International Trade Education Programs (ITEP) and Banning High School Graduate Francisco Franco, who Runs a Trucking Firm is Featured in LABJ
One of ITEP‘s many shining examples Francisco Franco doubled the size of his business in June
Los Angeles, CA — “Trucking runs in my family,” Francisco Franco, who started the business at 18, told Writer David Haldane, Los Angeles Business Journal (August 2-6, 2010 issue), a weekly publication that focuses on mostly business executives targeting business readers in Los Angeles.
While everyone else is laying off or cutting back Francisco Franco doubled the size of his business in June, according to the LABJ article. Franco told the writer “Franco Trucking company added two customers: LA Fashion Apparel Inc. and Elotex International Inc., both importers of clothing and fashion accessories from Asia.”
“Francisco Franco is one of many shining examples of our ITEP academies, where graduates have learned skills to not only start their own business, but they’re learning skills that land them in jobs of the future at the Port of Los Angeles and financial institutions on the East Coast,” said Carol Rowen, founder and CEO of ITEP, who just retired. “ITEP Academy students at the Port of LA International Trade Academy at Banning High School have started a recycling business in Wilmington at the Conoco Philips facility and at Tesoro Refinery collaborating with SA Recycling. The money that the students receive from the recycling business helps support academy activities, Rowen said.
Francisco Franco, who just turned 20 – no longer drives his own truck. Instead, he oversees operations of his Carson trucking company he started in 2009 from an office in his parent’s den.
According to the story in LABJ, Franco’s father owns and drives a big rig and doubles as a diesel mechanic. His older brother, Sergio, is also a trucker, as are many of his cousins. So it was no surprise that Franco decided to follow their tracks – although it was a surprising that he did it so young.
Franco told the LABJ, “I opened my eyes and realized that I had to do something for money,” he said. “He got his Class A license and all the permits required to do business at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles soon after graduating from high school. Then, with his dad’s help, he financed the purchase of a $50,000 Peterbilt truck,” the article said.
To find new business, Franco drove around the Southland and added his first client one day in Valencia after coming upon a container-laden dock at Siena Floral Accents, a company that imports dry flower arrangements from the Philippines. The company needed help transporting containers from the port and is still a Franco Trucking customer.
According to the Business Journal, Franco Trucking makes 15-20 trips daily for four importers. It also employs four drivers: three who own their own trucks, including Franco’s 23-year-old brother, and one who drives the company Peterbilt. Now that he’s given up driving himself, Franco’s main duties include scheduling, dispatching, invoicing and accounting. All of which brings in about $350,000 in annual revenue, enough to pay bills and make a profit. “I could get more work but don’t have the money to buy more clean trucks,” which are needed to work at the ports, he told the LABJ.
“They can cost $100,000. So he’s saving up. His goal: at least one new clean truck by the end of next year. Eventually, he’d like to have 30. “We’re just waiting for the prices to come down,” Franco said.
International Trade Education Programs (ITEP) Founder and CEO Carol Rowen will be honored September 16, 2010 by the Maritime Industry and International Seafarers Center for her outstanding contributions to the industry and community. The event starts at 5:00 and will be held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach during the 10th Annual “Great Tug Boat Races of San Pedro Bay.”
“Like everyone else who volunteers to contribute to industry activities and organizations, it becomes icing on the cake when you receive an award, too, for your efforts,” said Rowen, who is retiring at the end of this year. “The maritime industry leaders have been generous in helping our students and ITEP sail to the top of our class, and I have appreciated it every step of the way.” To learn more about how to enroll in the ITEP academies and to learn how you can participate and support the national nonprofit model program visit: www.itepinc.org.
For images, media interviews contact: Aida Mayo or George Mc Quade at 818-340-5300, Publicity@MayoCommunications.com
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