Chris started San Diego County Builders and Roofers in 1977. The company was involved in both commercial and residential remodeling projects. The company serviced several real estate companies’ needs, such as upgrading properties for new tenants, repair of properties and upgrading properties for sales purposes.
In 1980 Chris went to work for M.H. Golden Company as a superintendent, assigned to the construction of the USD campus housing project in San Diego. At the time, M.H. Golden was considered the largest commercial construction company in San Diego County. Chris was later promoted to assistant project manager of the second co-generation plant facility in San Diego. This was a $22,000,000 project. He was partly responsible for finishing this project three months earlier than originally scheduled and nearly four million dollars under budget.
In 1983 Chris founded Southwest Construction & Millworks which by the year 2000 was incorporated as Southwest Millworks, Inc.