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Rio Grande Valley

135 Paseo Del Prado, Suite 33
Edinburg, TX 78539

Tel: 956-655-4655
Fax: 956-668-9882
Central Texas

7500 Rialto Blvd., Building 1, Ste. 250
Austin, TX 78535

Tel: 956-655-4655
Fax: 956-668-9882
El Paso

7100 Westwind, Ste. 150
El Paso, TX 79912

Tel: 956-655-4655
Fax: 956-668-9882
Houston

5444 Westheimer, Ste. 1000, Office 1054
Houston, TX 77056

Tel: 956-655-4655
Fax: 956-668-9882
San Antonio

1777 NE Loop 410, Ste. 600
San Antonio, TX 78217

Tel: 956-655-4655
Fax: 956-668-9882

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Eli R. Ochoa
AIA, PE, CBJ

Principal/Chief Executive Officer

Principal-In-Charge

Eli R. Ochoa, PE, AIA, CBJ, is a principal and CEO of ERO Architects, a full-service architecture and structural engineering firm serving Texas. Ochoa has more than 30 years of architecture and structural engineering experience in complex public-sector designs. His leadership reflects his long-standing reputation for honesty, integrity and dependability, but even stronger is his passion to rethink educational delivery and public-sector durability.

As a native of South Texas, Ochoa returned home and founded his firm in 2001 to focus on public-sector projects. He strongly believes that good design does not need to cost more. Ochoa has developed his considerable and unique gift for innovatively adapting the owners’ values and needs to the available budgets. He is renowned for design metaphors that engender community ownership of his buildings. The results are stunningly beautiful facilities that enhance the community, respect the history and culture of the people and preserve our natural resources. Ochoa represents the movement to incorporate 21st century design strategies forever improving the delivery of high school education. Furr High School in Houston winning the XQ Super Schools Award is an endorsement of educational design strategies. 

As principal-in-charge he has been directly involved in the new construction of six high, three middle and 22 elementary schools in addition to 120 high, 41 middle and 95 elementary school renovations and improvements as districts unify, modernize and expand their facilities to provide equitable and healthy environments for students.  He has similar strategies that ERO Architects applies to civic projects. He has been directly involved in the new construction, modernizing and re-purposing for performing arts centers, civic centers, police facilities, libraries, precinct maintenance facilities, administrative offices, healthcare facilities, museums, emergency management centers and courthouses. He has vast experience in working around facilities that remain operational during construction and must meet schedule.

Ochoa’s award-winning designs include LEED projects and sustainability measures that are consummately pragmatic. Ochoa has been awarded personally as the Small Business Person of the Year (RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce), Governor’s Small Business Award, and Small Business of the Year (McAllen Chamber of Commerce).

AWARDS

Small Business Person of the Year

RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Governor’s Small Business Award

State of Texas, Office of the Governor

Small Business of the Year

McAllen Chamber of Commerce

Octavio Cantú, Jr.
CSI, CDT, AIA, NCARB

Principal/Chief Operating Officer

Senior Project Manager

Octavio Cantú, Jr. is a principal and COO of ERO Architects. He serves as the Senior Project Architect. He has been practicing architecture for more than 20 years and has been with the firm since 2008. Since graduation, he has gained extensive experience in multiple facets of architecture and construction management. Cantú has contributed to and participated in a broad range of architectural and construction types. His project experience spans from multifamily to hospitality and other commercial projects, but his passion has become public-sector architectural projects.

Uniquely, Cantú has experience as an owner’s representative giving him an understanding of the challenges an owner faces during new construction and the facility improvements process. While employed by a Fortune 500 project management company, he managed and completed multiple concurrent projects from initial design through construction completion. During his tenure with ERO Architects, Cantú has become an unparalleled expert in the modernizing K–12 for 21st Century education delivery, creating swing spaces, phasing projects, flipping new construction with demolition or existing facilities and construction of occupied facilities.

