MATT PINCUS
OWNER
PINCUS ELEVATORS
How did you work your way up through the family business?
My father started the business in 1953 and owned it up until 1985 when I bought it from him. I remember when I was eight years old going out on the job with my father. I went to vocational school in high school—I didn’t go to college—and I started working for him when I was 17.
Now my daughter Emily has been working with us for about seven years. She was the CFO; we just promoted her to president. So, we’re third generation and it’s really exciting.
What is the key to keeping a career—and feeling fulfilled in it—for nearly half a century?
I’m lucky it was a family business. I have that legacy, but I never felt obligated. I just loved what I was doing. You have to want to get up and come in and do it every day, but I also wanted to make sure that this company had the things that made people want to stay here. I think that’s a key, too. You get a good group of people and you just want to be here because you want to be with them every day and you want to achieve with them.
How has your company evolved as technology has advanced?
I would say that within the last 15 years, the technology changes have been unbelievable. It seems like every single day there’s new technology that comes out that’s quicker, better, faster to install or easier to maintain. And that’s where the industry’s going because we’re stuck like everybody else—we can’t find qualified workers, even though we have an incredible training program here. That’s our biggest challenge, but some of the technology has made it easier.
What’s the first thing you take note of when you step into an elevator (as a passenger)?
The first thing I notice is called ride quality and how the doors operate. If I get on an elevator and the door is really jerky when closing or it slams when it closes, that tells me a lot about what’s going on there. And then when I ride the elevator, it should be quiet, it should be smooth. I also look to see if there’s any company name etched anywhere to see who’s maintaining it. I’m also always looking at the equipment. Sometimes I’ll stare up and look at the door equipment to see if it’s clean or dirty or what type of equipment they’re using. I’m always curious.
Why are people afraid of elevators? What can help give them peace of mind?
Our industry is really, really good at maintenance. There are rigorous standards and safety codes that we abide by. Elevators are ridden by millions—if not billions—of people a day across the world. And the accident rate—you can’t even put a percentage on it. You can Google that fact; it’s such a small amount of injuries.
Do you enjoy roller coasters?
I have enjoyed riding roller coasters in the past, but I’m not typically that type of thrill seeker. If you ask me to climb a mountain, I’d definitely do that.
