B U S I N E S S
Atlas AC
SERVING THE COMMUNITY Atlas Electrical, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Plumbing, a Family-Owned and Operated Company Serving the Community
RGVISION MAGAZINE
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MAY/JUN 2023
b y Ji l l i a n C a m e r on | p h ot os p r ov i d e d Sarah Hammond was born from two high school sweethearts, Rogelio and Yolanda Sagredo. Rogelio joined the Air Force after her older brother, Rogelio “Roy” Sagredo Jr., was born. After serving for about five years, her father left the military and moved his family back home to Donna, Texas. Soon he started working for an electrical company. In 1982, he decided he was going start his own company. “We worked the company out of the house,” SagredoHammond said. “My mom was the accountant. My dad and my brother were technicians. My dad then became a master electrician and a master contractor. And my brother, by the time he was 12, could wire a house by himself,” SagredoHammond said. The family all played a part in running the business. Sagredo-Hammond worked the books and dispatched, helping her mother after school and on weekends. In 1997 when she was 25 years old, Sagredo-Hammond was essentially the chief financial officer, handling all of the financial processes and responsibilities of the company on her own. In 2004, the company became a corporation entitled Atlas Electrical and Air Conditioning Incorporated. The company downsized in 2008 when the recession
affected many businesses. Sagredo-Hammond’s dad asked her to do what she could to keep the company alive. She was able to successfully keep the business moving forward. Then in 2011, Sagredo-Hammond’s mother suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed. “My dad became the sole provider for my mother. So in 2012, I took over the company (as president) so my dad could focus on my mom.” In addition to electrical and air conditioning, refrigeration services were added in 2014, and plumbing services in 2016. “We are focused on serving our community, meaning that we lead with donations and contributions to our community,” she said. It’s these actions that set Atlas apart from other companies in their industry. ”We truly believe that the only way to grow is to help our community prosper. So we donate to a lot of local sports teams, local kids programs, and we help in any way we can by donating to local scholarships and we are very involved in our community.” Sagredo-Hammond also serves on several local boards focused on helping women grow their business. As a female leader in a male-dominated field, SagredoHammond has faced many challenges.
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