Meet our Contractors who received a John Baker Contractor Scholarship!

November, 2011
Martin Lopez
Martin Lopez is our latest recipient of the CSLS scholarship for an In-school License Exam Preparation program. Martin has worked in the construction industry for 30 years in both Landscaping and Plumbing. He will be working towards getting his C27 license for Landscaping. Martin has always wanted his license and hopes to be able to overcome some of the financial challenges that his family has faced over the last few years.

October, 2011
Greg Daly
Greg has been working in the construction industry for 22 years but like many in the construction industry has recently been laid off.  With so much experience he has plenty of opportunities for work but needs his license to be able to work his own jobs.  CSLS has awarded the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation Program to Greg to help him get his General B License.  With his license he is hoping to get back on track to continue to provide for his family and to keep thier home.

September, 2011
Randy Lytle
Randy is the recipient of a scholarship for the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation Program for a general B license. He is looking forward to the opportunities that will open up for him by getting his license; especially being able to pursue better paying jobs. He has had 25 years in the construction industry. Although he has struggled with dyslexia, Randy is ready to step up and take on the challenge of the Contractors State License exam and as long as he stays committed to the program CSLS will support him in his endeavor.

August, 2011
Anthony Chattin
Anthony Chattin has been working in the construction industry for over 25 years and has always been able to find and retain employment.  Until recently that is.  Anthony and his family have dealt with many challenges over the last couple of years with both he and his wife currently unemployed and both of his sons who are in the Army, serving duty in Afghanistan.  CSLS has awarded Anthony with an In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation program to support him in his dream to become a licensed General B contractor.  With Anthony’s longevity in the business he has developed a strong network of potential customers and even working small jobs would be beneficial to his situation.  It is his hope that eventually he can develop and grow his own business; to not only help his family but to also put his friends in the industry to work as well.

June, 2011
Oscar Salas
Oscar Salas is the most recent recipient of the CSLS scholarship program, having received the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation program for a General B license. He and his family have been through challenging times over the last few years having lost his job and his house and his wife has had to go to work to help make ends meet. Oscar is determined to get his license so he can once again provide for his family and also build this family business with his brother. Oscar is “a hard worker and with this opportunity he will show that he can succeed.”

May, 2011
Mark Hefner
Mark is the recipient of a CSLS scholarship for the ICC Residential Inspector Certification exam preparation program. Having been laid off due to the economy and looking to shift gears in his career, he is grateful for having an opportunity to get this .education and to have a second chance at a career that he loves. He is hoping to integrate his twenty plus years in the construction industry and this valuable ICC certification to become a Residential inspector that would be a great asset to any company that hires him.

April, 2011
Stanley Amey
Stanley Amey is a family man that believes that what you do and how you do it matters in life. Over the last several years he and his wife have struggled through several lay-offs and this has especially been challenging as their daughter is soon to graduate high school and college expenses are looming. CSLS has chosen Stanley to be the recipient of the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation program for getting his C-33 Painting license. Stanley understands the value of learning and hopes to be able to apply the knowledge that he gets through this program and continued learning to provide a “dependable and wonderful service to his clients”. He is also looking forward to being able to give a helping hand to other qualified workers in his industry by hiring them for projects he works on in the future.

March, 2011
Johnny Gonzalez
Johnny Gonzalez has worked for the Community Action Commission of Santa Barbara for over 12 years. The CAC is a non-profit organization that, among many programs, offers a Free “Home Weatherization” program to low-income families. In 2010, CAC weatherized 1120 low income homes in SB County of which many that Johnny is directly involved in. It is Johnny’s hope to get his General B license so that CAC will be able to expand some of their free program offerings to include attic insulation. Although there is a great need for this program, currently there is no contractor with CAC who has the proper credentials to participate in such a program. A General B license would also allow Johnny to “legally and professionally pursue contract work that I cannot obtain now”. Johnny also has plans to provide employment to others in his community once he is licensed. CSLS has recognized Johnny for his contributions and continued vision for his community by awarding him a CSLS In-School Law and Trade License Exam Program.

February, 2011
Keith Butler
Keith Butler is the recipient of a CSLS In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation program for getting his C-16 Fire Protection Engineer Contractors license. He has worked in the trade since 1990 and was previously a union worker; however he has been on the out of work list since April of 2010. It is Keith’s hope to earn his license so he can go out and solicit and bid jobs on his own. Having been in the industry so long he has many connections in the industry and he hopes that the new fire sprinkler requirements that have recently been adopted by the California State Building Standards Commission will open up more opportunities for him as a licensed contractor.

January, 2011
Kelly Elementary School Heroes
These five construction workers were recently recognized as heroes for saving school children at Kelly Elementary in Carlsbad, California when they apprehended a man who had opened fire on the schoolyard. CSLS offered each of these workers a CSLS program of their choice. It is an opportunity for CSLS to provide these men with the ability to further their careers and provide for their families.

