Meet Our Staff : Reza Mozayyan-Nejad (Burnaby)

I was born and grew up in Tehran, Iran, the youngest in the family of two brothers and one sister. After finishing high school with an interior design diploma (and surviving the Islamic revolution), I continued my study of Architecture at Tehran's Institute of Technology. Before the first year ended, however, schools were shut down in the name of the "Educational and Cultural Revolution" by the Islamic government. During the three year closure, I tried a variety of jobs including drafting, plumbing (water and natural gas), wood working and even the food industry. Finally after reopening the schools I graduated but because of the Iran-Iraq war I had to leave Iran in an adventurous journey to Turkey. After 14 months I immigrated to Canada with my wife Maryam. In November 1988 I arrived in Montreal to minus 35 degree temperatures and snow! Not too bad to start a new life in a new country.

So what then? Pursue my career in Architecture? (Good luck, eh?) No French, no English, so let’s learn AutoCAD. Instructor speaks pure Quebecoise, manual is in English and I have no idea whatsoever - what is a "computer"?

We couldn't last more than 6 years living in freezing cold and had to move West, to the best place on earth in March 1995. It took me a year and a half to figure out what I wanted to do. I was lucky that I met someone (a future friend) who encouraged me to take a detailing course at VVI. This was a turning point for me that changed my life. I always feel that I owe him a lot for that.

During school we had a field trip to Dowco's office and that's when I found out about X-steel and I fell in love with it. Right after the last day of my school I was hired by Hugh Dobbie Sr. and joined Dowco on September 1997. Just a few months later in February 1998 my beautiful daughter Melody was added to our family.

During the last 12 years, I have learned more about Tekla and the steel detailing industry. thanks to my senior and junior co-workers. So here I am, part of the Dowco team still learning and trying to further my knowledge.

At home, I enjoy watching Batman, Superman, Spiderman (the good guys) chasing the bad guys, live in action played by my son Meelad, who turns five in November. It is fun to watch when he tries to pick a fight with his sister who has a black belt in Taekwondo (good luck little daredevil). I love them very much and they are my greatest pride. Overcoming many obstacles and difficult times gave us a different perspective on life and the way we live (being grateful for what we have and not taking the good things in life for granted).