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CONSTRUCTION
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Volume 3
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Number 8
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AUGUST 2015
The world of Atlas
A flair for the fair
At Atlas, everyone is treated as family by the family who owns the business: seated, Yolanda Segredo; and standing, L-R: Roy Sagredo Sr., Sarah Sagredo Hammond and Roy Segredo Jr.
Front: Lisa Salinas, Kenneth Faires Sr., and Ray Fuentes; back: Anna Faires, Tracy Faires, Carolyn Faires, Kenny Faires, Lee Faires, Mike Fuentes and Israel Cavazos
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he vibe at Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Services Inc. is all about family, says president and treasurer Sarah Sagredo Hammond. Founded in 1983 by Sarah’s father, Rogelio Sagredo Sr. (secretary), with his son, Rogelio Sagredo Jr. (vice president) at his side, the company has grown from that time and now services the Rio Grande Valley, as well as some corporate accounts in Laredo, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Houston. “My parents were high school sweethearts,” Sarah says. “They were migrant workers and after graduation, my father joined the air force. He got his technical training in the air force and returned
home after his years of service.” Back home, Rogelio Sr. worked for an electrical company while saving money for his own business. “When we first started the business, my father worked with my brother and one employee,” says Sarah, who has provided the accounting for the business, along with her mother, Yolanda Sagredo, since its inception. “We have been a family business since inception. We believe that we all grow and work together.” Pride in hard work, community involvement and customer service are of upmost importance. In 2013-14, the company gave more continued on Page 14
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he owners of Faires Plumbing Inc. in Edinburg have a simple philosophy about their customers and employees. “Treat others the way you want to be treated,” says president and owner Kenny Faires, a third-generation owner. “We have found this philosophy to work well in the market place and in the workplace. If I were a customer of FPC, I would want a good product at a fair price. If I were an employee of FPC, I would want good pay for good work. We try to treat others the way we want to be treated. Understandably, without customers, and without employees, we don’t have a business. Therefore, our greatest reward and goal is repeat
customers - and new ones - and welltrained employees working in a safe environment.” The commercial plumbing contractor was established in 1927 by Thomas Wesley Faires, father of Kenneth Faires Sr., who retired in Oct. 2004. The current owners, Kenny Faires, Tracy Faires, vice president, and Lee Faires, vice president, are the children of Kenneth Faires Sr. All three owners are active at their church, First Baptist, and encourage their employees to also be involved in their local church as well. So, when a local missionary, Ray Hanson, enlisted Kenny’s help in building an orphanage in Mexico, it was inline with the family’s spiritual continued on Page 14
The summit of dreams
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n June 22, the formal blessing of a new chapel was the culmination of a 20-year dream for the community of Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Mission in Rancho Peñitas West. It is the first new Catholic church built in the Laredo area, according to Robert Sepulveda, AIA, president of Sepulveda Associates Architects Inc., the designers of the new building. Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Mission is an outreach of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laredo, which is only 15 years old. It is sponsored by St. Jude Church, which is the closest Catholic parish, 11 miles away. “The diocese wanted to build a new church/mission,” says Luis A. Ramirez, civil engineer and project manager for the Diocese of Laredo at the time. “They have been saving their pennies up for 15 years. About a year ago, all the stars lined up and prayers were answered.” Ramirez was in a unique position to
know – he worked for the diocese as its facilities and construction manager after retiring from TxDOT in 2005. “I was trying to get points for Heaven,” he laughs. He had no plans for working after retiring again – this time from the diocese – but had developed a respect for the folks at Summit Building and Design, the general contractor on the job, and is now a project manager with that firm. “It was one of my personal goals to help build a church - the first church for the Diocese of Laredo,” he says. “It was a great notch in their belt to do something like that. We were all looking at it from a personal standpoint. It serves the souls. It can only bring better things.” The $800,000, 4,800-sf project took about six months to finish. It was completed in May. The exterior of the building is masonry and mortar, the interior is Themed after a Mexican-style mission, the new church consists of bright, bold colors.
continued on Page 14