Being the son of a naturalized immigrant, Louis J. Cabano was instilled with notions of hard work, self-sufficiency, and love for friends and family at an early age.

Those are the types of values that one carries for a lifetime — and so too with Cabano, whose work ethic and keen sense of fairness have guided him for more than 50 years as he worked in a variety of fields related to business and industry.

Born in Philadelphia, he attended Drexel University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering before completing two years of post-graduate work in engineering management. Over the next several years he enjoyed stints with the U.S. Army, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co., and Catalytic Construction Co., where he served as vice president of project management.

After approximately 20 years of hands-on practitioner project management experience that involved designing, constructing and commissioning chemical and petroleum plants around the world, he saw an opportunity to blaze his own path.

“I believed that an independent consulting firm comprised of proven and successful expert project management professionals would be a valuable and highly sought after resource that medium- or small-sized sponsor companies would call upon when they had important capital projects to deal with,” Cabano said.

He set aside a modest amount of personal funds, resigned his position and installed himself as president of a new company, Pathfinder LLC, the goal of which was to provide the highest quality project management support services.

That was in 1975. Since then, the company has been involved in approximately 2,600 chemical process industry projects valued at more than $240 billion.

According to Cabano, Pathfinder’s success was the result of careful management, outstanding people and plenty of good luck.

But much of the company’s success can also be traced back to Cabano himself.

Drawing from years of experience, he has cultivated a blend of skills that is critical to developing, managing and sustaining a prestigious project management company, including the ability to discern competent project management practitioners, to understand multiple points of view as they pertain to supplier and contractor challenges, and the ability to recognize the appropriate time to request help from others.

Cabano credits his own achievements to the fact that he enjoys his work and is surrounded by quality personnel.

“I attribute my personal success to the fact that I am working in a field that I love and enjoy and am fortunate that top-flight professionals in the business were and are willing to join our company to continue our goals and objectives,” he said. “Pathfinder is also fortunate to have Stephen Cabano, yes, my son, ready, willing and very able to take the reins, as he has already done.”

While his son is now at the helm, Cabano still plays a critical role in steering Pathfinder toward the future.

“I would like to see Pathfinder gradually and steadily continue to grow in size and expand its influence across an even broader spectrum of the worldwide chemical process industry,” he said. “As outsourcing continues, I can visualize Pathfinder becoming more of a specialty service provider/practitioner for sponsor companies, while also continuing to provide our consulting and training practice.”

And although he is nearing the end of his career, his more than 50 years of experience has provided him with much wisdom. He offers this advice to individuals in the early years of their professional careers:
• Choose a career field you are interested in and good at.
• Be sure to have a high-value product to offer.
• Create a sufficient market to support your company and its products.
• Network, network, network!
• Employ the best, most competent and most committed people.
• Be respectful of your client’s wishes, but do not compromise your company’s integrity.

Cabano’s final piece of wisdom is one that he learned at an early age from his immigrant father: “Be prepared to work harder than the next guy.”

Indeed, that’s a value that one carries for a lifetime.

To learn more, call (856) 424-7100 or visit www.pathfinderinc.com.