Local 11’s Business Development Tommy Faavae Keeps Feeding the Pipeline For Clean Energy Jobs
IBEW 11 Business Development Tommy Faavae is a man of many talents. By day, he works for the Local helping secure hundreds of jobs for members through major funding initiatives for clean energy projects like the $1.2 billion Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) renewable hydrogen plant, the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant, and the Joint Water Pollution
Control Plant.
Faavae also recently served on the LA28 sustainability committee which was tasked with identifying dozens of venues for the 2028 Olympic Games. Nearly a dozen venues in Long Beach were selected to be renovated or newly constructed, including a 6,000-seat amphitheater that will be built near The Queen Mary.
Faavae meets regularly with developers and general contractors, attends city council meetings, and tracks proposed and ongoing public agency construction projects.
“We help feed the pipeline for longer term projects,” he said. “We’re looking at all different avenues of business development to get work for our members.”
Since February Faavae has also served as Director in Division 1 on the West Basin Municipal Water District Board, filling a Board vacancy. His mission is to provide safe, reliable water and improve environmental stewardship, which means construction jobs for Local 11 members across the region.
Division 1 encompasses the southwestern portion of Los Angeles County, including Carson, Palos Verdes Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, Rolling Hills Estates, and the unincorporated Los Angeles County areas of Rancho Dominguez.
A 25-year Local 11 journeyman, Faavae has dedicated his career to championing environmental advocacy, workforce development, and good jobs for his Brothers and Sisters in Local 11.
“I am honored to be appointed as the West Basin Division 1 Director,” said Faavae. “I strongly believe in the significant impacts of public service, and I am focused on ensuring safe, clean and reliable drinking water for our residents.”
Faavae is the first labor representative to serve on the Water Board.
“I bring the labor perspective to our Board discussions and make sure that the value of a skilled and trained workforce is always in the mix. As a Director, it makes it easier to negotiate PLAs and help to create hundreds of jobs in maintenance and construction,” he said.
