Elite Construction & Development
5804 Road 90
Pasco, Washington 99301
United States
5804 Road 90
Pasco, Washington 99301
United States
While we jokingly quip that Dennis Nixie is “the guy who knows the guy”, the truth is, Dennis is a connector and a mastermind at getting things done. He is well-respected in the federal construction industry and we are ecstatic to bring this veteran leader to Team Elite as head of our government division.
Dennis has 38 years of construction management, supervision, and engineering experience in the federal and commercial markets. This includes 18 years of USDOE work involving construction projects at the Hanford Tank Farms in Washington and at the Idaho National Lab. His previous role was that of Construction Manager executing significant upgrades and modifications to infrastructure systems to support the Tank Farm mission to supply waste to the USDOE Waste Treatment Facility. Mr. Nixie has significant experience performing construction management, engineering, and startup roles for fixed price contracts in the DOE, DOD, and commercial markets. He is well traveled with extensive experience in the Chemical Demilitarization arena as well as Commercial Nuclear projects.
Dennis or “Papa”, as he’s referred to by his two grandsons, is a microbrew aficionado and fan of camping and fishing. He and his wife of 39 years are prone to spontaneous camping trips in and around the Pacific Northwest. Dennis hails from the northeast but has made the Tri-Cities his home for almost 20 years.
At Elite since 2019, Levi is responsible for the creation, development, and growth of the government division. He brings over 30 years of hands-on and managerial construction experience working at the highest level of safety in significant projects – NQA-1. His day-to-day responsibilities run the gamut and include everything from strategic planning to business development to overseeing procedural compliance, which Levi takes in stride with the confidence and high self-sufficiency of a rodeo athlete before and after a ride.
The rodeo reference is deliberate. A retired bull rider, Levi still embraces the lifestyle, attending rodeos every weekend as 3 of his 9 children continue to participate. “I don’t watch television, I don’t have cable or an antenna. I work, I rodeo.” Levi says in jest as he recalls joining the carpenter’s union after high school and performing civil and mechanical work on nearly every dam and bridge on the Columbia (River). He proceeded to take increasing-responsibility roles in several states before returning home to focus on the remediation efforts occurring near his hometown. His experience includes supervising the exhauster installation at the AP Tank Farm, which won a Project Excellence Award, and working on the Tank Farm automation upgrades.
He sees his move to create Elite’s Federal Government Division as the opportunity to continue to innovate the waste clean-up and management process and to collaborate with the other specialties at Elite in order to fuel growth as one significant company.
As Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist, Kelby ensures the highest level of procedural compliance from procurement through each phase of construction. Growing up in Alaska, Kelby spent several years in quality control on Alaska’s North Slope (Alaska oil fields) at a geotechnical engineering firm and material testing agency specializing in gathering and analyzing soils, rock, and engineered construction materials for the geotechnical engineering, construction, and mining industries.
From a diamontologist certification to being fluent in Japanese, Kelby’s work and life experiences are vast, fascinating, and tied together by his attention to detail, as well as, the patience and wisdom to decipher complex information. He also has practical construction job-site experience that allows his knowledge to be relatable in the field. All of these traits are vital and necessary to help build’s Elite’s first-rate NQA-1 program.
When not working, Kelby enjoys biking, keeping up with his Japanese studies, and both domestic and international travel.
“Konstruktion Manager” is the translation of Aryn’s title in his second language. Fluent in German, Aryn is part of a core team charged with creating and developing the company’s Government Division At Elite since 2020, he leads, directs, and coordinates the overall management of federal government construction projects including, but not limited to demolition of existing infrastructure, installation of new infrastructure, new facilities, facility improvements, and other projects.
From founding his own collegiate painting company upon graduation from the University of Puget Sound to owning his own general contracting firm to amassing 10+ years in waste site remediation management for large government contract firms, Aryn’s construction management and engineering know-how is impressive. His focus on using his experience in environmental restoration and immobilization efforts at Hanford is also purposeful. According to Aryn, all things science and technology are of interest, especially as they pertain to the health and well-being of our planet.
When not working, you’ll find this recovering adrenaline junkie mountain biking, whitewater rafting, kayaking and back country skiing. We note “recovering” as skydiving and other highly dangerous sports were finally banned by Aryn’s wife, Rosanna.
Levi joins Elite Construction + Development as Estimator. In his role, he’s responsible for various phases of the estimation process including conceptual, preliminary, and definitive estimates for government and public sector projects. This includes evaluating and identifying project costs, budget controls, alternative and comparative bids, and making sure bids and GMP’s are complete, accurate, and well supported by analyzing research, data, and trends.
