Negocios Now

Who's Who in Hispanic Chicago 2020

Negocios Now is the Hispanic Business Publication in Chicago with National Distribution

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www.negociosnow.com 10 Julio 2020 RAMON ARABULA OWNER, PRESIDENT Durango Painting Ramon Arambula founded Durango Painting in 2001. Today, he continues as the company's president, directing all major corporate, financial, and sales decisions. With his extensive field experience, he is uniquely positioned to understand all aspects of project execution. Through Arambula's leadership, Durango Painting has grown steadily while maintaining success and stability. Arambula is married with two children, one starting college soon. In his leisure time, Ramon enjoys spending time with family and playing golf. DANIELLE DY BUNCIO Co-founder & CEO VIATechnik Danielle Dy Buncio is the co-founder and CEO of VIATechnik, a virtual design and construction consulting and implementation firm transforming real estate and construction. She and the VIATechnik team are spearheading advancement of BIM, VDC, virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence. Prior to founding VIATechnik, Dy Buncio worked for general contractors in Silicon Valley, Sydney, and Chicago. She is a civil engineer and has extensive commercial building, heavy civil, and marine construction experience. ROBERT "BOBBY" IBARRA Title: Managing Partner Ibarra Group LLC Headquartered in La Villita Chicago, the company is a second-generation steel fabricator and erector. Ibarra has more than 20 years of experience in ornamental iron construction. In his capacity as managing partner, he runs the day-to- day operations of the company. His most notable projects include The 606 Trail, Shrine the Christ the King in Hyde Park, various collaboration projects with artist Theaster Gates, The Rebuild Foundation, and Lathrop Homes. ARTHUR JIMENEZ President and CEO Alliance Companies Inc. Jimenez leads Alliance Companies, a premier commercial carpentry construction company founded in 2005. Alliance has a diverse business mix that includes tenant interiors, health care, commercial buildings and complex out-of- the-ground projects. Alliance has worked on many high-profile projects throughout the Chicago region, regularly partnering with blue chip contractors to ensure their successful completion, on time, safely, and on budget. Alliance has experienced exponential growth and has established itself as a highly-regarded contractor of choice within the commercial construction arena. MARY H. MADRIGAL Founder and President Foremost Improvements Inc. Originally from Panama, Madrigal founded Foremost Improvements in 2018 focusing on commercial, residential roofing, exterior cladding and insurance restoration. Foremost Improvements is 100% minority and woman owned business. Madrigal's goals are to grow the business and become a leader in the construction industry. she is OSHA 30 certified and in 2019 graduated from the Contractor Training Program of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association and sponsored by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. LUIS MONTGOMERY President 2IM Group Montgomery was born in La Plata, Huila, Colombia, but was raised on the North Side of Chicago. He graduated in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a licensed professional engineer in Illinois. Montgomery quickly established his firm as a leader in civil engineering and environmental services. He applies forward-thinking principles to provide innovative practices and measurable environmental benefits on projects ranging from traditional stormwater designs to sustainable drainage systems. LOUIS OCHOA Principal and Founder Ochoa Mechanical Group LLC. Ochoa Mechanical Group is a mechanical contracting company with expertise in the design, fabrication and installation of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. In college, Ochoa initially studied architecture, then pivoted into mechanical contracting. During more than 30 years working at larger Chicago area contractors, he rose through jobs in drafting, design, engineering management, lead division project management, and finally to executive vice president. With this depth of experience, in 2018 he started his own company. ALICIA PONCE Founder and Principal APMonarch LLC APMonarch is a Latinx women-owned architecture and design firm with a specialty in nature-inspired design. Since founding APMonarch in 2007, Ponce's team has created visionary projects that are healthy, highly efficient and reduce carbon footprints. Notable projects include The Field Museum Long Term Master Space Plan, Midway International Airport Concessions, The University of Chicago Keller Center, Erie Family Health Clinics and the Exelon Corporation 55th Floor Headquarters and Chicago Public Schools. Antonio Robledo Chief Financial Officer Truck King Hauling Contractors Inc. Truck King is the premier MBE/DBE trucking firm in Chicagoland. Prior to working at Truck King, Robledo spent more than 20 years serving as vice president and senior relationship manager at BMO Harris Bank. He is proud to currently serve as a board director and treasurer of the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association; associate