Cantú enjoys the complexity and challenge of managing projects that produces such innovative problem-solving solutions as the Hidalgo County Courthouse, City of McAllen Performing Arts Center, and Furr, Austin and Seguin 21st century high schools. He is particularly proud of preserving cultural features while modernizing facilities such as the extensive renovations and additions of to Thomas Jefferson, an abandoned Hidalgo County school, originally built in 1915. He accepted the Lower Rio Grande Valley AIA’s 100-year Design Award on behalf of the ERO Architects for Thomas Jefferson, Texas’ first-of-its-kind, Early College High School

AWARDS

Project Architect and Manager

Lower Rio Grande Valley AIA’s 100-year Design Award, Thomas Jefferson Early College High School

Brian A. Godinez
CMO

Principal/Chief Marketing Officer

Director of Communications

Brian A. Godinez is a principal and Chief Marketing Officer of ERO Architects. He has been working for ERO Architects since 2006. As the chief marketing officer he is responsible for business development, marketing, and human resources operations for the firm. He has more than 35 years of experience in communications, public engagement, public relations and opinion surveying.   

Prior to joining ERO Architects, Godinez focused on the public sector as a communications specialist serving several regional governments, municipalities and school districts, providing strategic planning, meeting facilitation, public relations, community engagement, public involvement, advertising and multi-media production services.

Prior to his move to the Rio Grande Valley, Godinez spent over 25 years providing business development, marketing, and advertising services for private and public entities in the Austin, Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta markets. During his technology career, Godinez helped secure funding for over $75M dollars from private and venture sources for technology start-up companies. He worked with major media entities such as Warner Bros, Disney, CBS Viacom, King World, NFL Films, ESPN, MTV and USA Network.

Godinez has been a guest speaker at several local and state organization seminars and a featured regional columnist with Texas Border Business Magazine and the Valley Business Report. He sits on several local and regional boards for public and civic organizations in the Rio Grande Valley.

Maria O. Scurry
PE

Associate Principal/Senior Project Manager

Project Manager/Project Architect

Maria O. Scurry, PE, is an experienced manager for ERO Architects with more than 15 years of practice in administering an engineering department, project management and engineering. While her focus will be the management of our architectural projects from start to finish, her engineering experience is vast and includes geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, construction materials testing and construction administration. Scurry served as a Branch Manager for a worldwide engineering company and administered 15 people performing geotechnical, environmental and construction materials testing in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas office.

As a Geotechnical Engineer Scurry performed numerous Geotechnical studies and analyses for both shallow and deep foundations, retaining structures, slope stability and seepage, and pavement design and remediation. She has extensive experience in Construction Materials Testing, additionally, including specialized inspections of foundations, concrete, CMU, and pre- and post-installed anchors utilizing applicable ICC ES and ASTM guidelines.

As a Structural Engineer Scurry performed analysis and design of foundation and structural elements to be constructed of Wood, Concrete, CMU, and Structural Steel. Scurry assisted attaining TDI Windstorm certification for numerous projects and is a Texas Department of Insurance Qualified Windstorm Inspector.

Her previous experience necessitated collaboration and coordination with architects, engineers, and contractors for successful project completion. Her management skills and attention to detail have prepared her well to serve as a Project Architect on ERO Architects design projects. Scurry intends to sit for the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners professional architects examination.

Lazaro "Larry" Alvarez, Jr.

Senior Structural Technician

Senior Structural Technician

Larry Alvarez Jr. is a senior structural technician in ERO’s structural design group. He has more than 15 years of experience working on complex education and government projects. He has been modeling structural design in 3D with AutoCAD and Revit for more than 10 years.

Alvarez is known for his diligence in iteratively adding members to build models according to analysis and collaborating with architects to ensure compatibility and inclusion of detail.  He uses a 3D scanner in the field to record and analyze progress with the point cloud data in BIM. Recently he earned FARO 3D Scanning Certification for use of scanning in capturing accurate “as-builts.” Because Alvarez specializes in construction specifications and detailed construction documents, he believes that practitioners benefit from joining Construction Administrators in the field to evaluate how well design and construction strategies are functioning.

Alvarez is pursuing a degree in civil engineering at UTRGV.

