Save Energy Company

John Gorman: One Man’s Journey

By MATTHEW SOLIS, Senior Editor Diamond Certified Resource

John Gorman has been enjoying a successful career in the window and door industry for the past 30 years, but the path he followed to get to his current destination wasn’t always clear. In fact, a career in windows wasn’t even on John’s radar until he received an intriguing proposition from a trusted relative. “I was living in New York studying literature and got a call from my older brother,” he remembers. “He was working for a window company in Northern California and wanted to start his own firm, and he asked if I would join him. I said, ‘Sure, I’ll check out California for a little bit.’ Thirty years later, Save Energy Company is still going strong. My brother left in 1999 to do financial planning, but his wife, Pat, is still my business partner.”

When John arrived in the Bay Area, his affinity for his new environment was largely due to the natural beauty he found himself surrounded by—a stark contrast to the urban sprawl of New York and an attraction that remains strong three decades later. “I love living here because I’m surrounded by natural beauty,” he says. “Point Reyes National Seashore and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area are two of my favorite places to spend time. You can be out in the headlands and see a bobcat with the San Francisco skyline in the background…it’s pretty impressive.”

John’s love of nature is conducive to his chosen profession—window installation work requires a lot of time spent outdoors, and Save Energy Company’s wide ranging service area gives him a chance to explore numerous regions of the Bay Area. “That was particularly great in the beginning when I needed to find my way around,” he says. “After a certain amount of years, I’d start to think, ‘Oh, I’ve never been on this street,’ instead of being all wide eyed and wondering how to get anywhere.”

As with any outdoor enthusiast, John enjoys spending his free time playing golf, hiking in the Marin headlands and taking long walks through his hometown of Petaluma. “If I can stay out of a car, I’m a happy guy,” he laughs. “I also like listening to music, going out dancing with my wife and spending time with my son. He really likes the outdoors as well and is into things like rock climbing and bodybuilding.”

John Gorman’s journey from New York literature student to head of a successful California business wasn’t always a straightforward one, but he considers the path he forged to be crucial for where he finds himself today. “I’ve always like the quote, ‘Not all those who wander are lost,’” he says. “Just because someone doesn’t have a set direction doesn’t mean they’re completely at a loss. It’s more about the journey than the destination. The journey is the destination. I’ve had to get comfortable with that over the years, but I understand it better at this point in my life. Each day is enough.”

ASK ME ANYTHING!

Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The 49ers. It took me a while to get rid of my New York allegiance, though—I grew up a Jets guy during the Joe Namath days and switched to the Giants as I got older, but I’m loving the Niners now.

Q: What’s your favorite band?
A: The Grateful Dead. I admit it—I’m a Deadhead, which certainly made it easier to move out here 30 years ago. It was a lot of fun seeing them at places like the Greek Theater and Oakland Auditorium. I’ve probably seen them 30 or 40 times.

Q: Have you ever read a book more than once?
A: Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest gets all the praise—and deservedly so—but this was a great book in its own right. Oh, and Go, Dog. Go! of course…a classic!

Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Coffee. I go back and forth, but I’d pick coffee if I had to.

Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person?
A: Dog person. We have a Rottweiler/Australian shepherd mix named Rudy. He’s a good guy.

Q: Which superpower: flight or super strength?
A: Flight, because there’s no need for strength if I’m flying around. What could be more fun than that?