Originally from Kennewick, Levi graduated with a BS in Construction Management from EWU and started his career at local construction companies. He moved to Seattle to work for a larger firm but a promotion at a significant government contractor brought him back home to the Tri-Cities. With 5 years of project engineering know-how under his belt and experience in various sectors of the construction industry including commercial, residential, industrial, and government projects, Levi is an additive member of our growing company.
When not working, Levi enjoys traveling, snowboarding, going to the gym and most things that involve being active. It’s no wonder that he recently took up golf and is now a self-proclaimed addict of the game.
With over 6 years of increasing responsibility within the construction industry, including drafting technician, project engineer, project manager, and estimator along with a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from WSU, Cielo joins Elite as Sr. Project Engineer. Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, and bilingual in English and Spanish, she spent her formidable years in California before moving to Washington State.
In her role at Elite, Cielo will be responsible for the engineering and technical disciplines needed to complete our increasing roster of on-going projects. She will also ensure the proper implementation of all elements including subcontractor coverage, bid schedules, permit procurement, scope coverage, start-up paperwork, budget maintenance, punch list completion, and close-out package submissions, just to name a few.
When not working, Cielo loves watching the Star Wars franchise, hiking, exploring new restaurants and trying new food. She also enjoys spending time with her dogs and family.
Army veteran, Susan Mowbray, joins Elite as ES&H Specialist. For her second career, Susan graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Safety & Health and has proceeded to excel in Safety Specialist positions at Hanford and larger government contractors for the last 10 years. Her knowledge, site safety management, team leadership and continued pursuit of additional training including various safety certifications and, a master’s degree in progress, makes her perfectly suited for Elite’s ever-increasing roster of environmental remediation projects. At Elite, Susan will ensure our safety procedures and plans are followed correctly with regular field surveillances, investigations, and training.
While Susan has held many titles including MASH Unit Operating Room Technician, EMT, Respiratory Therapist and others named above, her favorite one is that of Dog Rescuer. Susan cares for and trains rescues to compete in multiple venues such as freestyle, nosework, tracking, barn hunting, bikejoring, and much more. An outdoorswoman at heart, she also enjoys just about any outdoor activity.
Robert brings 30+ years of construction experience to his role as Superintendent. At Elite since 2020, he supervises the field construction, organization, planning, and scheduling of projects to be completed on time, within budget, and to quality specified. Prior to joining the team, Robert’s extensive hands-on experience in various sectors such as civil, residential, industrial, and commercial construction allow him to hit the ground running, lead by example and be incredibly additive on the job site.
Originally from Beaverton, Oregon, Robert, son of a Navy veteran, had an opportunity to live in Japan for a few years during his youth, an experience he credits for inspiring his love of travel. A country boy at heart, he chose small town living in states like Montana and North Dakota, in order to raise all four of his boys away from the self-described “rat race” of big city living. Five years ago, he, his wife, Dani, and their brood, moved to eastern Washington to be closer to family. When not working, he enjoys spending a lot of time outdoors, traveling, spoiling his three grandkids and two little dogs, cooking, and rooting on his NFL favorite teams, the Seahawks and Browns.
“Be Happy”, is Chris’ advice to most, which is a saying we appreciate from the head of our Human Resources department. But don’t be fooled by this simple quote as Chris knows it takes dedication, determination and character to achieve this state. He spent 23 years in the US Air Force, retiring as Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) before joining the civilian ranks. In 2003, while on active duty, he earned a Bachelor of Science in both Management and Human Resources followed by a Master of Arts in Education in 2014. In addition to human resource management, he is also skilled in operations management and operational planning.
Chris joined Elite in 2020. As a company, we pride ourselves in hiring the best people while embodying teamwork, embracing new ideas, and maintaining an informal and welcoming culture. Chris leads by example and is the perfect person to spearhead this effort.
A devotee of fine cigars and the NFL, Chris also enjoys woodworking and spending time with his wife.
Luis’ title is not indicative of the indispensable role he plays at Elite. Considered part of the “elite eight”, the most tenured employees at Elite Construction and Development, Luis is knowledgeable in all facets of the company. He parlayed his interests, certifications and on-the-job work experience into ever-increasing responsibility at the company. From accounting and payroll to safety and graphic design, Luis has assisted every department in getting the job done, regardless of title or job description, all the while focusing on Elite’s eventual high-tech footprint.
