While Red Rocket joined the world in welcoming the past month with a great laugh, our organisation had another, even more special reason to smile and celebrate. Our Head of Project and Construction Management Solar, Jaco Brits, officially hit the decade mark as a high-flying Rocketeer.
When thinking about Jaco, words such as “red-hot passion”, “inspirational”, “entrepreneurial”, and “biggest ambassador for Red Rocket” are a few that have been used to describe him and the mark he has left on our organisation.
His first days with us were marked by excitement, ambition, and a deep passion for the projects he’d help shape. Through this, he has quite literally helped build our company into what it is today, helping us achieve the inspiring milestones that sometimes called for a fighting spirit. For most companies – and ours is no exception – reaching such heights doesn’t come without its share of challenges, but after several rounds of that fighting, he’s still making a great impact.
“When I came to Red Rocket, I was generally very happy and felt as though I belonged,” he narrated. “Everything was new to me, along moving to Cape Town.”
Seen from the lens of our COO, Luca Silva, whose impression of Jaco goes all the way to his very first interview in the lobby of a Sandton hotel, it was Jaco’s confidence and passion that made him stand out. This passion has been evident in his interactions with many within the organisation, along with our clients and stakeholders.
“He knew his stuff and had the wealth of knowledge that made him stand above the rest when we were working on our Tororo Solar project. Jaco’s growth has been phenomenal, and this has been made more special because of how connected he is to the Red Rocket mission,” Luca said.
As is customary for us, a celebration of this magnitude brings the whole office together, and this occasion was no different, filled with great emotion and an outpouring of “love for every member of our team” from the man of the moment himself.
“I came to Red Rocket believing in Luca, now I believe in Red Rocket,” he reminisced.
Not only has Jaco made an impact with our solar projects, but he also successfully led our hydroelectric project in the Free State, Kruisvallei Hydro Plant, which is part of his best career milestones to date. Embracing the positive character development it took from his side, he said: “I’m not the solar guy if you’re talking about the hydro project – I’m the hydro guy.”
Another memorable character arc came in the form of a bid trip to Johannesburg, where his Hugh Hefner-esque robe paired with sheepskin boots made an amusing appearance in the often serious nature of these engagements.
Through all the moments of Red Rocket’s evolution, Jaco’s contribution has been one for the books, and as Luca puts it, “he has been the greatest ambassador of Red Rocket”.
While most show this level of pride through meaningful symbols such as tattoos, it would appear that Jaco’s ink runs much deeper, considering the commitment he has and continues to pour into Red Rocket.
In that moment of reflection, surrounded by colleagues, he left everyone with a parting note that speaks to his character and the reason why one of our core values is CARE. “I care for, and have a bond with, and love each and every one of you.”
