“We’re always looking up,” says Lisa Salas, owner of Eagle Rock Contracting. Even though Lisa is describing how she and her family are often (literally) looking up at the ceilings of buildings, it’s also the perfect way to describe her business outlook, too.
Setting the stage
Lisa Salas and her husband Donald Salas specialize in installing acoustical ceilings and wall panels for commercial clients – a niche market they entered in 1999. How did they know the need for this kind of work existed? Experience, says Lisa Salas. Donald Salas entered the construction industry right after high school, and he noticed the acoustical ceiling guys, in particular, Lisa Salas says. “In the trade, they are known as prima donnas because it seems like it’s not such hard work – but it actually is. You need to know how to lay materials exactly straight, square and plum.” After watching them work, Donald Salas decided that’s what he wanted to do, too – and as Lisa Salas puts it, “it just worked out.”
Eagle Rock Contracting came to life from there – with humble beginnings. Lisa Salas worked from their home on Eagle Rock Road (the company’s namesake) in Albuquerque for many years before moving into a traditional office space. Now with three warehouses full of materials and a steady roster of projects, Lisa Salas feels fortunate for the continued success of the business she and Donald Salas started more than two decades ago.
Creating quiet in the chaos
Offices, schools, restaurants – almost every kind of building has an acoustical ceiling. Characterized by their grid layout, acoustical ceilings play an important role in creating a pleasant, workable environment. However, the role sound can play in those environments isn’t always top of mind for architects. This is where Eagle Rock Contracting steps in.
“Back in the day, most buildings had tiny little offices. Now, many businesses have an open layout, which means they have to overcome working in noisy surroundings where everyone is talking on the phone and so on” Lisa Salas says. “It’s beautiful architecturally, but those kinds of floor plans can get a little rough, acoustically.” In those situations, they will meet with businesses and problem-solve together, so as to not lose the aesthetics while enhancing the day-to-day experience for employees and customers alike.
The talent and expertise of the Eagle Rock Contracting team can be seen in buildings all around Albuquerque – you just have to know where to look. The Albuquerque Convention Center sports their work, with walls wrapped in sound panels and decorated with beautiful pictures, installed by the Eagle Rock Contracting crew. More of their work can be found in local schools, office buildings and even at the Albuquerque International Sunport, where Donald Salas installed the original wood ceilings.
Hitting all the right notes
As any small business owner knows, changing banks can be difficult. But for Lisa Salas, the decision to bring her business accounts to Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union was easy. “I knew I liked the credit union on the personal side, and I finally made the jump and moved our business accounts there,” she says. “I am grateful because SLFCU has customer service people that I can call directly. If anything changes, I can always call and say, ‘Please hold my hand while I get through this.’ For me, SLFCU is the premium credit union.”
Although the acoustical ceiling industry can be hard to break into, Lisa Salas is confident the business she and her husband started will carry on long into the future. “There are many people with the last name Salas around here,” says Lisa Salas. Donald Salas is now fully retired, and their son, Andrew Salas has taken over running the business side-by-side with his wife, Arantha Salas. In addition to the family members that work at Eagle Rock Contracting, they have a crew who not only take pride in their trade, but also enjoy their work. This expertise is ultimately what Lisa Salas believes sets her, and other small businesses, apart. “That’s the key. If you really know your trade and go out and do it well, that’s the value you bring to clients.”
Interested in a financial institution where your money will work smarter? Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union is local and has money to lend. We’d be pleased to be a part of your story. Contact Casey Bresnahan for personalized, expert service at CBresnahan@slfcu.org.
