandever (Office Manager)
shown here out in front of their facility in Corona.

Loads of experience have also augmented Tim's success. He remembers that from age 11 on, his father would wake him early summer mornings to help out with the crew. This continued on up to high school. Then Tim went away to college, up north to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he majored in business. Yet even in the midst of studies, Tim seized the moment and opportunity to make some extra cash. He used his father's license and some of his equipment to do small paving jobs while in San Luis Obispo. Upon graduating in 1981 with a degree in business, he went to work full-time for his dad. Just about that time, they lost their foreman; which was the perfect opportunity for Tim to step into that position. And so it remained for 6 to 7 years.

(Left) Cundo Tovar , Juan Cena, George Lopez (Crew Foreman), Margarito Guillen and Dion Lopez. (Above) Regan Paving using their Gilcrest ProPaver 813 on a small lay for the Redlands Day Nursery in Redlands, California.

The next opportunity that arose for Tim came when his father stepped away from the business, to pursue an emerging opportunity. Having worked so closely for so many years for major oil companies, Charles Regan became an expert in the environmental issues surrounding various aspects of the oil business. With the rise in environmental concerns, a niche in the market arose for his consulting capabilities. So Tim purchased the business in 1988. From his father he learned key principles and work ethics-as evidenced by their long-term employees and faithful business relationships. Yet there is one other important arena where Tim also learned much about ethics and principles. Tim is a staunch adherent to Christian principles and belongs to a group called the CBMC (Christian Business Men's Committee) Forum. He refers to this group as a Board of Directors for his company. He points out that when you are a small entrepreneur, there are not many places where one can go for sound advice, let alone advice that is Christian, based upon teachings in the Bible. The group meets once each month and is dedicated to helping one another operate their businesses based upon Godly principles. The group helps each individual to focus on their employees, and to run their companies with integrity. The fact that Tim is a good role-model for his employees is borne out by their longevity in the company.
It is not uncommon for Regan Paving, a non-union contractor, to have such long-term employees like George Lopez (17 years with the company), and his brother Gonzalo Lopez (13 years), both of whom run a paving crew. In all, Regan Paving has 21 field personnel, which includes two paving crews, one patch crew, and a seal/stripe crew. The also have two outside salesmen, a production manager, and an administrative assistant. The bulk of Tim's job centers around sales; and his wife, Cathy, takes care of the overflow. Perhaps it is Tim's belief in stewardship that makes everything work so well.
Tim views himself as a steward for God's business (which includes his own), and therefore applies himself to serving his family, his employees, and his customers. Perhaps that's also why his business increased from about $1 million a year-when he took it over from his father-to over $4 million today. He insists that without quality crews, the company cannot be successful. So he tenaciously invests in employees and new equipment alike. Nor does he believe in taking short cuts to success; but stresses that steady growth and balance are imperative to success.

Living in balance is also important for the Regans. They feel blessed to live in Norco, where there are the benefits of suburbia, as well as the opportunity to ride your horse down to the local market. The business move from Anaheim to Corona in 1994 was also a strategic move. The growth of the Inland Empire, along with the need for good quality asphalt companies, was an open door for Regan Paving. Tim and his wife Cathy have three children: Danielle (16), Casey (14), and Kelly (13). They are all excellent students and involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities: Danielle with soccer and track; Casey with flying lessons (to obtain a pilot license, like his father); and Kelly with his 4-H Angus Cattle project. And their mother Cathy is a fine example with her previous involvement in rodeos, even appearing in the Rose Parade with her drill team in 1995 and 1997. She has also throughly enjoyed her invlovement in Bible Study Fellowship and serving as PTA President at the boys intermediate school.
They love to get away to their lake front property on Lake Nacimiento-located between Hearst Castle and Paso Robles. On their 13 acres, they can swim, fish, ski, SeaDoo, and ride horses. With such solid ideals of stewardship, look for Regan Paving to be a leading example of responsible companies in the new millenium.