As Elite enters into a time of technological advancement with cutting-edge construction platforms that allow all project teams to collaborate and for clients to easily view and understand progress of their projects, Luis is part of the driving force and at the helm of all things “technical”. He brings hard work, enthusiasm and company knowledge to this position. A graphic design degree and photography skill set compliment his web know-how which are all additive to the direction of Elite’s on-line and social media presence.
Married with three kids, Luis enjoys time with his family including watching movies and biking. He continues to love photography along with perpetually learning new things.
Most of us don’t have a visual record of being harnessed 240 feet in the air while torquing a crane, but Sean does. He recalls it as a “cool experience” which is a fitting description from this outdoor enthusiast, on the verge of purchasing his own powered paraglider. Sean considers flight and hovering above the earth’s surface as meditative and euphoric. As project manager, Sean exudes this type of energy and enthusiasm and draws upon his diverse construction and structural expertise to ensure timely execution of all phases of construction.
With almost 24 years of construction experience, his project list contains some meaningful and downright cool projects – working on the snow park for 2002 Winter Olympics, burrowing underground tunnels with moving sidewalks for ski resorts and, operating Bechtel’s 63 meter concrete pump, at the time, the largest concrete pump in America, just to name a few. According to Sean, equal to the significance of any project is the camaraderie among team members. It’s a good feeling to be part of a job well-done. I have four kids and I love when they pridefully say “my dad built that.” Prior to joining Elite, Sean ran his own company, specializing in structural repairs and remediation projects.
When not working, Sean prefers the great outdoors and spending time with his wife and kids. His travel list is growing and currently counts Ireland, his mother’s native country, as his favorite place. Sean says he’ll reassess his favorite once he visits every country.
As COO and co-founder of Elite Construction & Development, David exemplifies how humble leadership and active listening can be powerful. He lacks what is sometimes a stereotypical trait in good leaders – an exaggerated ego. Having started in the field of his 2-person company, Elite Renovations (original name of Elite Construction and Development) over a dozen years ago, he leads by example and truly understands what it means to work hard and stay humble. David also works on creating a culture, especially as Elite demonstrates unprecedented growth, where ideas are welcomed, expert opinions are shared and where everyone has a chance to contribute, share in the process and have ownership in the result.
The son of farmworkers, David learned at an early age what it means to be an entrepreneur, as his dad moved from an agriculture laborer to owner of Magaña Farms, a farm and produce company that sells to schools, produce stands and farmers markets. David recalls his summers as a teen spent working at Pike Place Market in Seattle, selling fresh fruits and vegetables to tourists, with his little brother, from his father’s produce stand. “Not only did I learn about pride in ownership but also in the importance of making sure our clients were happy with both our product and service. We wanted them to come back and refer their friends.” David’s work and life experiences continue to be the driving force behind Elite’s focus to continuously “elevate the client experience”.
His relationship with God and family are of utmost importance. David’s brood includes two sons and a daughter, in them, he hopes to instill the belief that “challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful”.
Being a successful CEO requires a mindset to look at obstacles differently, to see them as opportunities to learn new skills, leverage situations and reflect on what can be done better rather than as objects that stand in the way. “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” is a quote that has become a mantra for Trini and shapes his role as CEO and Co-Founder of Elite Construction and Development.
Trini co-founded Elite Renovations (original name of Elite Construction and Development) a dozen years ago and always envisioned their future as a larger international company. Not an easy task for a young entrepreneur with no formal experience in construction but, he started the company “with the end in mind” and made a conscious effort to put in motion insightful direction to make that happen. “We stay true to our vision, work hard and hire good people. We also remain curious in order to learn, evolve and advance.”
Elite, now on the verge of regional growth, has grown to a team of more than 80 full-time employees, with divisions that span both public and private sectors, yet their mission and values remain unchanged. They are growing at a slow and steady pace to make sure the company continues to reflect a commitment to client, craft, team and community.
If you ask Trini, his professional resume not only speaks to his role as executive and entrepreneur but also his time on the basketball court. “There are so many lessons to learn from organized sports that I apply to my job as both CEO and dad”. “Coaching my son and advising him on discipline, teamwork, vision, hard work and having fun is the epitome of how we run our business.”
Competitive by nature, Trini credits his middle-school sweetheart, now wife, and kids, which include a son and daughter, for keeping him grounded. “They are my whys”, he says. As a car and book aficionado, he also loves fast cars and great reads.
Given Jennie’s previous career as a ropes course facilitator, where she enabled participants to explore leadership and communication concepts, problem-solving, and coaching, it’s easy to see why she’s a great asset to Elite’s senior management team and the best “ice breaker” at company meetings. Make no mistake, her strength and experience are also in the numbers, and, as Elite’s controller since 2019, she’s focused on helping a young company navigate rapid growth.
