JAR is Celebrating its 60th Anniversary
El Paso, TX, February 13, 2017 – J.A.R. Construction, Inc., a heavy highway contractor, this year celebrates its 60th anniversary. Family owned and operated, founder Joe A. Rosales, Sr. in 1957 set out with a vision to become a minority prime contractor in the region. Over the course of the last 60 years, J.A.R. Construction
has made that vision a reality by becoming a prime contractor with a portfolio that includes clients ranging from the Texas Department of Transportation, the New Mexico Department of Transportation, the Arizona Department of Transportation, the City of El Paso, El Paso International Airport, the County of El Paso, the Public Service Utility Board, and the International Water and Boundary Commission, to name a few.
“J.A.R. Construction is still driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of my father, which has enabled us to constantly push new boundaries and enter new markets,” said Joe A. Rosales, Jr., Owner and President of J.A.R Construction. “My father, a self-taught man, started this company with a lot of heart and drive. My father did not have a college degree, but instilled in each of his children the importance of pursuing higher education, which led me to pursue a degree in Building Construction from Texas A&M University.” Joe A. Rosales, Jr. has been with the company since 1986 and in 2009 assumed the role of President and Owner of J.A.R. Construction, but recalls his first days working at J.A.R. at the age of 12 washing trucks as a young boy.
In 1965, Joe A. Rosales Sr. was joined by his brother Jaime, who began working with the company as a foreman overseeing concrete crews. In 1972, Jaime was appointed Vice President of J.A.R. Construction.
“My uncle was a critical part of this company. He spent several years on the road, away from his family overseeing projects for J.A.R. when we pursued work out of El Paso,” said Joe A. Rosales, Jr. “You don’t get to 60 years in business without the hard work and commitment of several key employees. We are grateful to my uncle for his hard work and commitment to J.A.R.”
The company got its first contract with the City of El Paso in 1963 pouring curb and gutter throughout the city. Five years later, J.A.R. became the first minority contractor in Texas to perform highway work as a subcontractor. And in 1971, the company made an investment that would change the course of the company. J.A.R. bought the first curb and gutter machine in El Paso, enabling them to pour 5,000 -6,000 feet of concrete in one day compared to 1,200 feet a day by hand. Due to high demand for curb and gutter, J.A.R. went on to purchase their second curb and gutter machine six months later and began performing work for private developers in El Paso.
“J.A.R. Construction is more diversified today as a company than when we first began in 1957, performing small residential projects that included patios, sidewalks and driveways,” said Joe A. Rosales, Jr. Under the leadership and direction of Joe A. Rosales, Jr., the company has secured several projects with the Texas Department of Transportation as a prime contractor and has diversified their portfolio.
Today, J.A.R. specializes in public works areas related to highway and street construction such as concrete paving, flat work, earth work, asphalt paving and utilities. “As the industry changes, we too have made changes as a company, becoming more strategic in the types of projects we pursue and the types of services we offer as a contractor. This is a competitive market and industry. You need to constantly be looking ahead at ways to maintain a competitive edge,” says Joe A. Rosales, Jr.
In 2011, Joe A. Rosales, Jr. started Paso del Norte Materials, LLC, providing concrete and aggregates in the El Paso area. With Paso del Norte Materials, Joe has brought the contractor mentality to the supplier side, understanding the strict deadlines and urgency clients have to work within to get a job done. Paso del Norte’s concrete and aggregate materials are TxDOT approved.
In 2016, Angelica Rosales, daughter of Joe A. Rosales, Sr. joined the company. She brings with her close to 20 years of experience in leading business development, managing operations, and identifying and building business relationships to expand and grow business for non-profits as well as for-profits.
The company will be celebrating its 60 years in business with a celebration to honor the founder, Joe A. Rosales, Sr. and long standing employees, Jaime Rosales, Vice President of J.A.R. and Primitivo Soto, who has worked with the company as a Superintendent for 35 years. Joe A. Rosales, Jr. says the employees are the life blood of the company. “Without the dedication and commitment from individuals like my uncle and Primitivo who sacrificed years of their life on the road, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
“Sixty years in business is a milestone to be proud of and we are looking forward to planning the next sixty years,” said Joe A. Rosales, Jr.
Also published on El Paso Times: http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/money/business/2017/02/11/el-paso-business-appointments-promotions-announcements/97557340/
