In 2022, Layton officially launched our Trade Partner Engagement Program (TPEP). “The mission of the Trade Partner Engagement Program is to add economic value to our company by encouraging and enabling the growth of small businesses,” said Cherelle Cortez, Layton’s Vice President of Trade Partner Engagement and Development. “The program will educate, empower, and equip suppliers and trade partners to improve their economic viability for success in today’s market while developing a partnering relationship with Layton Construction.” We recently met with Cherelle to learn more about TPEP. She shared the following.
What is Layton’s TPEP program and how does it work?
The Layton Trade Partner Engagement Program will provide education, tools, and other resources to suppliers and trade partners. Our goal is to build trust and eliminate barriers, by meeting small businesses where they are to support sustainable growth. It also provides mentorship, technical assistance, training, workshops, and intentional touchpoints. Each monthly session of the seven-month program will involve four hours of in-person, hands-on development. Layton’s commitment of time and resources is provided free of charge, but we look at it as paying our success forward to the communities where we live and work. In return, we benefit by having a larger pool of quality trade partners that can bid on contracts.
What topics are covered?
The TPEP will include a deep dive into Layton’s prequalification process and requirements, as well as how to bid competitively. Our safety program will also be a core part of the curriculum, with a tour of one of our job sites, alongside marketing, technology, and other business tools and resources. Additionally, we’ll include networking and connecting these companies with others who can help them grow their business as a key part of the program.
Who provides the training?
We’ve partnered with internal subject matter experts to facilitate the courses, and we’ve also reached out to some of our community partners to provide education on topics like small-business banking and bonding. This effort is a partnership between Layton and leaders in the community.
How many companies can participate at a time and how do they sign up?
Our current class sizes range from seven to 20 companies, with a total of 100 companies participating in the initial offering across the the Layton offices (Nashville, Salt Lake City, Irvine, San Antonio, and Houston). We carefully vetted each company to ensure they qualify for the program. For instance, companies must be willing to grow their business, complete the prequalification process, and sign our master agreement. Interested companies should complete the application on the Layton TPEP web page. Once an application has been submitted, we review it to determine if a company or organization is qualified. The goal is to align the program with upcoming project opportunities to help widen our pool of trade partners.
How do you measure success?
One way is by the number of trade partners that participate in the training, complete our prequalification process, and bid on our projects. We track each business’s success and growth, and perhaps the best measure is the number of those companies that win contracts and are actively working with us. Having those success stories, where someone comes back and says, “I successfully participated in the Layton Trade Partner Engagement Program and it has opened the door for more business opportunities.” This is what the program is all about.
What has Layton been able to achieve with the program so far?
I’d like to give two shout-outs. In Phoenix, we were inducted to the Arizona Million Dollar Circle of Excellence for the third time. We surpassed the million-dollar annual spend requirement. Our total supplier spend today in the Phoenix office is over $31.2 million. I want to extend a huge congratulations to the Phoenix office for their commitment to trade partner development.
The second shout-out I want to give is to Layton’s healthcare group, specifically the University Health Retama project. The owner set a 30% trade partner engagement goal and increased it to 40%. We are currently achieving 36% targeting to achieve a 40% spend. So, I want to recognize and thank our San Antonio project team for meeting the client goal.
Any concluding thoughts?
Alongside our core values of honesty, safety, unity, and quality, it’s a priority for us to be inclusive and to work with suppliers, vendors, and trade partners on all our projects. Our trade partner programs can be a cornerstone of our success and growth as we assist small businesses become more competitive. Our social corporate responsibility is also one of Layton’s greatest strengths, as it allows us to be more creative and innovative. The same is true for our trade partners. As we value, nurture, and celebrate inclusivity, it will make us better and enable us to deliver predictable outcomes for our clients.
We are pleased to announce our Trade Partner Engagement Program Launch in Riverside, CA on October 9, 2025. Thank you to our healthcare business unit and our client at HCA Healthcare for supporting this effort.
About Layton Construction
Layton Construction is a privately held national general contractor, delivering predictable outcomes in commercial construction since 1953. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Layton operates from 16 strategic offices across the United States, employing more than 1,700 construction professionals who serve diverse markets including healthcare, education, commercial office, industrial, hospitality, and multi-unit residential. Founded on the core values of honesty, unity, safety, and quality, Layton has built a reputation for excellence in complex project delivery while maintaining strong partnerships with clients, architects, and trade partners nationwide.
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