For Tim “TJ” Mines, Northern Nevada has been the backdrop for two very different chapters of his career.
The first began on the waters of Lake Tahoe, where Mines served as a Boatswain’s Mate in the U.S. Coast Guard, conducting search-and-rescue and law-enforcement operations. Today, he is helping build at Reno-Tahoe International Airport as a Senior Project Engineer with McCarthy Building Companies.
The jobs may look very different, but Mines sees more similarities than one might expect.
Both require teamwork, focus and the ability to perform in fast-paced environments. Both place a premium on safety and looking out for the people around you. And both have given Mines an opportunity to contribute to a Northern Nevada community that has become an important part of his life.
Six Years of Service
Mines joined the Coast Guard in September 2015, drawn by two things that had long been important to him: a love of the water and a desire to serve.
As a Boatswain’s Mate, he spent six years conducting search-and-rescue and law-enforcement operations, including at Lake Tahoe. The experience taught him lessons that continue to influence how he approaches his work today.
Among them are self-motivation and discipline, the ability to remain calm and effective in high-stress situations, and the importance of working as part of a team. His Coast Guard experience also gave him early opportunities to lead others.
One of the biggest adjustments after leaving the military in June 2021 was learning that not every situation required the same sense of urgency. After six years in an environment where being ready to respond was part of the job, Mines had to learn how to slow down.
What he didn’t leave behind were the habits that came with that experience.
From Military Service to Construction
Following his Coast Guard service, Mines continued his education at California State University, Northridge. While completing his degree, he interned with McCarthy Building Companies during the summer of 2023.
He graduated from CSUN in May 2024 and continued his career with McCarthy. Today, Mines is a Senior Project Engineer working at Reno-Tahoe International Airport.
“I chose McCarthy because of the people, the projects we build and the culture the company has created,” Mines said. “There’s a work-hard, play-hard mentality, but also a genuine focus on people and opportunities to keep learning and growing. It’s a place where I can challenge myself, build meaningful relationships and be part of something bigger.”
Construction turned out to have some familiar qualities.
“The Coast Guard taught me how to stay calm when things are moving quickly, rely on the people around me and stay focused on what needs to get done,” Mines said. “Construction has a lot of those same qualities. You’re working with a team in a fast-paced environment, and everyone has a responsibility to look out for one another.”
Safety provides another through-line.
In the Coast Guard, the stakes of search-and-rescue work made safety an obvious priority. On a construction project—particularly one taking place within an active airport—safety requires that same diligence, focus and concern for the people around you.
For Mines, both careers reinforce the importance of caring about people and the safety of the greater good.
Coming Full Circle at RNO
There is another reason his current assignment carries particular meaning.
Mines has flown in and out of Reno-Tahoe International Airport hundreds of times. Now, instead of simply passing through the airport, he is part of a team helping improve it.
Northern Nevada is also where Mines met his wife and where he developed an appreciation for a lifestyle that combines a different pace with easy access to the mountains and Lake Tahoe.
That makes contributing to the region’s continued growth personal.
“I’ve flown through RNO hundreds of times, so there’s something pretty special about walking through the airport now and knowing I’m helping build something that will serve this community for years to come,” Mines said. “Northern Nevada means a lot to me personally, and I’m proud to be contributing to its healthy growth.”
For a veteran whose first career brought him to Lake Tahoe and whose current career has brought him to RNO, the geography creates an unexpected connection between two chapters of his life.
But the more meaningful connection may be the values that have followed him from one to the other: discipline, teamwork, leadership, safety and the ability to stay calm when circumstances become demanding.
This Veterans Day, Mines’ story is also a reminder that the skills developed through military service don’t end when the uniform comes off. They can find new purpose in a second career—and, sometimes, bring someone back to a community that already feels like home.
The post From Lake Tahoe to RNO: A Veteran Builds His Next Chapter in Northern Nevada appeared first on Nevada Business Magazine.
