The month of November is designated as National Native American Heritage Month in the United States. This month commemorates the history, culture, and rich heritage of the First Peoples of our country. The Port of Seattle benefits from the contributions of the tribes that have inhabited what we know now as King Country and continues to benefit from the contributions of Native Americans. The Diversity in Contracting team had the pleasure of hearing from Larry Jacquot, owner of Industry Erectors Inc., about his journey as a Native business owner. We are excited to share his story of resilience and the knowledge he has to share with other Native, diverse, and small businesses who are interested in working with the Port.
About the Business
Tell us a little about your professional background and what inspired you to be a businessowner?
I grew up in Alaska in a Native village called Klukwan and I come from the Tlingit tribe. Early on, I worked on my family’s boat and my grandad’s logging camp, which instilled in me a strong work ethic, tough skin, and an adventurous aptitude. We moved down to Seattle in the ‘80s, next door to a gentleman I now call Uncle Art, a union ironworker who later began his own company. At 18, I declined my admission to the University of Washington and instead asked Uncle Art for a job. He said, “Get in the truck” and drove me down to the union hall. A few days later, I was helping erect Safeco Field, now T-Mobile Park, in its inaugural year. It was like being at home. Things were loud, fast, and I fell in love with it.

Uncle Art got me into the ironworks apprenticeship and surrounded me with a team that believed in me, and that I got to cut my teeth with. I started out on the “raising gang” erecting beams, columns, joists, and constantly fighting gravity before I became a foreman directing steel erection. By 25, I became a general foreman, then a superintendent, and by 33 I became the Senior Vice President of a tower crane erecting company.
I worked with the owners of the crane erecting company to help them retire by acquiring the company, but those aspirations fell through. So, after three years in which I took the company from two states to seven, and grew the revenue by over 600%, I began to think about Uncle Art and how against the odds, he built his own company. In February 2016, I created Industry Erectors. We performed our first rigging project that year and our first structural steel upgrade package the following year. I was still working for the crane erecting company, but I knew I couldn’t passionately give myself to both that company and my own. With a two-and-a-half-year-old, and a baby on the way, I told my wife that I quit my job thus forfeiting a stable income. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing it this way, but I knew that with pressure at an all-time high, my insane work ethic would get us through. Nine years later, my company is still standing.
What does your company do?
My company is one of the few companies that puts up and takes down tower cranes. By combining the use of my specialty cranes with the information and relationships I’ve gathered over the years, and my ability to understand the regulations, policies, and demographics of an area, I’ve been able to create a thriving business.
Before I started my company I had my eye on Derrick cranes because I kept up to date with state regulations. Helicopters had been used to move heavy machinery on the top of buildings, up until an accident occurred in 2012 and helicopters were banned, with a few exceptions, from coming into Seattle. Heavy machinery still needed to be moved. Derrick Cranes, which can be disassembled, put in an elevator, and reassembled on rooftop, could do that. They had other performance and cost advantages as well.
When I started my company my goal was to sub and pick up all the crumbs that other companies didn’t want to do. Instead of only steel erecting, I offered rigging and machinery moving which tied me to electrical companies and elevator companies. Machinery will always break down and need to be moved- a steady source of revenue for my company. My next calls were to helicopter companies that used to move machinery to see what I could do with the Derricks. I knew businesses still needed their services, so I made them a deal. If they referred my company to their previous clients, I would share my estimate with them and give them a 2% finder’s fee if we get a contract from the referrals. This was a mutually beneficial relationship in other ways. After we built 12 new bridges in a parking lot for the King County Parks Department, I called a helicopter company to pick up the bridges and land them where they were supposed to go. I’ve also done this same deal with mobile tower cranes that have customers with needs outside of their ability. I’m proud to say that today we are the only specialty rigging company on the west coast that owns a fleet of seven rooftop Derricks.
Words of Advice for Other Businesses
What projects have you worked on at the Port? What did it take to secure those projects?
I’m thankful to say we’ve done several small projects at the Port. Right now, we’re currently on a project with Osborne Construction, Schindler Elevator, and Hermanson Construction to modernize the elevator towers on the parking garage at the airport. Industry Erectors has been removing the older machinery that is used to operate the elevator tower, all of which need to be replaced and can weigh a couple thousand pounds.
Just getting the right equipment and machinery to get the job done is tough. Reach forklifts are too tall and too heavy to go up that parking ramp. Many of the prospective construction companies that bid on this project reached out to us because we’re the only company in the state of Washington that has a fleet of spider cranes ranging in sizes and capabilities with certified operators on them and can get the job done. What it took to get this specific contract was offering a service that was very specialized and simplifies a complex problem.
Beyond that, it takes constantly looking at all the bid boards like Port of Seattle, City of Seattle, King County, Builders Exchange, or Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce.
What are things you wished you would have known before you began government work?

For anybody that wants to pursue contracts with the Port or other government entities, build your war chest. Make sure that if you have a $100K project, have $200K in the bank. Projects can take a lot longer than anticipated and you need to account for the costs of any delays you experience. Of course there are delays with badging, drug tests, etc. but the harder part is when your project gets delayed for two months. Then, you have to repurpose the ironworkers you hired for two months, while diluting the profit margins on other jobs to retain those same workers if and when the contract resumes. Anyone who wants to be introduced to this line of work, learn to take a deep breath and be flexible because these contracts take time and are bound to change a bit.
