Building a Legacy: Erick Castro
11.10.2022
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LISC StoriesEconomic Development
Born in Mexico and raised in Orange County, Erick Castro joined the Army when he was 19. He deployed to Iraq in 2003, and medically retired from the armed forces after being injured in action. Erick received the purple heart, the most recognized and respected U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving. He was proud to gain American citizenship after his service and fondly recalls the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy presenting him with his certificate in a private ceremony at Capitol Hill.
After leaving the Army, Erick earned his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics at Arizona State University and began working at a construction company where he quickly gained experience in operations. During this time, he earned his Master's in Business Administration in Accounting and Business Management from the University of Phoenix. Erick comes from a family of entrepreneurs, so when the owner of Kana Subsurface Engineering (KSE) Inc. was looking to sell the company, he seized the opportunity.
KSE is a disabled veteran-owned “one-stop-shop” company that can locate and expose underground utilities and provide general construction services for government agencies throughout California. They are one of just five companies in the state with its own crew. Since becoming the owner in 2016, Erick has led the company’s growth from two to over 50 employees and plans to keep growing. 
Erick participated in LISC LA’s Ascend Los Angeles Program, where he obtained free resources like learning how to write a proposal, strategic planning, and how to find government contract opportunities. Developed by the University of Washington Foster School of Business and powered by JPMorgan Chase, Ascend’s holistic and research-driven approach maximizes the unique opportunities that businesses have to access local supply chains across the LA Region. Ascend LA is a partnership between Loyola Marymount University, LISC LA, The County of Los Angeles, and CMG Alliance, that prepares diverse entrepreneurs to take their businesses to the next level by pursuing corporate and government contracts.
During this cohort experience, Erick learned from experts and mentors in the industry, and applied the knowledge he gained in real-time. In the midst of the pandemic, Ascend LA helped Erick pursue new revenue streams with a focus on strategy and pursuing government contract opportunities that are a right fit for his company. He has also been able to expand his network and work with other business owners, partner with them on opportunities, and establish a sense of community to help one another succeed.
Through Ascend LA, Erick gained the skills and tools to win a $7.6 million subcontract with Murrow Meadows to provide construction services and materials for the electrical system and lighting installation project at the new Consolidated Rent-a-Car facility at LAX. This monumental opportunity has allowed his company to get through COVID and grow the business. 
“I want to keep growing my company, continue employing veterans, and build a legacy of something bigger than myself. To anyone that has not gone through [Ascend LA], apply and take advantage of the world-class service and experts – all for free! I used to get invitations for contract opportunities, and I’d chase them all, but Ascend LA taught me that focusing on the ones that I can succeed on is important. And that is how I will keep building my legacy,” said Erick. His advice to small business owners is to make sure they have a business plan, be able to adjust as they grow, and be disciplined to be able to succeed through the challenges.
The Ascend LA program is funded by JPMorgan Chase and Capital One. Learn more about the Ascend LA program at https://www.ascendla.org/.
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