Gladys Barrera

Chief Accounting Officer

Comptroller & Office Manager

Gladys Barrera is ERO Architects' Chief Accounting Officer and Office Manager. Gladys has worked in the accounting field since her graduation from Pan American University with a degree in accounting. She has been taking care of accounting, accounts receivable and payable, payroll, insurances, licensing, and human resources since the day Eli R. Ochoa, PE, AIA opened ERO Architects offices in 2001. Because ERO Architects focuses on public-sector work, Gladys accommodates the various accounting and reporting methods used by governmental entities and keeps up with such various requirements as Davis Bacon laws and Prolog project management software. Gladys is renowned for her patience, thoroughness and attention to detail. The company depends on her to keep it on-track and operational.

Juan J. Cantu
AIA, NCARB, LEED® Green Associate™

Associate Principal/Senior Project Architect

Project Architect

Juan Cantu is an experienced senior project manager/architect for ERO. Juan has more than fifteen years of experience in architectural design and conceptualization. He has been leading production teams for over 11 years and acts as a BIM coordinator throughout the process. Cantu is renowned for his implementation of company standards for quality control and project delivery.

Cantu has a wide range of design experience including K-12, low income housing and adaptive reuse projects. He worked on ERO’s award-winning Seguin, Furr and Thomas Jefferson Early College 21st Century high school designs of which Furr is also LEED Silver. Other designs include major renovations and curriculum modernization efforts.

Cantu has functioned in the Construction Administration department as well which expands ERO’s construction oversight capacity. With client service as a top priority Cantu has been able to follow a project from the beginning all the way through to construction.

Maritza Cardenas
RID, NCIDQ

Project Manager/Interior Designer

Project Manager

Bio coming soon.

Albert G. Chronis
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Bio coming soon.

Jose Angel De la Garza
AA

Associate Architect

Production Designer

Bio coming soon.

Laura Hernandez

Accounting Specialist

Accounting

Laura Hernandez is ERO's Accounting Specialist. Laura attended high school in Edinburg and attended the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is a long-term ERO employee and works with Quickbooks and Deltek Vision to complete her accounting duties. Laura’s job requires coding entries (project and receipt numbers) with high accuracy. She is responsible for inputting all vendor invoices into the accounting software, making payments and deposits timely and reconciling credit card statements. Laura enjoys ERO’s company culture where the employees work together. She says, “the partners treat us like family and have our well-being in mind.” Laura appreciates having good job so near her family in LRGV.


Gabriel Herrera
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Gabriel Herrera is a senior production manager for ERO. He leads the document production function for ERO and is responsible for the quality of documents for architectural projects. Herrera is a skilled modeler using Autodesk Revit 360 3D modeling, Sketch-up and Adobe Creative Suite. His career experience is wide-ranging. While working for both RVK Architects and Fisher Heck Architects in San Antonio, he served more than 12 years working on opportunities ranging from commercial development, corporate offices, aviation, education, and industrial buildings. His work on preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of historic buildings is expected to augment ERO's work in cultural design. He is renowned for the efficient flow of information, quality construction drawings, specifications and on-time project delivery for ERO.

Roberto Pruneda
RID, NCIDQ

Associate Principal/Director of Design

Design and Visualization Lead

Roberto Pruneda is the design and visualization lead for ERO. He leads the design team under the direction of the Project Manager. Pruneda has more than seven years of experience in 3D design, visualization and interior design. Key to his success is his ability to collaborate resourcefully with the Project Manager, structural engineers, other disciplines and coworkers to achieve optimum outcomes that ensure the aesthetic beauty, cultural-relevance and utility of the project for owners and users.

Pruneda is known for his ability to blend artistry with technical resulting in realistic graphical concepts that bring exteriors, interiors, spatial plans and finishes and materials to life for owners. He is acknowledged for his mastery of designing in 3D as well as being a tenacious researcher generating the best in modern design ideas such as 3rd teacher and 21st century, innovative materials, cost-effective green measures and preservation of cultural aspects of the project’s community. He is renowned for interior designs that increase the space utilization ratios, improve circulation and reduce footprints and costs.

Pruneda has worked on most of ERO’s award-winning projects including the LEED Gold TSTC University Articulation Center. He is an NCIDQ candidate.

Mariano "Mar" Rivera, Jr.

Art Director

Graphic Design & Video Production

Mariano "Mar" Rivera, Jr. performs graphic design, video production, and website development for ERO. Rivera has more than 20 years of commercial graphic design experience which has become more and more sophisticated as the discipline exponentially expanded with the addition of automation.

