Case No.

CV 2024-027381

Switch Electric / Loenbro vs. Alberto Flores & Wife;

Donald Olson & Wife;

Lazaro Aguirre & Wife;

Luis Fuerte & Wife;

Juan Miranda & Wife;

Jessica Gonzalez & Husband;

Joel Villa & Wife

Alberto G. Flores attended his deposition on March 25th. Following his testimony, the opposing counsel gained more insight from Beto’s three and a half hours of testimony than from the entirety of the case.

This lawsuit is frivolous and an attempt to intimidate former employees but Beto will not be intimidated! There was absolutely no proprietary information taken from Switch or Loenbro. Beto has willingly submitted his personal emails and thumb drives for forensics, demonstrating a commitment to transparency. There is nothing there to find but the lawsuit is still going on. We are open to sharing any personal information necessary.

We remain dedicated to keeping everyone informed as the case progresses and will continue to provide regular updates. 

Thank you for your ongoing support. Please check back for the latest information on the case.

Filing Date: 2/3/25

Docket Date:

2/6/25

Filing Date: 1/31/25

Docket Date:

2/3/25

NOT -Notice

Note: NOTICE OF POSTING BOND

Filing Date: 1/31/25

Docket Date:

2/3/25

RES- Response

Note: PLAINTIFFS' RESPONSE IN OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS' MOTION FOR COMPLEX CASE DESIGNATION

Filing Date: 1/31/25

Docket Date:

2/3/25

AMC- Amended Complaint

Note: VERIFIED SECOND AMENDED COMPLAINT

Leaving Switch Electric was one of the hardest things I had to do in my career. I would like to take the opportunity to explain the circumstances that led to my decision to leave my previous employer. 

When I was offered the position of President, I was assured a base salary which was clearly outlined in our agreement. Unfortunately, the company did not honor that agreement, and I did not receive the compensation as promised. In addition, I later discovered that the Chief Executive Officer (Daniel Cowan) had made a separate arrangement with my VP of Operations (Miguel Garcia) for a higher salary than myself, without my knowledge or involvement in that decision. This breach of trust made it difficult for me to continue in the role. 

Further complicating the situation was the toxic work environment created by Miguel Garcia, which negatively affected employee morale. Several staff members expressed frustration over the hostile work environment and culture that made it hard to keep employees and continue to grow the company. Hostile work environment were the words used on multiple exit interviews by employees who left and expressed how Mr. Garcia had made them feel. On top of that, many Switch employees expressed discomfort that Miguel Garcia was having a personal relationship with a subordinate and bragging about it with coworkers. 

To add to the stressful situation, I also had to deal with the racial comments that would regularly go on by Bernie Demoss and Daniel Cowen toward Hispanics. Joking around is common in the workplace, especially in construction but there is a limit, and it gets tiresome.

Despite my efforts to address these concerns with Miguel Garcia, I was unable to mitigate the issues, due to the fact that Miguel Garcia was untouchable within the company because of his close relationship with the CEO Daniel Cowen. Many employees chose to leave as a result. These factors ultimately made it impossible for me to do my duties as president and remain with the company and I felt it was in the best interest of both myself, my family and the company to part ways. Leaving was the best decision I could have ever made for myself and my family.

Leaving my previous company was one of the most complicated and emotionally draining decisions I’ve ever made. The work itself wasn’t the issue—I actually loved what I did. But the environment had become impossible to navigate.

My direct superior, the VP of Switch Miguel Garcia, had been having an inappropriate personal relationship with one of our subordinates. At first, I didn’t want to believe the rumors. Office gossip is just that—gossip. But as time went on, the truth became undeniable. There were clear signs: preferential treatment, unwarranted promotions, and an overall imbalance that affected team morale. He also had the audacity to let me know that he was having a personal relationship with this subordinate, as he was asking for advice on how to approach it. What made it worse was that this employee had strong connections within the company, the kind of ties that made them untouchable.

I tried addressing the issue professionally. I brought up concerns to Miguel about instances where he was seen yelling at our subordinate and making her cry, but he brushed it off and said it was nothing and should not be taken out of proportion.

The hardest part was knowing that I had built so much in that company—teams, projects, a reputation—and yet, none of it could outweigh the politics at play. So, I decided to leave. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. I refused to stay in a place where integrity took a backseat to favoritism.

Walking away was bittersweet, but ultimately, it was freeing. I chose to prioritize my own peace over a system that was rigged against fairness.