A graduate of Washington State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration with additional accounting course work done through WGU, Jennie has spent 15+ years in financial positions ranging from federal tax preparation, banking, outsourced financial accounting, and now controller. Her approach to guiding the financial decisions of the company are simple – be knowledgeable, be thorough, be consistent.
Jennie and her husband, Matt have raised 4 children and really enjoy being grandparents. Her outdoor interests run the gamut as she’s a fan of both beaches and mountains. She also enjoys movies, music and playing trivia and other games with friends and family. A self-proclaimed foodie, Jennie loves trying new restaurants and cuisine.
Angelo has been in the construction business for 30 years and understands all facets of a quality build. He has 15 years of combined management experience as project manager, estimator, construction engineer, superintendent, and operations manager. Having worked in maritime, residential, commercial, heavy commercial, and industrial, in both skilled labor and management positions, Angelo’s knowledge and experience are invaluable. He joined Elite In 2014 as a Sr. PM and is now a Portfolio Manager and Senior Estimator. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management with a minor in sociology and business relations.
His favorite saying, learned in his youth, is evident in his approach to every project -“Once a job is begun, never leave it ‘til it’s done. Be the labor, great or small, do it well or not at all”. This mentality serves our clients and the entire Elite team well.
Ask Angelo about his favorite obsession, beyond his family, and it’s creating things with his hands. He was once an avid downhill mountain bike racer but maturity forced him to embrace more traditional trails. Lucky for him he enjoys the art of building bikes as much as he loves riding them. Angelo still travels all over the country to mountain bike but this time with grandkids in tow.
Alexia Gamboa is the newest member of our Safety Team. As Environmental Safety & Health Specialist she supports various projects in our safety division. She specializes in safety reporting, pre-planning activities and safety-related trainings along with data analytics and program development. A recent graduate of Central Washington University, Alexia holds a Bachelor of Science in Safety and Health Management. During her years at CWU, Alexia volunteered as a peer tutor and sat on the university’s professor search committee to continue to enhance the department’s efforts. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Alexia is an enthusiastic team player with a strong work ethic.
Her favorite quote “¡Seamos realistas y hagamos lo impossible!” by “Che” Guevera is a mantra she champions in her professional career and personal life. When not working, Alexia’s love of music makes her a regular on a dance floor, irrelevant of her self-proclaimed “uncoordinated” dancer status. Alexia’s youthful spirit is a welcomed addition to Team Elite.
Kiley is best known for her outgoing, can-do personality and problem-solving nature. Since Kiley joined the Elite Team as procurement specialist, she has been influential in structuring, organizing and expediting processes to help the divisions become more efficient. Kiley’s work experience entails supporting procurement process implementation for a well-known government contractor; managing, writing and revamping contracts and contractual processes for a fuel distribution company as well as her role mentoring and guiding students in achieving their college dreams with the University of Washington Dream Project.
Outside of work, Kiley enjoys writing, reading, biking and spending time with family and pets. Her favorite quote, “misguided urgency is often the enemy of progress”, is exemplified in her work as she tackles problems head-on, with a helmet of course, because she strongly believes safety always comes first!
As Director of Marketing and Client Experience, Grace leads our efforts in elevating the client experience and shaping the company’s public profile. Prior to joining Elite in 2020, she spent 17+ years as a sales and marketing executive with organizations like Discovery Networks, Viacom and NBCUniversal, where she consulted with Fortune 500 companies on their media and new technology strategies. Most recently, Grace founded a fine art and creative solutions studio committed to social impact.
While binge-watching Netflix is not out of the norm, you’re more likely to find this former long-distance runner spending time with family, indoor cycling, traveling or painting. In the community, she sits on the boards of Drewboy Creative (an art collective), Tri-Cities Immigrant Coalition and advises the Pasco Arts & Culture Commission. Grace is a graduate of Michael G. Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, in Seattle, WA.
Originally from southeastern Washington, Grace spent the majority of her professional career in Seattle, Chicago, Los Angeles and Barcelona, Spain before moving to Kennewick with her husband, Ryan and two teen daughters.
Luis is the poster child for the company’s motto of Work Hard. Stay Humble. Considered part of the “elite eight”, the most tenured employees at Elite Construction and Development, the symbiotic relationship between Luis’ growth and the company’s success is evident. As Portfolio Manager and Estimator he is responsible for all estimating functions required during the preconstruction phase. This includes value engineering, budget controls, alternative and comparative studies, constructability reviews and target value design to ensure estimates, bids, and GMP’s are complete, accurate, and well supported.