board director of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, and a board trustee for the National Museum of Mexican Art. MARCO ROMERO President Ibuilders Corp July 2020 marks the seventh anniversary of Ibuilders. In his early career, Romero worked labor-intensive jobs such as UPS truck loader and later on as a union carpenter. He found inspiration in the entrepreneurial spirit of people around him and with a degree in construction management started Ibuilders. He advocates for education and wants to extend that benefit to talented individuals so they have the same opportunity for a better life that he's had. PATRICIA SALDAÑA President and Design Principal UrbanWorks Ltd Saldaña founded her architecture, planning, and interior design firm in Chicago where she is responsible for the visionary design direction of the firm. She has a passion for cities, neighborhoods, and especially the most vulnerable sections of cities and their population. She believes that well-designed spaces and places allow the cultural exchange underpins urban transformation. Prior to founding UrbanWorks, Saldaña worked in design positions for several award-winning architectural firms. Her firm has won more than 40 planning and architecture awards. SAMUEL VELA Owner, President and CEO Virtual Energy Solutions Inc. Virtual Energy Solutions is a progressive, technology-leveraged, full- service architectural and engineering consulting firm headquartered in Chicago. The company provides architecture and engineering services, telecommunications design, lighting design and BIM consulting for healthcare and higher education science and technology facilities. Vela attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and worked as an electrical engineer for 16 years before starting his own company in 2014 and grew to its current staff of 13. ERIKA VENEGAS, Owner and President Pro Nova Contracting LLC Venegas founded her first painting company, Exivisual DecoPainting Corp., in 2001 and focused it on residential and commercial painting with a specialty in decorative and faux finishes painting. In 2018, she became owner and president of Pro Nova, a commercial and industrial union painting company, and certified minority- and woman-owned business, established to provide painting services for general contractors and directly to corporate clients, such as universities, school districts, financial institutions, and park districts. JORGE PEREZ CEO Hispanic American Construc- tion Industry Association (HACIA) Founded in 1979, with over 300 members HACIA's mission is to ensure the equitable participation of its members in the construction industry, while also promoting the growth, quality of work, professionalism, and integrity of these individuals and businesses. From 2001 to 2008 Perez served as President of Calumet Area Industrial Commission. He served in key leadership roles as a Deputy Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Policy for the CTA. For the past 9 years, he has been the Executive Director of HACIA and serves as chair of the City of Chicago Community Development Commission. JUAN F. CALAHORRANO Director of Operations Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) In 2015 Mr. Calahorrano joined HACIA-The Hispanic American Construction Industry Association for a second time as a Director of Operations. Mr. Calahorrano oversees HACIA's day to day operations, his responsibilities include membership relations, industry and member advocacy, business development, contract and grant management. Brenda Garza Karhoff, S.E., P.E., is the president and founding principal of Garza Karhoff Engineering LLC. Karhoff began her career interning at Illinois Department of Transportation District 5 in her hometown of Danville, Illinois, while attending the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She received a bachelor's degree in 1994 and a master's degree in 1995 from the university and has more than 23 years of experience in a variety of projects. GKE is located in downtown Chicago and provides structural and civil engineering consulting services in the transportation and buildings sectors. GKE is a certified disadvantaged business enterprise with the Illinois Department of Transportation/ UCP and a certified minority and woman business enterprise with the City of Chicago. GKE currently works as a team member with leading engineering firms on various projects throughout Chicagoland including the Illinois Tollway, IDOT, CDOT, CDA and the CTA. Karhoff currently serves Hispanic American Construction Industry Association as board vice president and chair of the Membership Committee. She seeks to provide members with the knowledge and opportunity to improve business operations and enhance professional growth. She is also a member of American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois and the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois. LATINAS IN BUSINESS AWARD BRENDA GARZA KARHOFF President, Founding Principal Garza Karhoff Engineering LLC NegociosNow NegociosNow PROUD TO BE A MEDIA PARTNER CONSTRUCTION CHICAGO H I S P A N I C P O W E R H I S P A N I C P O W E R CHICAGO READ MORE AT NEGOCIOSNOW.COM

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