Kevin Elliott, the 38-year-old great-grandson of Roel Construction Co. founder Tom Roel, laughs and says his mother and father had him “just to run the business.” Well, not quite. His grandfather actually “offered me the opportunity to join the company.”

That was many years after his 1962 birth, and after his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in business administration from San Diego State University. By that time the nature of the business had changed from its 1917 origin in Fargo, N. D., when the main building projects were barns and outhouses. His grandfather moved the business to California in 1959, settling in La Jolla.

Today Elliott is president and CEO of the construction company. As such, in a rapidly growing part of the state, he sees growth and its accompanying problems as an opportunity to seek solutions that “are better than everyone else.”

“The biggest thing we’ve done as a company, and what I am most excited about is the way we have been able to diversify,” he says He points to new markets and geographic growth. Roel has offices in Phoenix, Las Vegas and La Quinta. In addition, the company is involved in new ventures, including auto dealerships and high-tech manufacturing, developing clean rooms and other spaces the industry demands.

Elliott joined the company in 1985 as a project estimator. He moved through the ranks, learning the business by holding positions of increasing authority, preparing him for today. He focuses especially on troubleshooting and problem solving, has a passion for carrying on family traditions and maintaining a reputation for conducting business with integrity.

His accomplishments include managing the development of software that has enhanced operations for the company. Roel-o-dex, a custom contact management/project database, has been widely used by Roel Construction, as have computerized accounting and project management systems he helped develop.

Elliott’s main professional involvements are with the Association of General Contractors, San Diego Chapter and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, where he is a member of the board and executive committee. He is involved with the Junior Achievement Program, serving to educate and inspire young people about business and economics.

As a single dad raising two daughters ages 9 and 11, Elliott says free time activity is spent “playing.” Because one daughter has cerebral palsy, Elliott is a dedicated fund-raiser for United Cerebral Palsy and an active participant and supporter of activities for the organization, such as its fund-raising walks.

Elliott received his bachelor’s degree in 1985 and a certificate in construction practices in 1987, both from SDSU. Since his graduation, he has been a member of the Association of General Contractors, San Diego Chapter in which he has held many offices and now sits on the board, and the Construction Financial Management Association.

Other affiliations are Sigma Iota Epsilon, honorary management fraternity; and Upsilon Pi Epsilon, computing science management society.

— Sandy Pasqua