INDUSTRIAL ATHLETES SERIES HIGHLIGHT: PATRICK LETOURNEAU

Our Industrial Athletes series highlights tradespeople whose work requires the talent, technique, precision, and endurance of an athlete. When we design our high-performance workwear, we’re not just creating garments: We’re making it possible for tradespeople to perform at the level they need—just like an athlete’s uniform does. By highlighting the stories of tradespeople, we hope to raise awareness of the importance and power of modern technical workwear and the heroes that use it.

Working as a Carpenter

In today’s Industrial Athletes spotlight we’re looking at carpenter Patrick Letourneau, one of the many tradespeople across America who trust Truewerk when they’re on the job.

Letourneau’s story is like many of ours—his dad was a builder, and at some point the son realized he wanted to get into his father’s line of work. He had the desire but didn't have a long-term plan. Instead, in 2012 he saw someone framing a house, stopped and asked him for a job, and started the following Monday.

Fast forward six years and Blackbird Finish Carpentry was born, serving the Fort Collins, CO area. Now, with his own business, Letourneau is working as a carpenter and has been involved in the many facets of the trade ─ from framing furniture to cabinetry.

Commitment & Passion

What kept Patrick Letourneau committed to his trade? He stuck with working as a carpenter because he loves the work. Like many tradespeople, he likes the sweating, being physically tired at the end of the day, and the idea of having to problem-solve to do the job better. He likes asking himself, "How do I do this thing I do all the time, but make it incrementally better?"

Being an Industrial Athlete

To Letourneau, being an Industrial Athlete is mostly about your ability to continue doing what you're doing day-to-day with the mindset that you're going to be getting better at it. They persevere, and they muster the discipline to keep going, stay focused, and improve.

"I think there's a difference between someone who's just working a job to get to the end of the day and then to the end of their life. As an athlete, if you're at the same skill level from the beginning to the end, no one wants you on their team. I think of being an Industrial Athlete the same way; if I'm coming into this from more of that mindset, I know I need to be better tomorrow than I was today. I think that's the goal I want to reach, and that's how I define Industrial Athletes," he says. 

Check out Patrick Letourneau of Blackbird Finish Carpentry working as a carpenter in the video below.

More Than a Carpenter Whether you’re working as a carpenter or swinging from the trees as a professional arborist, Truewerk wants to hear about you. Join #IANation and inspire other tradespeople to elevate their craft to the max! As part of our mission to promote passion and commitment to our work, we’ve designed a special logo for the IA Nation community. When you see it, you’re getting a reminder of your power as a tradesperson. If you want to rep our brand and support other tradespeople across the nation, browse our exclusive decals and tees to help us fuel the movement. You can also sign up for notifications that will help you follow new featured industrial athletes and keep you up to date on what’s happening with IA Nation. Once you’re part of our community, you’ll get a sticker you can display wherever you want. Tag us on socials with #IANation to show us you’re part of the team.