President
Friedrich Watkins of Tampa, LLC
Michael Bucalo turned crisis into opportunity when he acquired Friedrich Watkins of Tampa, steering the commercial construction firm through market upheaval and a global pandemic. In just 18 months, he tripled the company’s size by targeting high-demand sectors and adopting lean construction strategies.
His proudest moment has been watching his son, who has Down syndrome, ride the Phoenix Rising roller coaster, one of the firm’s marquee projects. “That moment wasn’t just personal. It was the soul of everything we build,” he says.
Beyond business, Bucalo leads GiGi’s Playhouse Tampa and the Bucalo Family Foundation, supporting individuals with disabilities. A former top fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, he believes leadership is measured by heart, grit and the community you uplift along the way.