Sonoma County native Brad Baker, pictured here with son Zack, brings all the right stuff to his current position as president/CEO of Codding Enterprises. The son of a contractor, Baker even worked for Codding Construction as a laborer at the age of 19 before heading off to college (San Diego State) for a degree in economics. After a career as a registered investment adviser, he rejoined Codding in 1990—this time as vice president of Codding Investments—and has played a key role in developing Sonoma Mountain Village, the sustainable, mixed-use community that’s the flagship of Codding Enterprises.
Asked what sparked his interest in environmentally friendly building practices, he says, “I remember the gas lines and even/odd license plate days to fill up. Around that same time, my fifth grade teacher told me that the amount of oil available was similar to the layer of the Earth’s crust, and it wouldn’t last. In 1993, I heard Richard Rainwater with the same message—that oil wouldn’t last.”
In addition to his work at Codding, Baker is co-founder and chairman of the board of American Biodiesel, an alternative energy company dedicated to the research and production of biomass-related transportation fuels.
How old were you when you first went to work? What was the job?
When I was 10, I grew a vegetable garden, then sold the produce to our neighbors and people at my dad’s construction company.
Growing up, did you have any family rules in your house that seemed unfair to you?
We couldn’t leave the table until we ate all our dinner. That’s never a problem anymore, and I finish everything on my plate (as well as the plates of others).
Have you ever seen a ghost?
Not yet…but I’d like to.
If you could suddenly possess an extraordinary talent in one of the arts, what would you like it to be?
To play a musical instrument. Guitar would be my first choice, but any musical talent would be great.
If you could enact one law that doesn’t currently exist, what would it be?
That all diesel fuel sold would have to include a percentage of biodiesel. It may happen.
If you could teach your pet one trick or skill, what would it be?
Fetch the paper, but it’s not going to happen. We have a Jack Russell terrier named Bonzo, and even if I could get him to fetch it, getting him to drop it would be another story. He’d rather play tug-of-war.
What TV programs did you love as a child?
“Gilligan’s Island.” I watched every episode several times. I thought Gilligan was funny, but also, we only got two channels. There weren’t a lot of choices.
What’s one of your happiest life moments?
When I met my wife on a blind date.
What fuels you?
We’re in a unique time in history. We have the capability to do good things for the environment and mankind and, at the same time, we have exciting business opportunities.
Is there anything unusual in your briefcase?
Yes, but it’s a secret.
If your spouse could change one thing about you, what would it be?
She’d like me to be less ambitious and more romantic.
What do you think heaven is like?
A blissful state of mind.
What sound drives you crazy?
Whining.
What’s something you regret having sold, lost or given away?
I bought a rental house with two friends in San Diego shortly after I graduated from college in 1988. Almost immediately, the house went down in value, and I ended up buying out my friends’ interest over the next few years. In 1995, I was tired of being an absentee landlord and sold it to another friend for roughly the same price I’d bought it for eight years earlier. It subsequently tripled in value over the next eight years.
What’s your dream car?
An electric Tesla Roadster.
