Employee Spotlight with Jose Maldonado

Cagwin & Dorward is often considered a top landscape maintenance company in Northern California, largely due to the exceptional work of its employees like Jose Maldonado.

Nick Linder of Cagwin & Dorward with his beautiful bride - Cagwin & Dorward - Landscape Contractors

Jose & Daisy Maldonado

Cagwin & Dorward Job Title

Account Manager

How long have you been at Cagwin & Dorward?

I’m going on 12 years with the company. Cagwin is the type of company that makes it easy to want to stay with them for your career. They truly care about you, and if needed, they will help you like family.

What do you do as an Account Manager at Cagwin & Dorward?

I spend a lot of my time checking and managing schedules. My time consists of making sure we have the right team members on the right project and ensuring they have the right equipment and materials. My goal is to make sure we are at peak productivity.

What is the best thing about working at Cagwin & Dorward?

I think the best thing is they make you feel like family. The ownership of the company always makes you feel wanted and comfortable around them. They don’t treat you like just a worker.

Do you have a family?

I have a beautiful wife and four kids. My wife and I have been married for 20 years. We have two sons and two daughters. Our oldest daughter is 20, followed by an 18-year-old son, a 16-year-old daughter, and a 14-year-old son. I also have my little brother-in-law, Angel, who is practically our fifth child.

We like to do a team barbecue and my home - Ricardo Soto, Cagwin & Dorward Account Manager

What do you do for fun when you’re not working?

My kids play a lot of sports, so when we are not working, we’re with our kids who play lots of soccer. We are very involved in their lives, and when we are not playing sports, we enjoy going to the lake and camping with the kids as a family.

Who are the people that are mentors in your life?

Before my dad passed away, he was one of my mentors. I also have great in-laws who are mentors in my life. Because my wife and I married young, they made me part of their family and have always been there for me. Also, my brother Javier is a mentor and is a big part of the man I am today. My wife, Daisy, is a mentor. She is a very strong, intelligent woman who has been a loving and guiding force in my life.

Angel with his parents - Jose Maldonado - Cagwin & Dorward

Jose Maldonado and father - Cagwin & Dorward

Jose Maldonado - The graduate is Javier - Cagwin & Dorward

Angel is the graduate to the right of Jose

What do you love about your wife, Daisy?

Daisy is a very caring and humble person. She is family-oriented and makes sure her family is doing well. She has such a big heart and cares about everybody. She is a great person, and I’m a lucky man to be married to her.

Jose & Daisy Maldonado - Cagwin & Dorward - Landscape Maintenance

What would your friends tell me about you?

They would tell you that I like to laugh and make jokes and that I love my family more than anything and would prefer to be with my family more than anything else.

What three people, living or dead, would be at your dream dinner?

First, my grandma on my mom’s side, my dad, and my wife’s grandma.

What advice would you give your kids about starting their adult life?

I would tell them to listen, pay attention to older people, and learn from them. I would tell them that life is full of ups and downs, good and bad, and to learn from their mistakes and adversity in life and grow to become a better person.

What would your kids tell me about you?

I believe they would tell you that I am a good dad and a very forward-thinking and straightforward person who shows them how life works.

Do you have a favorite restaurant or food?

I’m pretty easygoing and don’t particularly have a go-to restaurant, but I do like tacos.

What were your dreams growing up?

Growing up I wanted to be a cop or a soccer player. I didn’t do either one, but I do have a couple of soccer players at home, and whenever I have some free time, I play with my oldest on the same team.

Do you enjoy listening to music or reading?

I listen to all sorts of music. I like a lot of Spanish and English, old and new. I don’t recall the names, but I listen to a variety of genres and even a little country once in a while.

What is a day like in your life?

We start at 5:30 AM in our home. I’ll get up and shower. My wife who also works outside the home, will get ready and make us both coffee. We’ll leave the house and I’ll go to the yard, open it up, speak with the guys, and go over projects. I’ll make sure the guys have everything they need for the day and determine the projects I’ll be going to that day to help and ensure everything is going well. It’s also a time for me to get to know the guys and learn about who they are and their families.

Our day at work will end at 2:00 PM, so I’ll go lock up the yard and then spend some time sending some emails, reviewing some time cards, and then go home.