Spread along Highway 111, east of Riverside, lies Southern California's "Desert Paradise" Ð the Coachella Valley. Where rolling desert foothills meet the magnificent granite peaks of Mount San Jacinto. The towns that encompass this desert region are Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Cathedral City, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella. What most of us call "paradise", Tri-Star Excavation calls "home".

Since 1985, Tri-Star has been servicing the region with its excavation, grading, demolition, trucking and concrete work. The company's kinship with the area is best demonstrated in its company motto: "We Dig the Coachella Valley".

(Above) Tri-Star's "footprints" can be seen all over the valley and throughout many of the housing developments around the region. At any given time, Tri-Star can be found working on as many as ten to fifteen housing tracts at a time providing all the underground services for water lines, sewers and dry utilities.

Tri-Star's "footprints" can been seen all over the valley and throughout many of the housing developments around the region. The area's ballooning population growth has made for much new construction and development.

At any given time, Tri-Star can be found working on as many as ten to 15 housing tracts at a time providing all the underground services for water lines, sewers and dry utilities.

Currently, Tri-Star is working with Six Kids Development Company on two 32-home housing tracts for which it is providing all the grading, sewer, curb and gutter, underground utilities and water services.

This $365,000 project includes 1,300 linear feet of sewer, nearly 2,000 linear feet of 12-inch water main, all related house services, more than 4,000 linear feet of dry utilities, 3,000 linear feet of off-site curb and gutter work and final grading for all the home pads.

Other projects currently "on the books" include approximately ten housing tracts with all related services for Century Homes at locations throughout the valley, as well as two developments for G.H.A. Inc. for which Tri-Star is providing more than 6,800 linear feet of dry utility services.

In addition to its array of underground work, Tri-Star also offers a variety of other construction-related services such as single house services, septic connection and repair, dry wells, demolition, hauling, concrete work and water trucking.

(Above) Tri-Star is working with Six Kids Development Company on two 32 home housing tracts for which it is providing all the grading, sewer, curb and gutter, underground utilities and water services.

Tri-Star's parent company, Telar, Inc., has diversified itself into three distinct companies: Tri-Star Excavation, Tri-Star Contracting, Inc. and Tri-Star Grading & Trucking.

Telar, Inc. boasts an impressive 115-piece equipment and vehicle fleet that includes John Deere 200LC and Kobelco K912A excavators, a John Deere 770BH motorgrader, CAT 966G, 966F and JCB 436B loaders, various John Deere rubber-tire backhoes, six John Deere 210 skip loaders, a CAT D4 dozer, several Bobcat skid-steer loaders, two Ford tractors, 14 dump trucks, 21 water trucks, eight water towers, and numerous trailers, pickups and support vehicles.

The company name, Telar, Inc., is actually a combination of the names of its owners, Larry and Terrie Owens.

When Larry started Tri-Star more than 17 years ago, he says he did so because he "loves big toys and playing in the dirt".

The combination of hard work and love of the job has helped turn Tri-Star into a prominent and successful company with close to 100 employees among its three entities.

(Above) Tri-Start installing 1,300 linear feet of sewer, nearly 2,000 linear feet of 12-inch water main, all-related house services, more than 4,000 linear feet of dry utilities, 3,000 linear feet of off-site curb and gutter work, and final grading for all the home pads.

Those employees receive their direction and guidance from the company's management team of Chuck Hurt (Superintendent of Excavation), Paul Jaramillo (Superintendent of Grading), Richard Moore (Superintendent of Concrete Work), Rick Thomas (Superintendent of Water Truck Operations), Ted Krehbiel (Office Manager) and Steve Close (Head Mechanic).

Having a strong base of key personnel has given Tri-Star the capability to diversify into many different areas without sacrificing the company's desire to continuously provide good work at a fair price.

Tri-Star's diversification has managed to help keep the company's head above water during some of the "leaner" times.

(Above) Telar, Inc. boasts an impressive 115-piece equipment and vehicle fleet that includes excavators, motorgraders, backhoes, wheel loaders, skip loaders, skid-steer loaders, tractors, 14 dump trucks, 21 water trucks, eight water towers, and numerous trailers, pickups and support vehicles.

Another contributing factor to Tri-Star's success has been the company's commitment to quality work no matter what size the job.

According to Larry, "No job is too small." Tri-Star will gladly do everything from a single house hook-up to multi-million dollar projects.

Under Larry's leadership, the company has recently experienced a rather large growth spurt having gone from $1 million to $8 million in annual sales in a little over two years.

Larry's hands-on leadership style seems to mandate a typical 12-hour workday. However, when he finally does let loose, he doesn't hold back.

He and Terrie have five grown children and are now "empty-nesters" so they enjoy spending their private time soaking in the ambiance of Laguna Beach, traveling to their vacation home in Havasu Springs or taking their 24-foot, open-bow Arriva power boat out for a ride.

(Above) Larry and Terrie Owens relaxing in Havasu on their 24 foot open bow Arriva.

While Larry and Terrie can now comfortably enjoy more of the fruits of their labor, the future strategy for Telar, Inc. and its companies is to focus more on the job costing and quality control measures.

Larry believes that more of an emphasis on refining these areas will positively influence Tri-Star's ability to achieve its future vision without compromising its service to its customers.