Sam Silva comes from a long line of builders. Originally from Sri Lanka, Sam's father was a contractor. His grandfather worked in construction, too, erecting scaffolding out of bamboo. When Sam joined the U.S. Navy, he served in the Naval Construction Battalion, then went on to study civil engineering.
As the founder and President of Lucas Builders, Inc. (LBI), Sam intends to continue his family's legacy. The company was named after one of his sons and Sam hopes to one day hand the reins to his kids, who are currently gaining experience by working for their father.
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program has been instrumental in helping Sam to grow his company. An initial contract to work with Skanska on the Exposition Light Rail Transit project as a DBE firm then led to work with Skanska, as well as Stacy and Witbeck, on the Mid-Coast Corridor Transit project in San Diego. LBI went on to earn a contract for storm drain relocation on the Sixth Street Viaduct Replacement Project in 2016. This initial scope of work led to further contracts. LBI is currently installing fencing along the bridge and ramps.
Like any structure, Sam says that the key to building a company is having a strong foundation. "I focus on hiring and developing a skilled crew," he explains. From this solid infrastructure, the LBI team is able to fulfill whatever client requests are asked of them.
Sam's crew always has to be prepared, since they often work according to others' timetables. LBI will be one of the last teams on the new Sixth Street Viaduct before it opens to the public, so Sam knows his firm cannot be the one to delay the grand opening. Fortunately, his family has been doing this for a while and will be well into the future.