Having grown up in the construction business, Luis can count as much experience and dedication to craft as a seasoned veteran, making his longevity in this profession impressive. With over 20 years of experience, he’s respected among his peers as someone who is collaborative, communicative and respectful. He has a great work ethic, commitment to teamwork, and an understated sense of humor. In fact, it’s not uncommon for him to be the butt of his own jokes which usually includes comments about his hair or lack thereof.
Some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it, which is what Luis does, almost seven days a week. If not at his formal profession, he’s working on maintaining his farm and rental properties, even “working on cars”, his favorite pastime, has the word “work” in it. That said, he will occasionally take his wife’s advice to relax in more traditional ways.
As Elite HQ’s first impression, Vanessa’s customer service expertise is bar none and available in two languages. Her resume oozes client service and office administration experience which is the perfect fit for her multi-faceted role. Her duties include assisting the accounting and procurement departments with billing, tracking, data entry and payroll. She’s also responsible for inventory and supply management and other office administration duties that keep our office and staff running smoothly. Vanessa’s “team first” and supportive attitude makes her an indispensable part of our team.
Vanessa also has her cosmetology license and was a popular hair-stylist before realizing she preferred spending her weekends and evenings with her family. When not working, Vanessa enjoys creating memories with her family.
As Accounting Specialist, Erica brings almost 15 years of accounting experience to Elite. Her meticulous handling of accounting procedures, accounts payable and receivable along with organizational management make her a vital part of our team. Beyond longevity in her chosen profession, Erica holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Accounting along with additional accounting system certifications. She LOVES accounting as much as she loves iced coffee, which says a lot about her easy-going personality and enthusiastic nature.
Her true love however is her family. She considers her sons, delivered on Christmas Day, her greatest achievement. When not busy with twin boys, Erica enjoys DIY projects and perusing the aisles of Target and Home Goods, of course, with iced coffee in hand.
Jonathan has his hands full, literally. He’s responsible for planning, coordinating, purchasing, warehousing, distributing and forecasting Elite’s hardware and equipment inventory and servicing our field teams. At Elite since 2018, Jonathan started as a laborer, became OSHA 10 certified as a member of our safety team and was recently promoted into the new position of Logistics and Tool Manager. At Elite, we strive to foster and promote talent from within and Jonathan is a shining example.
When not at work, you can find Jonathan staying fit by weight training and backpacking in the mountains or gaming. Ask Jonathan about his true passion and he’ll state it’s “ to open a sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals in the future”. We think he has the right tools to make that dream come true.
“From small humble beginnings come great things.”, a quote Jesus took to heart when he was given the opportunity to build the company’s health & safety program. Jesus started with Elite in 2017 as superintendent of the painting division but his work ethic, self-starter attitude, aptitude to learn quickly and ability to manage both roles at once led him to acquiring the singularly focused position of Safety Director a year later.
From NCCER Health & Safety Instructor to certifications in construction site safety (CSSO, CSSS, CSST) to numerous Craft Professional Mentor (CPM) credentials (Hilti Power Tools, Idaho State Health & Safety Instructor, Workplace Violence Prevention Trainer, Authorized Aerial/Scissor List Operator Trainer Authorized Forklift Operator Trainer), he does what it takes to keep our employees safe. For three years running he has been recognized as a top performer for safety and claims management by the Associated General Contractors of America Inland Northwest Chapter along with the Associated Builders and Contractors of America Inland Pacific Chapter. At Elite, safety is a top priority and having someone like Jesus at the helm is a valuable asset.
When Jesus isn’t saving Elite employees from potential injury or educating us on the importance of safety, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He’s known as a “master chef” on the grill and enjoys the Pacific Northwest outdoors. He also makes time to volunteer in his community.
As Training Coordinator and Document Control Specialist, Alice contributes over 20 years of experience to the Elite team. She has the significant task of overseeing the company’s documents to safeguard regulatory, legal, and security compliance. Additionally, she monitors, forecasts and ensures compliance of all government division employees with training requirements and certifications. She brings a diverse skill set paired with exemplary organizational skills earned through her roles in private industry, Department of Defense and Department of Energy.
Her knowledge has been and continues to be instrumental in the growth of our Government Division. And, her multi-faceted practices as a certified Zamboni driver, photographer, artist, and adventurer make her a unique and valuable member of our team. An Oregon native and ESU alum, Alice is also a proud grandmother of three extremely active granddaughters.
