“I’ve experienced all the hardships and discrimination working in construction, so that’s why I advocate as hard as I do, especially for the LGBTQ community.” – Sandra Escalante, Laner Electric Supply
San Francisco – the company’s biggest project to date. Originally established in 1984, the
company is staffed by about 14 full- time employees and operates from a 16,000-sq.-ft. facility in Richmond, CA, and a 1,000-sq.-ft. facility on San Francis- co’s Treasure Island. Laner Electric Supply is as a wholesale supplier of electrical and lighting construction products to contractor, developer, industrial, insti- tutional, transportation, governmental and residential markets. In addition to running her firm, Escalan-
vice and communication,” she responds quickly. “I have a reputation that when I see an email you will get a response from me within five minutes, or at least within the hour.” Laner Electric Supply’s ability to meet customer needs and deliver great service has resulted in some high-profile clients and significant jobs since Escalante be- came majority owner of the company in April 2015. Currently, it is finishing up with a $50 million purchase order that began in 2016, to supply all the light fixtures, switchgear, UPS system, and various other material for all three stations on the Central Subway project in downtown
te is a strong advocate for other LGBTQ, women- and minority-owned businesses. She sits on multiple small business advisory councils, for Caltrans, BART, the University of California, and the Department of Gen- eral Services (DGS). She is also a founder of BuildOUT California, an industry fo- cused organization dedicated to promoting LGBTQ businesses and allies specifically in architecture, engineering, construction, supplies and real estate. Advocacy is a passion born of her
own experience. “I’ve experienced all the hardships and
discrimination working in construction, so that’s why I advocate as hard as I do, especially for the LGBTQ community,” she said. She is committed to making sure that LGBTQ youth and future entre- preneurs “have a pathway, a future, and they don’t have to break the same glass, concrete and/or steel ceilings and walls
that we’ve had to.” As a new member of AGC of Califor-
nia, Escalante said she was especially encouraged that AGC has its first female and first specialty contractor president, Dina Kimble. She attended AGC’s Small Business
Construction Expo in Richmond in April, and recently served as a panelist on the AGC DEI Forum meeting this May. Te panel of underrepresented contractors and prime and specialty contractors shared best practices and success stories of in- dustry-wide business inclusion efforts. While she works hard to do her part as an advocate and help build a brighter future for those who come behind her, Escalante is frank in her assessment that changes are still strongly needed in some corners of the industry. “Construction can still be the good
old boys’ network, whether we want to admit it or not,” she said. “(Business is) still being done at the golf courses or at the bars, with the people they know. All the matchmaking and encouragement (by agencies) for people to apply for certification is meaningless unless the stakeholders and the procurement staff are mandated to work with a new UBE business at least once every quarter. Te effort has to be intentional; otherwise, it’s just a ‘Good Fake Effort.’ I’m hoping it will change in my lifetime, but again, that’s why I’m continuing to tirelessly advocate for it.”
CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR JULY-AUGUST 2022
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