ANCO IRON & CONSTRUCTION , INC . brought Anco ’ s legacy full-circle from when Nick ’ s father and grandfather first won the contract to help expand Candlestick Park for the San Francisco 49ers . “ I ’ m a big Warriors fan ,” remarks Nick , “ so I was thrilled that the project owner decided that 50 % of the work would go to local contractors . Viki Bamba Chennault [ Director of Public Affairs ] at Clark Construction has been my mentor and got me working with Clark on the project . We actually teamed up with several companies to do a variety of work , including building and installing the pilings and rails . The pilings make up the underground foundation , so I like to say that we ‘ set the foundation ’ for the Warriors .”
Based on their positive experiences , Anco has chosen to pursue additional work with Clark , “ Clark has been a great mentor to us ,” affirms Nick .
Thanks to the contracts awarded through the Chapter 14B LBE Program , Anco was able to diversify its portfolio to include about 90 % government work , which has played an important part in the company ’ s long-term survival and growth by enabling them to keep working through economic slow-downs and the COVID-19 pandemic . “ Prior to the pandemic , we were awarded a SFPUC [ San Francisco Public Utilities Commission ] contract for the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project , which is the largest water treatment facility of its kind in the United States ,” explains Nick . “ So , when most private construction was put on hold , we stopped work for only 2 days , as this project was deemed essential .” Anco ’ s crews were used to wearing masks for welding and construction work , so they found it easy to adopt additional sanitation protocols and keep team sizes smaller to reduce potential exposure .
Recently , CDP / MWIS staff helped Anco secure a $ 4.9 million bond for another SFPUC project , the new Treasure Island Water Resource Recovery Facility , which includes the construction of 12 buildings and related infrastructure . Nick and Hector credit the assistance they ’ ve received from the CDP / MWIS for helping Anco to grow and take on larger projects . “ When I returned to work for the company , we had $ 250K in sales and this year , we ’ re nearing $ 10 million ,” says Nick . Anco also stays busy working for other public agencies , including the San Francisco International Airport ( SFO ), San Francisco Recreation and Park Department , and the San Francisco police and fire departments .
Now 70 , Hector has handed the company reins to Nick , who oversees the day-to-day operations . Hector ’ s daughters Jenifer and Dani , and a number of other relatives all contribute their skills to Anco ’ s continued success , making this a 3rd generation family business . Certified as a Minority Business Enterprise ( MBE ), Small Business Enterprise ( SBE ), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ( DBE ), and Local Business Enterprise ( LBE ), Anco was also officially recognized in 2019 as a Legacy Business by the City and County of San Francisco ’ s Small Business Commission ,
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