Chicago general contractor and construction management firm, KATTARA Construction, recently welcomed Helenia Madrigal as vice president. Madrigal, an industry veteran of over 25 years, will also hold the role of partner, taking on an ownership role in the company.
In this key leadership position, Madrigal will collaborate with KATTARA Construction founder, Ivan Kattan, on all facets of the business, from executing business development strategies to running projects as a lead project manager. She will also be responsible for overseeing company operations, leading project estimating and preconstruction, directing recruitment efforts and training staff.
“After many years in the industry, it felt like the natural next step to join Ivan and KATTARA,” said Madrigal. “KATTARA may be a young company, but we are eager and growth oriented, and as vice president and partner, I am excited to lead these efforts over the coming months and years.”
While Madrigal is experienced in many areas of the industry, for much of the last decade her work has focused on interior construction. She most recently served as the director of interiors for Summit Design + Build, leading the growth of the contractor’s tenant improvement and office build-out division. During her tenure, she amassed over 450,000 square feet of office build-outs for clients the likes of WeWork, Coates Group, Novel Coworking and Patzik, Frank & Samotny, as well as completing hospitality projects for the world-renowned Medinah Country Club and Boqueria restaurant group. Earlier in her career, she worked for Executive Construction, Inc., Leopardo Companies, Schal Associates Inc. and Anderson Mikos Architects. She received a BA/SA in architecture from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a masters in construction management and architecture from Washington University in St. Louis.
KATTARA Construction was founded in 2015 by Ivan Kattan, an industry veteran in his own right with over 35 years of experience. Since its inception, KATTARA Construction has completed $10 million in projects each year. Their client roster includes AIRE Ancient Baths, The Birchwood Club, Riverwalk Family Dental and Fairlife, among others.
Over the coming years, Kattan and Madrigal plan to grow the business at a steady pace and champion diversity within the group and the industry as a whole through their recruiting efforts. Madrigal herself has been involved with non-profit Girls in the Game to introduce Chicago-area female students to the field of construction and STEM. They also intend to apply for WBE certified status.
