D'Amato has spent 12 years in the industry and serves as Owner/Operator of Nextgen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. He learned the business from the field up before transitioning from tradesman to entrepreneur.

What kept him in the industry was discovering just how much there was to learn.

“I don't think you ever completely master this trade, and I love that about it,” he said.

While D'Amato still finds satisfaction in completing a complicated project, becoming an owner has changed his definition of success.

“Now I get just as much satisfaction watching someone on our team grow, become more confident, master their craft and take pride in something they built,” he said. “I want Nextgen to be known for great work, but I also want it to be a place where good people can build great careers.”

His family remains his biggest motivation, but D'Amato is also driven by building a company that supports other families and gives customers a business they can depend on.

That mission ties closely to something he wishes more young people understood: “The trades are not a backup plan.”

“There is an unbelievable amount of intelligence, craftsmanship, science and problem-solving behind what we do,” D'Amato said.

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Rather than pointing to an award or individual project as his proudest accomplishment, D'Amato points to what Nextgen is becoming — from earning customers' trust to watching employees build careers.

“There was a time when it was just about becoming a great mechanic and providing for myself,” he said. “Now I'm building something that other people and their families can depend on.”

Outside of work, D'Amato is happiest spending time with his wife, children and close circle.

“I’m trying to build a successful life,” he said, “and for me, success means being happy, healthy, providing for my family and leaving something meaningful behind.”