To meet and speak with Leo Andreadakis ’97 gives one a deeper look into what makes New York…New York. For years Leo and his family have been building the city, both above ground and below. His business is construction and his little black book is filled with the names and the numbers of people who make the city’s heart beat.
You can’t know Leo without first knowing a little bit about his family. Family and loyalty are a part of his heritage and at the center of his personal creed. Half Italian and half Greek, his father left Greece at age six and he grew up working in the family diner: Saratoga Diner, in Saratoga Springs, New York. I know, who would think, a Greek with a diner? Later he joined Plumbers Local 1 of New York City. Leo said that his father felt somewhat confined by the structure of a Union so he tore up the rule book and left to start his own business. “People thought he was crazy,” said Leo, and that reputation actually helped him. “No one messed with him.”
As a young boy, Leo would help his dad whenever possible. Leo was no stranger to hard work. “I was a city kid. When I arrived at Trinity-Pawling, a whole new world opened up to me. I didn’t know about JV and varsity teams. I was new to the ‘structure and discipline’, but I loved it. I started working out and getting into shape and knew that I could move up in this world, if I could be disciplined about it,” Leo said. “The Effort System was great. The structure helped me see and learn how I could achieve my goals and that has remained a key factor in my success.”
“My eagerness grew, as I wanted to learn as much as I could. Mr. Kelly, Mr. Harrington, Mr. Henry, Mr. DeGrasse, Mr. Foster, and Coach Coratti taught me a lot about leadership and how important it is to lead wisely. That is a piece of advice, that has stayed with me.”
“After leaving Trinity-Pawling, I was a different man. I was prepared to take the experience and training I had gained and conquer my goals. I came home and dove right into the family business; plumbing and construction. Although, I had to earn my stripes, as the ‘kid’ or the ‘son of the great Tom Andreadakis’, I was not respected, nor given any credit, and was seen as just some college kid. I didn’t let the perceptions of who they thought I was stop me. I had to dive right into the sewers, literally, to prove that I can handle the work with the best of them. I studied hard and learned from the best plumbers and tradesmen in history, never once being afraid to ask questions. Today, I can say, that I have earned the respect of my employees and business associates, in addition to having accomplished many goals. Though, I must say, my dreams don’t stop there. There is still a long road to be traveled and I will always keep what I learned from Trinity-Pawling in the back of my mind, each step of the way.”
Today, 20 years later, he feels blessed to be busy with many projects, working with some of the most influential people in the construction industry. “Right now I’m working on a lot of different projects; The Pencil building and the Domino Sugar Factory are the most well known. My company: Copper Services LLC, is unique because we do so many different things: Plumbing & Heating; Sprinkler & Standpipe; HVAC/Duct Work; HVAC Piping; Control Wiring; Duct Fabrication; Sewer & Water Site Work and I run a HVAC 24 Hour Service business. It’s really eight companies under one roof and I employ 275 people.”
“As a result of my experience at Trinity-Pawling I’m as comfortable on a construction site as I am in a board room.” Leo said, “A lot of the important things I learned about life, I learned at T-P. In addition to my experience, it is always with pride that I tell people I am a Trinity-Pawling alum. My association with the school has benefited me, often when I least expect it, throughout my life.”