I was recruited and hired at Switch based on my vast experience in the electrical construction industry as well as my history of performance-based success and work relationships with individuals in leadership roles within Switch. My experience at Switch started like many others as a new employee within an organization…learning and growing, but within a few months after my starting and some changes within the organizational leadership, it started to bear evidence to a declining and confrontational/toxic culture. In even day-to-day tasks and activities employees (myself included) were subject to aggressive and demeaning interactions and attacks from leadership, in particular from the VP of Operations at the time, Miguel Garcia. The effects of the demoralizing work environment were evident across both the office and field personnel and fostered an unhealthy environment that effectively stymied growth, confidence, and free thought. As this would not be enough for someone to explore new opportunities, this would only be the tip of the iceberg.

In the waning months of my employment at Switch, I would come to learn what so many had apparently been aware of for some time. I was shocked to learn that Miguel Garcia, the VP of Operations at the time, within the organization was having an ongoing personal relationship with one of his subordinates, who also happened to be a close family friend of the CEO of the organization. To those in the know, this was an uncomfortable situation and given the parties involved and their relation to or position within the company, left many with a feeling of uncertainty and fear for their job as to what they could report or be done. 

In my position as VP of Preconstruction, I would often work closely with Miguel Garcia, the VP of Operations and subsequent SVP of Mission Critical, in the preparation and review of project bid proposals. Before my resignation I became aware of information that was obtained by Miguel Garcia that he used to attain an unfair advantage in securing competitively bid projects. The incident in question related to text messages received from a source inside a general contracting firm of which Mr. Garcia had a long-standing relationship and included screen shots of competing electrical contractors’ bid proposals for projects that Switch was actively bidding. These practices do not align with my personal or professional ethics and further solidified my ultimate decision to resign.   

Lastly, I started to see an exodus of valued team members and people I considered friends from the organization. Given the aforementioned information and reasoning, I can certainly understand their reason for leaving, but given my role as a VP within the Switch organization, I would certainly have thought I would be a part of the discussions in an effort to retain these valued individuals or even been made immediately aware of the departure/resignation of key personnel within the organization. Instead, the balance of the organizational leadership from the CEO down did not feel it pertinent to keep me and others abreast of the changes and losses of personnel that could directly impact the business operations. This sent a clear message of how they valued my position within the organization despite executive leadership’s prior assurances that they wanted me to be a shared owner in the organization. In many cases, the word of individuals submitting 2-week notices or resignations would first be heard coming from field personnel and support staff rather than from the management and business leaders to which these notices and resignations were submitted.

Unfortunately, what started as a promising opportunity ended with feelings of disbelief, frustration, and anguish culminating in my resignation. 

This lawsuit has caused undue stress for my personal and professional life as the litigation has impacted our new business venture and caused unfounded doubt with clients wary to do business with us given the ongoing litigation despite the fact CIG is a consulting business and not a competing electrical contracting business. This in turn has driven uncertainty with my ability to earn and provide for my family. In addition, Loenbro/Switch felt compelled to include my spouse in the lawsuit further attempting to cause harm and impact our family without my spouse having any association with Loenbro/Switch other than being the spouse of a former Loenbro/Switch employee. 

Upon my departure from Switch Electric, I had the opportunity to bring my experience to CIG and rejoin some familiar colleagues on a new business venture aimed at utilizing our vast experience across multiple sectors in the construction industry and data center operations to provide consulting services with owner’s representation, 3rd party Safety, and 3rd party Quality Assurance/Quality Control services. This has been an incredible chance to reconnect with some extremely talented team members and utilize my 35-plus years of electrical and special systems construction experience to help owners and contractors control project costs and ensure their project funds and interests are protected.

CIG was founded on an extensive experience and knowledge-based approach to mitigate over expenditures within projects, deliver best-in-class Safety and QA/QC services and management while providing a healthy work-life balance and promoting professional opportunity and growth in a culture of transparency, employee engagement, accountability, and respect. Being part of a team building a foundation for future professional and personal growth for all has been invigorating and rewarding despite the ongoing stress of litigation and its personal and professional impacts which are always looming overhead.

My experience in the beginning years at Switch was great. The culture, and the quality of work that we were installing were at the highest levels due to the leadership at the time and the bond we had all the way from management down to the field was nothing more than family. I have been with Switch since the founding in 2017. I was there through the good and the bad. Once the company was sold and the founder John Fleury was pushed out, it just didn’t feel the same. The decline in culture, morals and quality just wasn’t the same.