As Quality Assurance (QA) Manager, Phil ensures the highest level of procedural compliance from procurement through each phase of construction. Phil started his career in Virginia, graduating in the top 5% of his class from Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company Design Training program. Upon graduation, he started in the Nuclear Fuels Department where he developed design and fabrication drawings for the for re-fueling and de-fueling efforts of Nuclear Navy Aircraft Carriers and Submarines. The rest, we say, is history, as Phil gradually moved to the Pacific Northwest in increasing responsibility positions for nuclear-related companies. A golf enthusiast, he decided to relocate to the Tri-Cities (from Idaho) after witnessing golfers on the course on Christmas Day!
He brings almost 40 years of experience working under ASME NQA-1 requirements as well as experience developing and implementing NQA-1 programs to the highest level of Safety Significant. “The depth of Phil’s experience and knowledge of nuclear quality assurance are a great resource for us as we take on more government contracts”, says CEO Trini Garibay. Mutually, Phil sees the opportunity to help develop Elite’s government division as well as it’s NQA-1 Quality Assurance as the pinnacle of his career.
Phil loves music and attending live music concerts and sporting events. As a true outdoorsman he enjoys camping, fishing and riding 4-wheelers along with spending summers grilling and swimming in his backyard. He also enjoys visiting his children in Idaho.
As ES&H Specialist, Government Division since 2019, Kyler is responsible for developing and tailoring Elite’s safety program for federal government projects which is no easy task given the complexity of nuclear waste clean-up. He ensures our safety procedures and plans are followed correctly through regular field surveillances and investigations. He also tracks and coordinates all training for Elite construction workers on the Hanford site. Concurrently, Kyler is finishing his Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Safety from Eastern Kentucky University. But, let’s not stop there…Kyler served as supervisor in the US Marine Corp. prior to garnering13+ years of safety and health experience at government contract heavyweights and several OSHA certifications to make him an expert in his field.
While spare time is not something Kyler has much of, he does make coaching 11U tournament baseball, spending time with his kids, camping in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter top priorities.
A yellow belt certification in Lean Six Sigma has nothing to do with martial arts but everything to do with having the skillset to be a great project engineer. Omar joins Team Elite with an educated slate that also includes SAP ERP certification and a BS in Business Administration with a Supply Chain Management Specialization from Central Washington University. He also has four years of project engineer and procurement experience.
As Project Engineer for the Federal Government Division, his focus is on projects at the Hanford decommissioned nuclear production site. His responsibilities include managing, evaluating and assessing information necessary to construct on-time and within budget to the highest quality specified.
Omar’s favorite quote: “alright we got this, but how could we make it better?” is likely applicable to how he approaches life in general but downright apparent in his language skills, as he’s trilingual in English, French and his native Spanish. When not working or learning new languages, Omar likes to fish, snowboard and basically anything that has to do with being outside.
Elite’s motto of “Work Hard. Stay Humble.” fits Oscar to a T. While Oscar likes to keep things simple, he raises the bar as Project Engineer for our Exteriors and Roofing Division. His years of combined experience in low slope and steep slope roofing systems, siding and weather barrier systems, project management and estimation make him an expert in his field. But, you’ll have to take our word for it because our resident “nice guy” rarely touts his own success so we’ll also mention his countless certifications – GAF Low Slope and Steep Slope Certified, GAF Master Elite Training and Certification, GAF Installation Excellence Award Winner, GAF Training Excellence Award Winner and CertainTeed Master Shingle Certified. He also holds an AAS in Criminal Justice.
Oscar joined Elite in 2017 as the Project Coordinator of the team. His rapid growth speaks to our culture and Oscar’s contribution to making this a great place to work. When not working, Oscar prefers reading, working out and evening walks with his family.
As head of our Exteriors and Roofing Division, Ryan brings almost 20 years of experience in residential roofing sales and project management. His move from the Seattle area, in pursuit of sunshine and space to breathe, proved to be an advantage for Team Elite with headquarters in southeastern Washington. Whether it’s leading his division or coaching his son’s select soccer team, Ryan considers himself a “demanding coach with high enthusiasm”. An asset since 2017, his team now self-performs all roofing and siding projects and has garnered many significant accreditations and certifications including GAF Corporation “Master Commercial Roofing Contractor”, CertainTeed Corporation “Select Shingle Master”, IB Single Ply Membrane Authorized Installer, James Hardie Authorized Installer and US Army Core of Engineers Construction Quality Manager.
