Local Levittown Entrepreneur A Success at 23

It isn’t easy starting your own business, but for Levittown entrepreneur Ray Padula, life couldn’t be greener. 

As the CEO of his own international sprinkler company, Padula has made the grass grow on every side with his new and improved sprinkler designs and various lawn and gardening tools. Padula is a talented, intelligent and passionate businessman. And he’s only 23 years old.

Padula grew up in Levittown, the oldest of three siblings. Ever since he was 4 years old, Padula has always been interested in landscaping. He entitled himself his family’s “landscaper” and took over all responsibilities of maintaining a healthy lawn.

At the age of 13, Padula launched “Ray’s Above and Beyond Automatic Lawn Sprinklers,” his first business venture of a professional, full service irrigation system installation company. He attended General Douglas MacArthur High School, where he excelled both academically and creatively as a student. 

After his homework, Padula would tend to his responsibilities as groundskeeper. He quickly found out that no matter which sprinkler, nozzle or hose-related item he would use, something would always be wrong with them. “As time went on, it appeared that everyone experienced the same problem as me," he said. "That made me think [that] this would be a great opportunity for an entire market improvement."

Padula said that his success something he genuinely enjoys and doesn’t really look at himself as a success. “I didn’t go into business for the money,” he said. “I started installing sprinkler systems when I was 13 and until the age of 16, continued developing my ideas. At around 17-18, I looked into what I was doing as a business and started contacting the right people to make it happen."

He even currently lives in Levittown in the house where he grew up and frequents the surrounding Starbucks in the area. He has partnered with several charities and world-help organizations. Such charitable contributions have been derived from the product line catered around helping you keep your earth green.