CONTRACTOR SUCCESS STORY II : ESCOBAR CONSTRUCTION
strategies have yielded substantial results for Escobar Construction . “ In addition to the National Cemetery Administration , we now have three other MATOCs – one with the Fish and Wildlife Department for Oregon , California and Hawaii and two with the U . S . Army Corps of Engineers in Israel . We are currently working on 13 projects in six states and two other countries , ranging in value from under $ 100,000 to $ 2.9 million .”
In all aspects of his life , Ron models leadership , responsibility , teamwork and compassion . A single father of two sons – one in college and the ROTC , the other a senior at a military boarding school – Ron arranged for and covers the costs of his ex-wife ’ s care after she was diagnosed with early onset dementia . Despite his demanding business and personal schedule , he makes time to collaborate with and mentor other small contractors who are just getting into the public works arena .
Having learned to discern between subcontractors who are genuinely ready to take on larger opportunities and those who ignorantly jump in way over their heads , Ron remains committed to putting in the extra effort to help others succeed . “ Not all subcontractors end up stepping up as they should . Some will fail and cause you a little headache . What I do now is that I evaluate their character – do they show up in time ? Are they consistent with their representations ? Are they changing their story ? Are they giving excuses upfront ? Are they organized ? What jobs have they done ? If they have former military experience , I know they have a good understanding of discipline , commitment and punctuality ... but I still trust and verify . I have also asked smaller subcontractors to bond to provide a layer of protection in case things go wrong , but above all , I try to get a sense of their character and integrity and that dictates my level of support for them .”
In 2021 , after meeting fellow Marine veteran Isaac Meron at a CDABP training workshop , Ron reached out to invite him to submit an electrical engineering subcontracting bid for a V . A . cemetery project . The encouragement and individual guidance that Ron provided , as well as assistance from CDABP staff , helped Meron , Inc . successfully transition into government contracting , and the two companies are now collaborating on several additional projects ( see our profile of Meron , Inc . in this issue ).
“ My rap name is now Lil ’ Prime ,” jokes Ron . “ My passion is helping others to keep improving and be their best selves . As someone who ’ s been there myself , I know that by giving back , I can help balance the scales a little bit – which I love doing because it benefits our communities , society and country . In general , what we give in life is what we get . If we want people to help us , we must in turn help others – it also makes economic sense .”
For more information about Escobar Construction , please visit their
website .
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