When Dad’s the boss

June 15--For this Father's Day, the Appeal-Democrat looked for dads who work particularly close to or with their kids. What's it like and how does it work?

Randy and Nicholas Potts

Randy Potts works with his son, Nicholas Potts. Both are tow truck operators.

"It's really nice to be able to train my son to do the trade I love, and I hope he loves it as much as I do," said Potts, 42, of Yuba City.

He started Randy's Towing in April after working for other tow companies in town.

"I've been watching him do the job for 20 years, and he's always coming home with stories about different calls he's gone on," said Nicholas Potts, 20.

Randy Potts and his wife, Sarah, 40, have 10 children. Five of them are adopted.

"I want them to do what makes them happy, but I'd love it if they followed in our footsteps," Potts said of his children.

Potts worked with his father in wrecking yards and loved being around cars from an early age.

"I remember being 5 years old working on his 1956 Chevy pickup," Potts said.

He hopes to restore a 1955 Chevy 210 car and turn it into a gasser.

Nicholas Potts used to build computers at home, but now he drives around with his dad picking up cars.

"It's not the easiest work, you have to lay out on a hot metal flatbed truck. But it's kind of fun, and you learn a lot very quickly," he said.

"Everybody in this town knows who my dad is," Nicholas Potts said. "You can't go anywhere without stopping and having a conversation for 15 minutes."

The Edick family

Bill Edick works with his son, Bill Edick Jr.; daughter, Kari Edick-Johnson; and wife, Amy Edick.

He's been an independent agent and owner of Bill Edick Insurance Agency in Yuba City since 1981.

Edick, 59, has been in the insurance business since 1975.

"I've always enjoyed working with him on a daily basis," Edick said. "I get to see his children and the rest of the family."

Bill Edick Jr., 37, has been working with his father since 1998.

"It's good to have someone there to go to with work and life questions," Bill Edick Jr. said.

The younger Edick said he's a mirror image of his father, and that's where he learned all his ethics and morals.

"Most people know we are a family-owned and operated and we try to live by that," Bill Edick said.

"I think he's picked up the same ideas and concepts," said Bill Edick of his son.

"I think he's a better version of me, he's better looking, smarter, wittier and tells a better joke than I do."

Manuel Nevarez, son and stepson

Manuel Nevarez works with his son, Gage Nevarez, and stepson, Bradley Sims, both 22.

Nevarez, 41, has owned Allied Construction & Site Development for two years, and his sons have been part of it for almost as long.

"It great working together because they've never been taught a trade before, and it's great to teach them young, so they don't learn bad habits," Nevarez said.

His father died before he was born, but Nevarez's brother, Paul, got him started in the business at age 15.

Nevarez said parenting and being a boss are kind of similar.

"As a parent, you want to make all the right choices, and that also has to happen on a construction project," he added.

Gage Nevarez remembered building dog houses and other small things with his father.

"Now that I'm working with him full time, it brings it back around to what we used to do when I was younger," Gage Nevarez said.

He enjoyed his last job at the Yuba City Racquet and Health Club but likes being able to see his dad and brother more frequently.

"Me and Gage were friends in first grade, and that's how my mom and Manuel met," Bradley Sims said.

"They were both single and got together," he added.

Gage and Bradley easily transitioned from being friends to being brothers.

"It's pretty cool working with them everyday, and it's not too stressful because I get to bond with my brother while I work," Sims said.

He used to work at Applebees. He's amazed at how much he's learned since he started working in construction.

CONTACT Chris Kaufman at 749-4794. Find him on Facebook at ADPhotoTeam or on Twitter at @AD_PhotoTeam.

Other fathers and sons or daughters who work together

--Richard Sinnott owns the Marysville Flea Market and Marysville Raceway Park and works with his children, Misty Castleberry and Neelie Rivas.

--Carl Bartlett co-owns Valley Pump & Motor Works with his son, Rick Bartlett, and his nephews, Jerry Bartlett and John Bartlett. The Yuba City business has been open since the 1960s.

--Gurnam Pamma and his son, Sukhraj S. Pamma, run Pamma Farms in Live Oak. Gurnam Pamma, born and raised in India, started in 1974, and they grow peaches, prunes, walnuts and almonds.

--Bob Fischetti and his son Pablo have worked together at Basics and Beyond as well as Mother Goose Pre-School for more than 20 years. They work with the Yuba City Police Department, where Pablo is a reserve officer and Robert is a chaplain. The father and son have played music and recorded together as well as done radio commercials.

--Leno Mota of Marysville inspired his son, Angel Mota, to become a firefighter. The younger Mota worked directly with his father at Marysville and Loma Rica/Browns Valley fire departments until last December. Both are still working firefighters, Leno Mota at Marysville Fire and Angel Mota at CalFire Nevada Yuba Placer Unit.

--Rudy Gonzales runs Rudy's Fantastic Shine carpet cleaning business with his son, Andrew. He's had the Plumas Lake business for in 14 years, and they also do bathtub refinishing.

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