Len Tomaka has reached retirement age after an active life. He grew up on Chicago?s south side, where he learned to be street savvy. His college was a Chicago Local Union #597 pipe fitter apprenticeship. He grabbed fourth place in the city YMCA weightlifting competition, spent five years in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, and owned a cosmetics franchise. He was a pipe fitter, an estimator / project manager for mechanical contractors, and the owner of his own consultancy (Tomaka Associates) to mechanical contractors. Also, he holds three US patents. Len doesn't consider himself a teacher, a raconteur, or a psychologist. But he does have common sense.