December, 2010
Raymond Navasartian
Raymond has worked as an electrician for eleven years and is looking to earn his C-10 electrical license. Raymond sought out CSLS in efforts to realizing a lifelong dream of establishing his own business. However, due to personal struggles with job loss and impending loss of income Raymond has struggled to meet financial obligations without his license. Like many today Raymond wants to make a better life for his family and plans to create business opportunities through aggressive advertising, referrals, and sheer hard work upon earning his license. CSLS recognizes and awards Raymond Navasartian with the John Baker Contractors Scholarship.

November, 2010
John Fletcher
John recently applied and was accepted for scholarship for the In-School Exam Preparation program to get his C-36 plumbing license. His wife recently passed away from breast cancer leaving him a single parent to raise his two daughters. Due to the medical bills incurred from his wife’s illness, John and his family are limited financially. Getting his license will enable John to better provide for his daughters and give him more flexibility to balance work and raising his children. He hopes to be able to use his license to also offer work to others and train them in the plumbing trade.

October, 2010
Victor Perez
Victor Perez was recently acknowledged as a local hero in the Central Valley area for saving a young girl who had been kidnapped. Through the media, CSLS learned that he was unemployed and that Governor Schwarzenegger had requested that “someone give Victor a job”. That’s when CSLS stepped in to provide him with not just a job but with a future. With 11 years in the industry Victor was a perfect candidate for our In-School licensing program. Victor hopes to be able to support his family, help his extended family and eventually have something to give to his sons when they get older.

August, 2010
Robert Skaggs
Robert is a single dad with two young children at home. He has previously worked as a Superintendent for a home builder and was laid off two years ago leaving him and his family with limited financial funds. Robert has been awarded the Advanced Professional Home Inspection course. He has a strong knowledge of residential construction and would like to apply this towards starting his own business as a Home Inspector. The Advanced Professional Home Inspection course will provide him with a strong foundation to start and grow his business and further himself and his family towards a brighter future.

May, 2010
Sergio Gonzalez
Sergio has worked in the construction industry for eight years doing window and door installation but recently was laid off. He applied and was awarded the In-School Law & Trade program for a C-17 Glazing Classification. It is his hope that having his license will give him the freedom to work for himself and no longer be dependent on someone else to determine his monthly income. He wants to be able to show his family that “with hard work anything is possible.”

March, 2010
James Barr
James was recipient of the In-School Law and Trade License Exam Preparation program for the General B license. He is looking forward to getting his license as a means to having legal steady work and financial security for his family. He has 30 years in the construction industry but due to the economic downturn he has been unable to establish steady work for the last 12 months.

February, 2010
Melvin Foreman
Melvin has 11 years of experience working as a plumber and is looking forward to getting his C-36 license. He was awarded the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation program and is excited to reach his long time dream of becoming a licensed contractor. The Foreman family has experienced some “hard times” and this opportunity to attend CSLS will be the “best thing for me (Melvin) and my family”.

January 2010
Adolph Hurtarte
Adolfo was awarded the In-School Law and Trade License Exam Preparation course ($999 value) in order to help him meet his goal of becoming a General B Licensed contractor. He started in the construction business back in 1983 and has spent most of that time as a supervisor and the last 6 years as a construction superintendent for a new home builder. Due to the lack of work now available, Adolfo is “looking for the opportunity to work on his own or to work for the city as a city inspector.

December 2009
Henry Quiceno
Henry is looking towards becoming a C-36 Plumbing contractor and having the independence that comes with being your own boss. He was awarded the In-School Law & Trade License Exam Preparation course ($999 value). With over 14 years in the industry working for others, Henry is confident that he can run his own business “better and more efficiently” than his previous employers. Having his own business will benefit not only himself and his family but will also give Henry a chance the “opportunity to give back by providing employment to young and upcoming plumbers.”

November 2009
Scott Fottler
Scott applied for the scholarship program in the hopes to expand his knowledge and overall skills in the construction industry. He was awarded the ICC/Residential Code Exam Preparation Program ($899 Value). Scott has worked in the construction industry for over twenty years starting out as a laborer for a large homebuilder, moving up through customer service, superintendent and finishing out the last three years as a project manager. Due to the economy and lack of residential building, he started looking at a career change that would still allow him to remain in the building industry where his passion is and still be able to provide for his family. After completing both the CSLS Residential and Commercial programs it is his hope to get a job as a building inspector for the city or work with individual real estate .agencies in the residential market.

October 2009
Robert Duenez
Robert was awarded an In-School Law & Trade Program ($999 Value). Robert is looking to the future and working towards getting his General B California Contractors License. He has worked in the industry for 20 years and this will enable him to follow his dream and provide for his lovely family. Upon learning of this award Robert commented, “I will be following my dream of owning my own business. Most importantly my family will be taken care of for the rest of their lives. It is so amazing to know that my children can carry on with our family legacy.”

September 2009
Brian Albert
Awarded an In-School Law & Trade Program ($999 Value). Brian has worked in the construction industry for 20 years. He hopes to apply this program towards getting his license so he will have “the opportunity to supervise and start his own business in construction”.