While adventurous, Ryan’s obsession with Discovery Channel’s Shark Week and one too many shark movies, means you won’t find him swimming with great whites. You will, however, find him being a great dad to his two kids, golfing, gardening or basically anything in the backyard.
As Superintendent, Exteriors Division, Jose is responsible for leading, directing and coordinating the work of subcontractors and Elite employees on-site at our exteriors and roofing projects. At Elite since 2016, he started in Logistics and worked his way up by taking every challenge as an opportunity to learn. Jose came to Elite with industry knowledge and a diverse but related background installing fire suppression systems, building products and carpentry. He’s a perfect example of why Elite builds and invests in talent transition as his communicative and “lead by example” attitude is as inherent as his willingness to learn and grow.
Jose authentically enjoys helping others and seeing them succeed which is evident by his time spent as a youth counselor for troubled teens. A self-described family man and dad to three kids, he enjoys carpentry, fishing, hiking and relaxing with his family.
In the beginning, Elite needed enthusiastic and hard-working employees comfortable wearing many hats who could evolve with company growth. At Elite since 2010, Trino’s evolution and growth within the company are a shining example of that philosophy. In his current role, Trino provides oversight and support to project managers and superintendents on everything from design decisions to project schedules to budgets during construction. According to him, “Every day is different which makes the job exciting and interesting.” Having won both “Project Manager” and “Employee of the Year” in years past, Trino’s goal is to keep learning and advancing especially with the amount of unprecedented growth Elite has seen in the last 18 months.
Born in southeastern Washington, Trino takes satisfaction in watching others enjoy his culinary and grilling skills. As a youth, he learned from his dad how to raise cattle and grow vegetables, so he’s excited to teach his children the same. He’s also a car aficionado preferring classics of the 80’s and early 90’s and a fan of conjunto de arpa grande, a type of Mexican folk music from his parent’s hometown of Coalcomán, Michoacán in Mexico.
Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas in Houston, TX and previous project engineering experience from a national commercial construction firm, Priscilla joined Elite Construction and Development in 2020.
Engineering is Priscilla’s passion which is evident in the caliber of her work as Project Engineer for our Commercial and High-End Residential division. It takes a highly qualified team to run a successful project and Priscilla’s genuine desire to understand how things work and make improvements based on research, analytics and experience keeps our team efficient, effective and continuously learning.
But, don’t be fooled, engineering is just one of her passion points with golf, cooking, baking, travel, swimming and painting making her Top 10 List. She also has most of us beat with the number of countries she’s visited. Given Priscilla’s can-do attitude and thirst for learning new things, it’s no wonder that Priscilla’s favorite quote is from Epictetus, “the only way to happiness is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. The only person responsible for your happiness is you.”
As a Superintendent in our private sector, Rich brings over 25 years of construction industry experience to Elite. A carpenter by trade, he previously owned and operated his own residential framing company. Rich has been a commercial project foreman for almost a decade overseeing large commercial construction projects.
A seasoned leader with strong attention to quality, detail and safety in construction management, Rich draws from his robust leadership experience as a coach and previous military service. He has coached men’s and women’s high school varsity soccer for over 28 seasons and serves as an adjunct instructor at Columbia Basin College for forklift certification and reading and interpreting construction drawings. He’s also pursuing a degree in Project Management.
Away from the job site, you can find him serving as chauffeur, ATM, butler and chef to his 12-year-old daughter. His endearing home also includes his wife, two crazy cats and a beloved Rottweiler who doubles as their security system. Rich also enjoys traveling, eating great food and the outdoors.
At Elite since 2016, Chris brings 18+ years of construction experience to his role as Superintendent, Private Sector. He started with the company as a carpenter and quickly advanced to this role given his “jack of all trades” know-how and ability to provide solutions at a moment’s notice. His hands-on experience of most job-site positions and his collaborative nature are both invaluable traits as he leads, directs and coordinates the work of subcontractors and Elite employees on-site commercial and high-end residential projects.
Chris is a Sci-Fi fanatic, preferring this science and futuristic speculative fiction to almost any other genre. It’s not in his nature to answer the question “which superhero do you most relate to?”, but we dubbed him “Ant Man” regardless. Beyond his stature, Chris’ humble nature masks his superhuman ability to just get the job done. From supervising teams to carpentry work to clean-up, there’s no job “too small” to make sure the project is done to quality standards. He also sees encountering new challenges as a way to develop new skills and would prefer this to monotony any day.
A mechanic in his first career, Chris still loves working on cars and envisions opening a custom car shop in the future. Chris, recently married, has three kids and two grandkids and enjoys time at home and in the garage.
