How the Finch Family Built a Legacy That Withstands Anything 

Tom Finch still remembers standing on the roof as a kid, garden hose in hand, watching another California wildfire creep toward the family home. 

“I must’ve been 10,” he says. “We lived above a canyon, and I was trying to keep embers off the roof. It was just part of life out here.” 

Wildfires in Southern California are worse today, and they continue to destroy wood-framed homes. In fact, structures destroyed by wildfire have skyrocketed — from an average of ~355 per year in the 1990s to ~4,055 per year in the 2010s. Yet most communities keep building the same way. 

“It’s the definition of insanity,” Tom says. “We can build homes that are far more fire-safe with little added cost. We know how — so why aren’t we?” 

That mix of practicality and empathy has shaped Tom’s life and the company his father founded 75 years ago. 

A Family Business Built on Discipline, Faith and Block 

RCP Block & Brick began with one man who believed people came first. 

“My dad was soft-spoken but could read people,” Tom says. “He brought out more in them than they saw in themselves.” 

Tom and his siblings grew up in the business — working summers, weekends and school breaks. “If you were a Finch, you worked,” he laughs. 

What started as a single plant expanded into multiple yards across San Diego and Riverside counties. RCP wasn’t just a manufacturer; they sold directly to homeowners, contractors, architects and developers. They understood not only how block was made but how it performed in the real world. 

Today, the third generation — Tom’s children, nieces and nephews — is stepping into leadership roles. 

“That’s the culture my dad built,” Tom says. “Family first. Faith first. Work hard and treat people well.” 

An Industry That’s Changing 

When Tom started, San Diego had dozens of mid-size masonry contractors. “There used to be 20 or 30 guys doing five- to ten-thousand-square-foot commercial jobs,” he says. “Now it’s big firms or one-man shops. The middle has thinned out.” 

But block itself has evolved. 

Block has shifted from a purely structural material to a design medium with range and texture.  

“When I started, we had maybe two colors,” he says. “Now we have 30. We can blend colors, shot-blast surfaces; architects have a whole new toolbox.” 

Meanwhile, seismic codes have driven engineering innovation — wider units and those reinforced with steel. 

“Because of the seismic changes to codes, they’re making CMU block wider to add more rebar and make structures safer,” Tom says. “And that’s the point.”   

It’s that mix of practicality and deep care for people that has shaped Tom’s life — and the company his father started more than 75 years ago. 

“It’s our job to drive that with the architects and the engineer that block is their best solution. Especially when it comes to safety. For structures like schools, government buildings and hospitals, masonry offers resiliency.  

Why Block Matters Now 

Ask Tom what keeps him up at night, and he talks about people: parents sending kids to school, seniors who can’t evacuate easily, firefighters facing year-round fire seasons. 

“Masonry is safe,” he says. “Fire resistance, seismic safety, thermal performance — architects and engineers know it. We just have to convince builders we can meet schedules and stay competitive.” 

“You can build better,” he adds. “We know how.” 

A Legacy That Lasts 

Tom’s father often said, “It doesn’t always pay to be right” — a reminder that relationships matter more than winning arguments. It’s a lesson Tom tries to pass on to the next generation. 

“We build things that last,” he says. “We keep people safe. And that’s never going to stop being important.” 

“The beauty of block,” Tom says, “is that it’s still standing when everything else is gone.” 

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Economic Letter, August 2024