What advice do you have for other WMBE/small businesses when it comes to finding opportunities and bidding for Port projects?
Start small - I mean really small. Taking small nibbles instead of big bites is the way to build in this industry. Some people see a $1M contract and don’t think of the giant liability that comes with a project of that magnitude. I’m not saying you need to be scared but it could be better to bypass a huge contract because it could bankrupt you before you know it. Start with the $20K, $50K, and $100K projects and do them well to get a feel for how Port projects run and build your reputation. Once you get comfortable, then take bigger bites.
When you’re the new person on the block, many are looking to see whether you fail or not. If you’re going to make mistakes and lose some money, which is inevitable when you’re starting off, you want to do that on the small projects. Over the first seven years, if you make it that far, you’ll notice that you’ve lost or missed out on a million dollars’ worth of revenue because you are new to the game. You’ll get to a certain point where you have figured out your accounting, costs, overhead, project management, change orders, etc, and you will see how little you knew and how much money you were wasting or losing. On small projects, those missteps aren’t magnified and are easier to bounce back from. Plus, those same folks that are watching you will still have faith in partnering with you in the future because you bounced back and got the job done.
What advice do you have for other WMBE/small businesses who have just secured their first Port project?
Make sure you have a mentor. There are programs like the Port of Seattle Business Accelerator Mentorship program that pair you with a mentor in the industry you’re in and covers topics you’ll need to know. I was a part of the program this past year and it was an opportunity for me to network with some primes. Depending on where your business is at, you’ll take different things from it, but I recommend this program for any firm that is established but is still looking for more guidance.
Also, there’s no shortage of big companies that want to lend their senior project manager or estimator to the new small minority company coming up because they have equity goals to meet. Your mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be your prime when you get your first project and sometimes that’s better. They can serve as an unbiased third party that can support you and give you words of advice if you and your prime aren’t on the same page. They will know the language to use, the chain of command to contact, and other industry knowledge that makes sure you are advocating for yourself.
Speaking of advocating for yourself, in a court of law, if it didn’t happen in a text, email, or daily report, it’s like it didn’t happen so document and account for everything. There’s a lot of great people with great intentions in this business but several things can cause delays, which then requires overtime that needs to be paid for to get back on schedule, extra equipment, etc. Before you know it, you’re owed $2M even though the original contract worth was only $1M and if you don’t track all the costs associated with the changes of the contract, you’re going to be out of money. Also, business can get nasty. There may be some people that are looking to take advantage of you especially if you don’t have the right documents and a strong legal backing.
Being a Native Business Owner and Native American Heritage Month
What are some unique hurdles you’ve faced and feel other Native American business owners face in running their businesses?
Ignorance is real. There are people that live in a way that was more accepted in the 1950s in our imperfect world. Native Americans have been spurned by the system. However, I know enough resilient Native American people that have been able to create the life they’ve wanted by working hard and by taking risks. I sit on apprenticeship councils for the Tulalip Tribe, Puyallup Tribe, and I have seen success stories. Those who took chances and were willing to do more than expected found success.
Often as people, we are the greatest barrier to our own success. Taking the next step can be hard because it requires a lot of humility, accountability, and composure to keep going. Sure, I’ve been called certain things that I wouldn’t call anyone else. I’ve had to clean up some of my habits both in and out of my profession. Nevertheless, I did the work on myself, brushed off the verbal jabs, and I’ve let my work speak for itself because it’s not up to anyone else to make my life successful.
Why is it important celebrate Native American Heritage Month and what impact does it make on the local Native community when Native businesses thrive?
To put it plainly, we were here first. This month is important because it sheds light on traditions of our people and the history of what we know today as America. Over time, our history has been erased, and we’ve become more and more invisible. Without a certain piece of plastic I carry in my wallet, no one knows I’m Native if we pass each other on the street. This month helps brings visibility back to our identity.
I take a lot of pride in my identity. I get to be an example to those who are looking to make it from my community. It’s not a secret that there can be a lot of hardship coming from where I come from and the rez. But when Native businesses thrive, that can break generational cycles that have hindered their family and the community. I’m blessed that I have had so many mentors and great examples that steered me in the right direction and have helped me get to where I’m at. Now I get to pay it forward by meeting with students on the reservation, being at job development programs, apprenticeship programs, and pre-apprenticeship programs with the tribes to be that example I needed.
The Port benefits from the tremendous work of Industry Erectors and Native businesses alike. We are so thankful we had the opportunity to interview Larry and hear about his journey. If you are a Native American business owner or a WMBE/small business owner and want to be up to date on all our PortGen events and Port solicitations, please sign up for our distribution list. We would like to connect with you and support your business.
If you are a Native Business owner looking to access resources, please take a look at the following resources:
- Governor's Office of Indian Affairs
- Seattle University’s Local Indigenous Resources and Spaces List
- Native Business Center
- Northwest Native Apex Accelerator
If you are looking to learn more about and support Native-owned businesses, please follow these resources: