Marco A. Castillo has been working in the construction industry for more than 22 years. He started working as a construction worker at the age of 18 in California. He then moved to Utah when he was 19 and continued to work in construction. But he was never satisfied being just a construction worker.
He and his brothers opened a handyman business named Handyman Castillo in 2002. They met an investor who taught them the trade and Handyman Castillo dedicated its services to buying and flipping homes. After the recession of 2008, the business closed.
Castillo quickly regrouped, picked himself up and opened a subcontracting company with a partner. Within a year of being open, Castillo and his partner met a man named Marlon Morales, an executive at Zions Bank. He taught Marco and his partner how to properly manage the finances of the business, as they were experienced in the trade but not in finances.
After a year, the banker met with Castillo and his partner individually and showed them they were capable of each opening their own company. They took the banker’s advice and Lacem Construction was founded in January 2015. He was able to secure an SBA loan in order to continue the company’s growth.
Castillo’s company continued to grow as he learned how to run a $500,000 company as it grew to one that could manage $2.5 million in projects. Lacem has expanded its territory into Idaho and Wyoming, receiving larger projects each year to include building Harmon's, Walmarts and other large-scale commercial projects.
To contribute to the community, Lacem sponsors a cycling team called Community Utah. The sponsorship helps cyclists continue their training and maintain their equipment. Lacem also donates drywall sheets to a local foundation that helps repair the homes of seniors who need assistance with renovations or reconstructions.