About Proterra Builders Inc

Steven Richardson was born in Bay City MI the youngest of 8 children. Steve was very poor growing up. He joined the Boys Club of Bay City at age 12 and started attending regularly. During this time period his leadership developed in programs like Junior Optimists, the Keystone Club and Dungeons and Dragons. And he participated in all types of competitive sports including soccer, basketball, fastpitch baseball, softball, flag football and floor hockey. In addition to field sports he excelled in table sports like billiards, ping pong, air hockey, and bumper pool. This time at the Boys Club created a solid foundation of sportsmanship and leadership that served him well in his adulthood. Attending high school Steve also participated in orchestra and marching band playing the clarinet.

Steve enlisted in the United States Army at age 16 in the delayed entry program and left for Basic Training two weeks after high school graduation at the age of 17. Upon graduation of Basic Training he went to Presidio of Monterey California to attend the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center where he studied the Czech language for 48 weeks. Upon graduation he attended Interrogator/Interpreter school at Fort Huachuca Arizona. SGT Richardson left active duty service to attend college and ROTC. Cadet Richardson earned the Superior Cadet award his freshman year and was eventually commissioned as a Second Lieutenant branch Engineer where he started his officer career as a maintenance platoon leader and then construction platoon leader for the 801st Engineer Company (Port Construction). During this time he was responsible for logistics over the shore, pile driving, pier construction/rehabilitation, marine construction and railway construction. He commanded two different companies (including the 801st Engineer Company) prior to deploying to Iraq with the 372nd Engineer Group (Combat) as a Battle Captain in the Operations section and planned and monitored many engineer missions including demolition of captured enemy munitions, demolishing a bridge, building new bridges, airfield runway repair, base construction and asphalt highway paving. He then took command of the Headquarters Company for the 372 Engineer Brigade – he was the first commander of this headquarters company. He later became the Operations Officer for the 389th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Heavy) where he was responsible for training and operations of 8 line engineer companies ranging from fire-fighting to sapper to horizontal and vertical engineer companies. Prior to deploying with the 372nd Engineer Brigade, Major Richardson participated in the 2008 All American Bowl where he was one of fifty soldier heroes selected throughout the entire US Army and matched with a high school athlete – Andrew Smith from Missouri. Major Richardson culminated his career by deploying with the 372nd Engineer Brigade to Afghanistan as their Engineer Intelligence Officer and Electronic Warfare Officer (full circle from his enlisted days). Major Richardson provided meaningful intelligence on enemy IED tactics and route status that was used by the 82nd Infantry Division (Airborne) for their subordinate units. 

Steve has earned a Bachelor of Science Construction Management from Arizona State University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and an Executive Juris Doctor from Concord Law School; all through the use of the GI Bill, US Army Tuition Assistance, an Army 3 year Scholarship and paying out of pocket. Steve leveraged these degrees and considerable civilian and military construction experience to successfully start his own construction company. Steve is the President of Proterra Builders, Inc.; a California Corporation.

Founded in 2017, Proterra Builders, Inc. is a privately held, Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise located in Apple Valley California. Proterra provides turn-key general building, general engineering, preconstruction, construction management and design build capabilities. Key personnel have experience estimating and building government administration buildings, headquarters, motor pools, airfield, bridges, detention, theater, municipal city buildings, port facilities, and power generation (solar, batteries, engines and generators).