Friendswood, TX (KTRK) – Raquel Bojorn often appears on a construction project site wearing heels and a pink T-shirt. But don’t be fooled, the CEO of the largest Hispanic women-owned construction company in the greater Houston area isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, carrying a shovel or operating machinery. This is how she started her company at the age of 15, and now hopes to change the face of construction.
“Before I even knew how to read a chart, I’d started field work and finished concrete, helped asphalt, and demolished. Nothing to be afraid of. When I go out, in fact, our men will be more nervous, because I can tell if something is right.” or not, and I’m talking about how to correct it.”
Bogorn’s journey was certainly not easy. Eighth-generation Texans said her family started from humble beginnings. Their mother worked to provide for two daughters on her own during the first nine years of Bogorn’s life, often taking them with her on carts as a marketing coordinator for a radio station.
“I’m really grateful for that, because we saw different parts of the city. It also taught me a lot about being tough and being a strong woman,” Bojorn said.
She initially pursued a music career, competing in the “Star Search”, touring with a professional soccer team, and performing in a band. This is where she met her husband Philip. They both decided they wanted something more stable, so Bojorn went back to school and got a degree in business administration from the University of Houston.
With her husband’s expertise in concrete and carpentry, they decided to open their own construction business together, which was originally called A Status Construction. It eventually grew into a family relationship. Her mother, Elaine Gracia, is now the company’s vice president, and her sister, Marisa Rodriguez, is the company’s chief financial officer.
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“From day one, it was just me and my husband. We went from two people to more than 120 people working with us simultaneously,” she said.
One of the shining moments Bojorn says she will never forget was in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The Bauer School of Business hired them to make repairs to the building where she attended college lectures. With only three days to complete work on the first and second floors, they have assembled a team of 100 people, working around the clock and sleeping on site to get the job done.
“We were at the bottom of the totem pole,” Bogorn said. “But they had to call us, because there was so much damage to so many schools on campus that they needed all the hands they could get.” “We just had this big opportunity, and we were successful in it, and that was really cool.”
This achievement eventually led to her company becoming the first of its kind to receive a public sector project of more than $50 million from the University of Houston. After merging with Mexico’s largest privately owned general contractor in May, they renamed Indi Construction Partners.
Three months ago, the city of Houston issued a proclamation designating June 14th as Indian Building Partners Day and November 19th as Raquel Bjorn Day, which also falls on Global Entrepreneurship Day. As she reflects during Hispanic Heritage Month, Bogorn hopes that leading a company in a male-dominated industry will change perceptions about Hispanic women in construction.
“I always knew we were going to be something, I had no idea how big a building it would be. I am really looking forward to being a part of projects where our culture is really reflected in those developments. Because, I feel like we don’t have enough of that recognition and vision” . “We also believe in supporting other Hispanic-owned businesses.”
Bogorn has her eyes set high. Their goal is to eventually become the largest Hispanic general contracting company in the country.
“When you search for ‘Latin general contractors,’ there are no images that appear on Google Images. We hope one day you will see our images there,” she said.
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