Western Rooter & Plumbing CEO John Bottala has been selected to host the San Diego Regional Hub for Trades Thursday on Oct. 1, bringing contractors, technicians and home-service business owners together for a day centered on education, peer learning and industry connection.
The San Diego gathering is part of Housecall Pro’s nationwide Trades Thursday initiative, with regional events planned in more than 15 cities. The program is designed to give plumbing, HVAC, electrical and other service professionals a chance to step outside their day-to-day operations, compare notes with other operators and discuss the systems, people and technology behind stronger trades businesses.
Bottala leads Western Rooter & Plumbing, a family-owned Southern California company that has grown into a $25 million-plus home-services operation while remaining independently operated. The company serves customers across Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties and has continued expanding its workforce, service capabilities and internal systems.
That growth has been tied closely to the company’s focus on field execution, customer service and operational discipline. Western Rooter remains dedicated to honest service, fair pricing, employee development and long-term customer relationships, as well as its use of modern technology and equipment across drain cleaning, jetting, inspection and trenchless work.
Housecall Pro has also become part of the company’s operating infrastructure.
Western Rooter has used the platform for more than six years, with more than 50 employees working within it across dispatch, customer service, estimating, field operations and management. That experience has given Bottala a firsthand view of the challenges involved in putting repeatable systems behind a growing service organization.
“Running a profitable trades company in Southern California requires great people, but it also requires great systems,” Bottala says. “Housecall Pro has been behind our team for years, and I’m genuinely grateful they asked me to host Trades Thursday in San Diego. I’m looking forward to meeting other owners and pros, sharing what we’ve learned and probably learning quite a bit from everyone else in the room too.”
Bottala was also named to Housecall Pro’s inaugural Trades 40 Under 40 Class of 2026, recognizing emerging leaders across the skilled trades for business leadership, team building, customer trust and industry impact.
For service professionals, the San Diego event is intended to provide practical opportunities to learn from others in the field. Regional hub programming includes expert-led sessions, conversations with fellow pros and opportunities for contractors at different stages of growth to exchange ideas face-to-face. Attendance is free and open to home-service professionals, including those who are not Housecall Pro customers.
Western Rooter has served Southern California for more than four decades. Today, the company provides plumbing, drain and sewer service, hydro jetting, pipe repair, water heater service and 24/7 emergency response for residential, commercial, property-management, HOA and multi-unit customers.
Trades Thursday 2026 takes place October 1, with Bottala hosting the San Diego Regional Hub.
Western Rooter & Plumbing is also featured in the September 2026 issue of Plumber magazine.
Continue reading for free
