Bob Gagliasso, right, and his son Josh at Portland International Airport (PDX), where during a tour they learned what it’s like to fly a Boeing 737.
For Bob Gagliasso, a successful plumbing career isn’t just about being skilled with tools — it’s about relationships. After completing his enlistment with the Air Force as a nuclear weapons specialist — where he worked on the weapons systems that went on B-52 bombers — he got to know some plumbers at a rental yard where he was working as a small-engine mechanic, and they encouraged him to enter the trade.
Gagliasso had a friend whose father was a part-owner in a plumbing supply house, and he helped him land a job with a plumbing contractor. The contractor performed utility, residential and commercial work, and the job included hand-digging sewer lines on steep hills that equipment couldn’t reach.
“In those days you had to be born into it, marry into it or have your best friend’s dad get you into it, and that’s exactly what happened — I had the in for that,” he said. “I’ve been at it ever since.”
Gagliasso had scored high on the state’s placement test that he took when he left the Air Force and applied for both union and non-union apprenticeships for three years before finally being accepted to one.
Over the years, Gagliasso worked for several plumbing companies in the Portland area, including multiple stints with the same employer.
“There was never a day without work,” he said. “I was always busy.”
In the early 1990s, he took a position as the sole plumber for the Port of Portland, maintaining the systems at Portland International Airport (PDX). He held that position for 17 years but was laid off during the 2008–09 economic downturn.
Working for Himself
Not one to let moss grow under his feet, Gagliasso filed paperwork to start his own business — Gagliasso Plumbing Company LLC — two days later.
His connections and nearly two decades of quality work at PDX almost immediately paid dividends for his new company.
“Within about two months, I was taking care of 20 of the 30 restaurants at the airport,” he said. “I had an in with everybody, and it’s been busy ever since.”
More than 15 years later, he runs the company with his three of his sons — Corey and Josh, who are journeymen, and Matt, an apprentice. In addition to service work on the airport restaurants, they have worked on elaborate vacuum waste systems and large mechanical rooms there.
Other jobs have included high-rise penthouses and high-end houses. One particularly memorable project was a $10 million gas fireplace that produced ice for a well-known entrepreneur.
“The fireplace was proprietary and private, and we couldn’t even tell who it was for,” he said. “It was for Jeff Bezos, but we couldn’t divulge that at the time and talk about it.”
Other celebrity home projects through the years include those belonging to members of the city’s NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers. Another highlight came when he did plumbing work at the Will Vinton Studios in northwest Portland while the California Raisins were being created.
“I was setting finish when the artists were doing the buildings of the little carpentry towns, and then the artists were making the figurines while I’m in there talking to them,” he said.
IAPMO Involvement
Gagliasso joined the IAPMO Cascade Chapter about 10 years ago at the urging of friend and fellow contractor, Reg Parnell. As business owners, they had frequently talked about the importance of maintaining high standards and taking pride in one’s work. He said limiting oneself to a single specialty, such as water or waste piping or setting finish, means missing out on valuable knowledge.
“To me, you’re not going to be worth your salt if you don’t want to learn everything you can,” he said.
Gagliasso took it upon himself to line up product representatives and guest speakers — even before he joined the chapter board.
“The connections that I have in the plumbing world are endless, and they’re more than happy to come to our meetings and talk about the products that they sell,” he said.
Before long Gagliasso was vice chair and then chapter chair, a title he still holds today. He believes the chapter does an excellent job of getting information out and making sure members’ ideas are heard. The group plays an active role in the industry by helping members “put a face to the parts”— connecting names and companies with the suppliers and manufacturers behind them. These relationships, he says, are essential for knowing where to find specialized products and having a voice in the tools and materials on which the trade depends.
Gagliasso said his IAPMO membership has absolutely benefited his career — not because of the credential itself, but because of the recognition and trust it has earned him within the trade. While he has accumulated numerous certificates and educational achievements over the years, he values IAPMO for the connections it fosters.
“It has given me more recognition as far as being a legitimate person in the trades,” he said. “People, when they talk to me, it’s not like I’m some authority, but I am a good reference for people.” Plumbers, apprentices, and business owners frequently reach out to ask for his advice or draw on his experience for specific challenges.
Supporting IWSH
One of his proudest accomplishments has been rallying support for the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Foundation (IWSH). Gagliasso learned about IAPMO’s nonprofit organization during a presentation by IWSH North American Program Director Jed Scheuermann, a fellow chapter member.
“He’s a fountain of information,” Gagliasso said about Scheuermann, “and I’ve gotten enthused about the IWSH program; that is taken to heart, that is really an affectionate part of my concern with what IAPMO does. I think it’s great.”
Gagliasso and Scheuermann began talking about a fundraising challenge. The chapter donated $5,000 to the IWSH Foundation and challenged others to match it.
“I don’t know how many came forward,”
Gagliasso said. “I guess there was one that didn’t want to be topped, so they gave $5,001.” The friendly competition continued the following year, when the Cascade Chapter increased its donation. To date, the Cascade Chapter has donated more than $10,000 to IWSH.
Advice to Entrants
When asked what advice he would give to someone considering a career in the trades, Gagliasso’s answer was clear: take it seriously. He stressed that apprenticeship spots are limited each year, regardless of the trade, and those who enter should be committed to making the most of the opportunity. “You’re taking a spot away from someone else if you get in,” he said. “Think twice about what it is and take it seriously.”
He noted that plumbing, in particular, plays a critical role in protecting public health —something he considers an “absolute truth,” not just a saying. Poorly executed plumbing work can lead to serious problems such as sanitation issues, pest infestations, and unsafe water temperatures. “We take that very, very seriously,” he said.
Gagliasso, a lifelong musician, performs in Washington.
Music and Family
Outside of plumbing, Gagliasso has another lifelong passion: music. He learned to play the guitar when he was 9, and when he was 11 his band got hired to play at a party. He played in a band called The New Colony through high school, and from about 2002 to 2010 he was in a country music band called Kindling.
His current group, Second Wind, has been on a hiatus for the past year but is rehearsing for an upcoming gig. They mostly perform at wineries and private events.
“It’s more of an acoustic, very polished band,” he said. “Very rehearsed, far from being a jam band. Everybody has their part that they sing. It’s three- and four-part harmonies, and everybody has their parts that they play.”
He and his wife, Lora, travel frequently and enjoy time with their blended family of five grown sons. In addition to Corey, Josh and Matt, Tony lives in Vermont with his wife, and Bill lives in Ridgefield, Washington, with his wife and children. Bob and Lora have nine grandchildren, with a 10th on the way.
Even as friends and colleagues his age retire from the industry, Gagliasso has no plans to do so anytime soon.
“I’m going to be kind of hard to get rid of, I think,” he said. “I enjoy what I do too much to just quit.”
Mike Flenniken is a staff writer, Marketing and Communications, for IAPMO. Prior to joining IAPMO in 2010, Flenniken worked in public relations for a group of Southern California hospitals and as a journalist in writing and editing capacities for various Southern California daily newspapers.
Last modified: November 3, 2025