Maria Rodriguez joins Team Elite as the newest member of our Marketing Team. As Digital Media and Marketing Specialist, Maria creatively establishes and implements our various new media and digital tools such as the website, social media, video content and blogs, to effectively promote Elite’s products and services. She works with all divisions in order to coordinate and develop effective internal and external digital communication processes. Maria graduated Magna Cum Laude from WSU Tri-Cities in 2018 with a BA in Business Management. Prior to joining Elite, she worked as a Marketing Specialist at Gesa Credit Union and is currently working on completing her Masters Degree in Mass Communication and Web Design.
Originally from Venezuela, Maria lived in larger U.S. Cities before moving to Richland where she attended high school followed by college. She loves traveling and while she can’t wait to knock Australia off her bucket list, she loves calling the Tri-Cities home. Maria balances her other rigorous hobbies of kayaking and hiking with going to the movies and wine-tasting.
Ariana joins Team Elite as an Accounting Specialist. She brings almost 10 years of accounting experience in both the construction and banking industries and keeps us “accountable” by preparing payroll, payroll taxes, unions dues, and assisting with many other accounts payable duties. Given her role and all-around great personality, she’s basically everyone’s favorite person on payday. Professionally, Ariana likes to stay ahead of the curve and is currently taking additional accounting courses online.
Born and raised in California, Ariana is a recent transplant to Southeastern Washington and moved to be closer to family and start one of her own. She is doing her best to become familiar with the area through food, as she loves trying new restaurants and cuisine. Ariana also enjoys spending time with her husband, Freddy and dog, Jay, who, for the time being, is the favorite child.
Scott joins Team Elite in 2020 as Project Manager for our Federal Services department. His 15+ years of industry knowledge is incredibly additive in his role of overseeing construction projects for our fast-growing government division including working closely with clients to develop plans, establish timetables, and determine labor and material costs in accordance with contractual obligations, industry standards, and all regulatory guidelines. Prior to joining the team, Scott’s relevant experience included positions at top government contractors in the area.
While Tri-Cities is home, if Elite opens an office in Hawaii, Scott would likely be the first to relocate. He and his family love to travel but consider Maui a paradise and, with familial ties in the area, they hang like locals rather than tourists while there.
When not working, Scott enjoys spending time with family and friends. He and his wife, married for 18 years, have two athletic daughters and a chocolate lab. If not traveling for soccer or basketball tournaments, they enjoy spending time outdoors including hunting, fishing, and camping. However, they don’t have to venture far to enjoy being outside as backyard movie nights and steaks on the grill also count for recharging in nature.
Max was born to be in construction. If you don’t believe him, ask his mom. He’s been near a construction site most of his life and started learning the trade in high school before graduating from university with a degree in engineering. His passion, experience, and education gave him the opportunity to “follow the work” which involved a myriad of interesting projects across the country. The depth and breadth of his knowledge is vast and includes everything from airports to hospitals to large scale retail projects.
With over 30 years in the construction industry, from swinging a hammer to managing multiple-phase, large-scale construction projects, Max can say “been there, done that” to most things. His leadership skills and experience are a huge asset to Team Elite. He joined the company in 2020 with a desire to settle in the Tri-Cities and be an integral part of a growing and active construction company.
A new “empty nester”, Max now has the freedom to engage in his favorite hobby of fishing and discover new ones like white water rafting. He and his wife both agree that eastern Washington is a great place for both pastimes and also keeps them close to their children and extended family.
In 2020, Brad joined Elite as Pre-Construction Manager. Originally from Idaho, Brad spent 5 years in Tri-Cities as a teen before heading to Seattle to attend the University of Washington to obtain a BS in Construction Management and pursue a career in his chosen degree. After nearly two decades of increasing responsibility, including Senior Project Manager roles in support of business development, design phase management & pre-construction and development, for Seattle-area construction companies, he made his way back to Tri-Cities for this newly created position.
His motivation has always been to learn as much as possible about the many facets of the construction industry more than to focus on a specific vertical, title or role. His approach to our business and ability to actively listen to the needs of potential clients elevates our customer service experience to the next level. Whether it was learned behavior or inherent, it sounds like he also heeded advice from Rocky Balboa, the main character in his favorite movie, “You can’t learn anything when you’re talking. That’s a fact of life. As long as you’re talking, you’re not listening.” Don’t worry Brad, we’re listening.
When not working, Brad enjoys CrossFit, distance running, hiking, travel, history, family and friends.