Two weeks prior to my departure, I was approached by Miguel Garcia. I was on a project helping with early release material and Miguel saw I was doing take off and said, “ What do you think about stepping down and running this project, it seems like you like doing this better than what you do now.”

I was taken off guard with the question because I reported to Beto Flores the President and not Miguel Garcia and I replied, “What do you mean?” he said, “ I will keep your salary the same and you will be superintendent of this project.” When I put the pieces together, I received a call from Alberto Flores the day of his resignation. (Note that his resignation was just a week after Miguel had asked me to step down as VP of Field Operations.) Alberto said, “Hey Luis I have just resigned as president of Switch, and I feel like I owe you a call to warn you of what Miguel Garcia was planning behind your back. Miguel was planning to replace me with one of his friends. I didn’t want to believe it because Miguel and I came up from the field together and I considered him to be like a brother. We were the originals to start Switch and for him to try and cut me out like that is the reason I wasn’t going to stick around much longer. Leaving Switch was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to do. I thought that was the company I was going to retire at. The hardest part was knowing that I dedicated so much of my time to this company and the thought of walking away from everything I helped build.

On the other hand, leaving Switch and Joining the CIG team has been the best decision I could have made. It felt like a weight has lifted off me. For many years I had dedicated my time to Switch rather than putting my family first. I am now at peace and can catch up on lost time with my family.

My journey at Switch spanned five years, beginning with two years working in the field before transitioning into management. My first Project Manager, Miguel, played a significant role in my initial development. During our four months together, I learned to use Bluebeam and understand drawings. However, I often felt as though I hit a brick wall; whenever I sought assistance or needed clarification, I was met with frustration and yelling, as Miguel preferred to handle things on his own.

After navigating through various project managers, I finally found a supportive mentor in Lazaro. He recognized my potential and welcomed me into his team, allowing me to progress from a Project Engineer to an Assistant Project Manager. This opportunity was rewarding and helped me grow in my career.

However, my time at Switch was complicated by an ongoing inappropriate personal relationship between VP of Operations Miguel Garciaand one of his female subordinates . This created an uncomfortable atmosphere, especially when I witnessed instances where this woman would leave our trailer in tears after Miguel's visits. These dynamics contributed to my decision to leave the company.

The recent lawsuit has added considerable stress to my life and that of my family. It has delayed my plans to purchase my first home, as I am constantly uncertain about the security of my financial situation.

Reflecting on my experiences, I appreciate the importance of a supportive work environment. Compared to the long days and nights at Switch, I am now in a much better place, working for a company that values my growth, both professionally and personally.

I made the difficult decision to leave my previous role because the demands of the job became overwhelming. Despite my best efforts, I often felt isolated from facing the challenges, as management offered little support during the most critical periods. I was unexpectedly moved into a project manager role due to departures of other project managers. The constant pressure to complete projects left me with no time to focus on my personal life. When Lazaro Aguirre (Senior Project Manager) and Alberto Flores (President) chose to leave the company, Switch provided no communication or guidance to the team, leaving us confused and uncertain. It wasn’t until I voiced my concerns that an emergency meeting was called. However, by that point, it was clear the lack of transparency and support would not change, adding even more frustration to an already difficult situation. Even after the meeting, there was no follow-up from management on how support would be provided for the project. I realized that the time and effort I was investing in the company was not being reciprocated. The absence of support and recognition made it clear that my contributions were not valued, leading me to pursue a healthier, more fulfilling path forward.

The stress from the lawsuit has been overwhelming, and it has affected my overall well-being. With the uncertainty surrounding the case, it has made it impossible for me to proceed with purchasing my home and continue my wedding planning. What should be an exciting and joyful time has instead been filled with stress and uncertainty. The overwhelming stress from this situation has triggered a breakout of hives and multiple sleepless nights. The ongoing litigation has severely impacted our new business venture, creating unwarranted doubt among potential clients who are now hesitant to engage with us due to legal uncertainties.

I have no regrets about my decision to join CIG. It has provided me with the opportunity to collaborate with highly talented team members whom I respect while drawing decades of years of experience in the mission-critical construction sector. I feel valued, supported, and encouraged to grow in an environment that fosters my development. I truly hope for a quick resolution soon so that we can all move forward.

Jessica Gonzalez

Miguel Garcia

Senior Vice President of

Switch Electric / Loenbro

Miguel Garcia

Senior Vice President of

Switch Electric / Loenbro

Miguel Garcia

Senior Vice President of

Switch Electric / Loenbro