Curtiss Fitzgerald, Mechanical Engineer at 1801 K Street in Washington, DC, has always been a hands-on kind of guy. As a kid, he took apart and reassembled toys and devices to figure out how they work. A mechanical career was a natural fit.

The only problem was the workload.

A father of two girls, Curtiss adores spending time with them and teaching them what he enjoys, like cooking and martial arts. He would do anything for his family. 

“I come from a poverty-stricken background. As a parent, we want our kids to have everything we didn’t,” said Curtiss. “I’ve always worked hard for the things I wanted. There was a time when I was working five jobs. I’m not afraid to lean in and work hard.”

Curtiss worked as a diesel mechanic for a transportation company and a maintenance mechanic for a garage door company before landing a building operations job for an animal hospital. He oversaw the maintenance and facility operations of a multi-million-dollar building, but Curtiss was the only person on staff. 

“My schedule was crazy,” Curtiss said. “I was the only engineer. I worked seven days a week and was always on call on the weekends. I didn’t have anyone else to rely on.” 

After over 18 years, the hospital went through some infrastructural changes that made him see his limited growth opportunities. Curtiss wondered if he could achieve more somewhere else.