Service, Integrity, Collaboration: ASLPM Finds Success in Relationships

By Sarah Magargee

The air train station at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport was one of the projects that was a part of the ASLPM Prime Program Manager contract with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from 2013-2018.

Saad Ilyas’ career took an unexpected turn after he graduated from the New School of Architecture in San Diego in 1999. “I had planned to become an architect, but started running out of money to pay rent while I was looking for a job,” Ilyas said. “I knew I had to do something to keep food on my table.”

Determined to remain self-sufficient, Ilyas accepted a three-month internship with ASLPM, a then-fledgling project management company providing services at the San Diego International Airport. The work, he explained, was humbling. “I am going to be honest, I had to swallow a lot of pride. My job as an intern was basically to be a ’go-fer’ fetching coffee, being introduced to very basic management concepts and rolling up drawings… but I was eager to learn, and the owner took note.”

The air train station at Phoenix Sky Harbor airport was one of the projects that was a part of the ASLPM Prime Program Manager contract with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport from 2013-2018.

Ilyas and ASLPM owner Gus Abadjis “clicked,” and his internship turned into a permanent position. When Ilyas’ student visa was about to expire, Abadjis agreed to sponsor him for a work visa, and Ilyas never looked back. Over the next 20 years, Ilyas learned the project management business from the ground up, absorbing every aspect of an industry that, at the time, was still developing.

Ilyas explained that project management was not taught as part of the standard architecture curriculum in the 1990s, meaning he was faced with learning an entirely new career on the job. He said: “When I joined ASLPM, my peers in the field often asked questions that I was woefully unprepared for. That said, my architecture background proved an asset because it made it easy to interact with the architects and designers we were working with.”

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Ilyas worked hard and learned every aspect of project management, quickly rising into a position of leadership. “Over the years Abadjis and I built a lot of trust … so it only made sense for me to purchase the company when he was ready to retire,” Ilyas said. Today, Ilyas has rebranded ASLPM, established it as a trusted DBE/ MBE and begun expanding service offerings to new business sectors.

Roots in Aviation

ASLPM manages small and largescale construction and remediation projects primarily in the aviation industries, consistently taking complex projects from concept to completion on time and under budget. “We believe in a team approach,” Ilyas said. “By working as a team with our clients and contractors, we can make sure the project is completed on schedule and under budget; safely, looks stunning and is of superior quality.”

ASLPM started off as a conveyor installation outfit and morphed into a project management company with a presence at the San Diego International Airport. The services offered helped the company gain respect within the aviation industry and, in time, ASLPM grew to be a trusted name in aviation. “From baggage systems to concessions, security checkpoints to boarding bridges, we have touched anything and everything within the airport setting,” Ilyas said.

ASLPM focuses heavily on excellent communication and collaboration to ensure that projects are implemented in accordance to the requirements of the client’s stakeholders. For example, in December 2012, ASLPM completed a $75 million project at the San Diego International Airport where the company upgraded the 12KV Service & Distribution Systems. This award-winning project had a rocky start when key stakeholders not involved in the design phase created confusion on expectations. The ASLPM team brought the project team together through an aggressive stakeholder engagement and partnering plan that was monitored and implemented through meetings, site visits and design review sessions.

Rita Ohaya, Small Business Officer with WSP in Sacramento, California, worked with Ilyas on acquiring his DBE certification. Ilyas, she said, consistently delivered above and beyond expectations. “Saad’s worth ethic, and that of his team, is excellent,” Ohaya said. “Saad is very handson, taking the time before a project starts to understand exactly what the client wants and what the expectations are. Then he goes above and beyond to deliver.”

Today, ASLPM has 15 team members and has completed projects in the San Diego International Airport, Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Los Angeles World Airports, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

After acquiring ASLPM, Ilyas set his sights on new areas to expand into education work at the K-12 and college levels, utilities & infrastructure, and the transportation industries. “Right now, aviation will remain our bread and butter,” he said. “But I want to have something else to rely on and grow with. Breaking into new areas has been a challenge because this company has been known for aviation for so long; but we have a lot of experience that we believe can impact other industries. We are waiting for the right company to put their faith in our abilities.”

ASLPM President Saad Ilyas

The three “pillars of service”

When Ilyas acquired ASLPM, he worked with the ASLPM team to identify three “pillars of service” that would define the company. “It took us weeks to come up with these three words,” Ilyas laughed. “We didn’t want to say something that we didn’t believe in … What we came up with were: Service, Integrity and Collaboration. We take a lot of pride in these three pillars, and they hold us to the highest of standards.”

Ilyas and his team are very selective in the clients they contract with. “As a DBE/MBE, a lot of companies see us as simply a box to check,” Ilyas said. “But we are much more than that. I tell prospective clients that if you are just looking for a box to check, we are not the group for you. I am looking for long-term relationships that will grow our company sustainably and with integrity. Bottom line, if we can’t provide the right culture and quality of work, we turn a job down.”

The defined pillars of service and client selectivity have helped establish ASLPM as a leader and gain the company tremendous respect in the aviation industry. It is also Ilyas’ advice to new DBE/ MBE companies. “First, you need to have a vision and a focus for your company. Second, select clients that fit within your vision. If you decide to go after every job, it is not going to work,” he said. “As a small DBE company, you only have limited time and resources, so spend those on the projects that will really make you stand out.”

Ilyas also credits ASLPM’s success to his team, explaining that as a resource-based company, his employees are the greatest asset he has. Ilyas works to care for his employees by providing a top-tier benefits program and opportunities for growth. “I am only as successful as my team is,” Ilyas said. “I don’t like to call them employees; they are team members. I defined the company culture, but they are the ones who implement it and make us successful.”

Ilyas’s long-term vision for ASLPM includes expanding the company’s service areas while continuing to build lasting relationships with clients who share their values. “I am not looking to grow rapidly, or make a lot of money quickly to retire,” Ilyas said. “I approach growth differently and constantly remind myself of our three pillars -- service, integrity and collaboration. These are at the core of everything we do.”