Bryant Johnson 

Well, where to start this cool story…One name comes to mind Elaine M. Arrieta owner of

Arrieta Construction, located in Yorktown, Virginia…We have to go back a few years, to a city that doesn’t sleep,: New York City, the Bronx to be exact.  Her parents at the time lived on a fixed income, provided and sacrificed for Elaine to attend top private Catholic school In NY.  I ask her what activities did you participate in while you were in school.   She said I was in Choir, ran track, and played softball. I noticed,  here was her beginning, ground works of learning how to multi task. Then some years before coming to Virginia she landed her “Dream Job” In Manhattan at the World Trade Center as the Executive Secretary to the VP of Normua Securities, it would take 1 hour ½ to get to work while taking three… different subway’s…, but well worth it. She mentioned being  right in the mix with stock brokers watching market changes with yelling and paper’s flying everywhere it was thrilling. Here, again I saw more multi tasking skills sharpen…I went on to ask how Yorktown Virginia came into the picture from NYC.  Well my Dad sister was stationed at Ft. Eustis in Newport News Virginia; I decided to try the area out when arriving to Newport News Virginia area, I was shell shocked coming from NYC to, at the time, a rural part of Virginia.

The scenery she mentioned was quite different from Manhattan.  More of, dairy farm scenery.  I saw a cow roaming in front of the mall…That was new for me. Her first jobs in Virginia, working at a hotel and a fish packing industry, then she went on to work for “General, Electrical & Mechanical contracting company”, For about ten years, she said she held positions Such as laborer, office manager, executive assistants, accounting & project manager assistant…

Again I notice learning how multi tasking helped play a key role in the start of her company.

Arrieta Construction but I wanted to know how her company evolved… I asked, and she went on to explain her current company she worked for was getting ready to eliminate their Mechanical contracting division. This left people without jobs, including Elaine, at the time, she was working with the Mr. Thomas “Bubba” West.   He was in charge of the Mechanical Contracting division with that company where Elaine worked  for.   Mr. West at the time was thinking what do, and his thoughts were hey I’m going start my own company.  Once Elaine heard this, she wanted to join him with his company…

Well, she went on to get her General Contractors License, and because she is female and from Latin decent they thought it would be better for her to start the business.  There were a lot of  benefits with the SBA.   “When the opportunity to start my own business presented itself, I did not waste any time in getting “informed”.  I began with some online classes and webinars through the Small Business Administration (SBA) Website and then immediately became actively involved with the SBDC. The SBDC has been a vital asset to my business quick success.

I attended several workshops and events that cost next to nothing (many were free).  It was and continues to be a “home base” for me; I highly recommend contacting your local SBDC for guidance on starting up or even to further excel in your business”.

To continue our story the Company Arrieta Construction was started in 2009.  They brought along from their previous company Mr. Thomas “Bubba” West, 4 superintendents, 2 apprentices and business contracts for the new Mechanical contracting division at Arrieta Construction…, meaning that their new Company was lucky in a way…Their main area of business today is government contracts… She went on to say trusting in a new company at the time… We already had ties with most of the contractors from our last company…Some contracts were still hard to receive at the time and today… For Arrieta Construction Starting in 2009, their awards show how far successfully dreams become real…

Named “Latina Business of the Week” thru HBWA (Hispanic Business Women’s Alliance)

Recognized in Hispanic Business Magazine (June 2010) listed on the Fortune 500 List of Hispanic Owned Businesses

Elaine M. Arrieta 2010 Nominee for Rookie of the Year thru NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction)

Elaine M. Arrieta received the “Latino American Who’s Who” award from New York City in March of 2011

June 2011 – Elaine M. Arrieta was recognized in Hispanic Business Magazine, listed on the Fortune 500 List of Hispanic Owned Businesses. January 2012 – Elaine M. Arrieta was honored by Madison Who’s Who.

As the interview concluded, I had to ask two more questions. One, I wanted to know her Role Models

She said my role model would be Mr. Thomas “Bubba” West, his suggestion to start a company on their own made Arrieta Construction happen, and his mechanical contractors experience today is the glue for the company…

My next question was can you give us a compelling story or an event that was unique… ” Well we’ve worked on project,  Government related one comes to mind…Many do not know we designed a “F-22 Clearwater Rinse” our company came up with the design that worked.  It has 42 spray nozzles, and we Increase water pressure and adjusted spray patterns.  Basically this was a “Car Wash” for the F-22 aircraft …

Pictures here see the process in action, All I can say, from New York  to Virginia equals a Successful Woman owned Construction Company…