Graphic design is the process of visual communication and problem-solving using one or more of typography, photography, and illustration. ERO as a design firm values problem-solving as a design strategy. Being an entrepreneurial person and problem-solver, Rivera fits right in with all other ERO staff by always finding a way to get it done and done superlatively.

Rivera is renowned for "never having missed a deadline." In his business that is downright remarkable. He is a cool-headed manager who plans ahead and works ahead but anticipates delays, problems, and risks. From experience, he always has solutions sitting in his back pocket.

Award-Winning Design

E.L. Furr High School (HISD)
Homer B. Hannah Robert B. Buchanan Performing Arts Center
The LEED Gold University Center at Texas State Technical School in Harlingen
Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College High School

Member Of

National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP)

Monica Rodriguez-Alvarado

Contracts Manager

Construction Administration

Monica Rodriguez-Alvarado works in ERO construction administration group managing contracts. Rodriguez has more than 15 years of construction administration experience. All project contracts start and finish under her purview and the responsibilities are well-suited to her conscientious and detail-oriented approach.

Rodriguez’s responsibilities cover all aspects of contract management ensuring that all technical requirements of contracts are realized. She assists in setting up the contract content and maintains all records regarding the contracts such as awards, modifications, and notices to proceed. She maintains project logs and ensures that all subcontracted work is sent out and comes back completed and on-time. She is familiar with federal regulations and maintains records certifying hours and wages. Rodriguez drives the warranty and close-out process of each project. She ensures all warranty documents are properly compiled and delivered to the owner, all punchlist items are completed, documents are properly signed and filed and post-completion warranty walk-throughs occur timely. Rodriguez is known for her ability to multi-task and on average manages eight projects simultaneously.

Yesenia "Yez" Suchil
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Maria Yesenia “Yez” Suchil is an associate architect with ERO’s Construction Administration team. She is very goal-oriented which lead her quickly to a well-rounded portfolio covering all phases of design: schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction administration. Her project design experience includes K–12, Higher Education, commercial, residential and religious projects. With six years of design experience, Yez has hit the ground running at ERO by responding to submittals, RFIs, ASIs, conducting site observations and documenting findings and progress. She is particularly successful in Construction Administration as she artfully communicates with contractors and others.

Yez, like all other ERO staff, is skilled in Revit, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD, Rhino, Maya, Sketch-Up. Her diligence to her craft led her to additional technology skills in analysis software: Ecotect, Radiance, eQUEST & Daysim and production software: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign Microsoft Office & iWork. Yez’s technical skills are so serviceable, she taught at South Texas College for the Architectural & Engineering Department. She is an Architect Registration Examination candidate having completed her architectural experience hours and currently is seeking licensure in the State of Texas. In addition to her Masters in Architecture, Yez is certified by Texas A&M University in Sustainable Urbanism.

Edgar Villanueva
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Edgar Villanueva, an associate architect, is a design and visualization specialist for ERO. Edgar has more than five years of experience in design and specializes in 3D design and visualization for architectural and interior design. Through collaboration with the design and production team, he provides leadership in the production of the highest quality design studies and design visualizations possible. He provides technical guidance both specific and strategic to project teams seeking the most sophisticated and appropriate methods for studying architectural design through advanced visualization tools.  

Villanueva’s exceptional software skills allow him to rapidly test a variety of possible concepts using Rhino/Grasshopper, Sketch Up, 3Ds Max, Revit, and Adobe Creative Studio. His IT background facilitates designing directly in 3D and working with scripts to customize design processes for the team.

Villanueva has contributed to the schematics of every major project ERO is producing including performing arts centers, courthouses, municipal offices, airport facilities, university facilities, and 21st century high schools. Uniquely, Villanueva is a certified urban planner and uses those skills to create exterior concepts that enhance the community.

Joey Yzaguirre
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Bio coming soon.

Manuel "Manny" Zamora
AA

Associate Architect

Project Manager

Manuel Zamora is an associate architect at ERO. Zamora serves on the architecture team for design and production. He has more than 15 years of experience in all facets of the architectural field. His work has been concentrated on public sector new construction and extensive renovations.

His forte is 3D visualization and BIM modeling. Zamora is a power-user of Autodesk and Revit 3D BIM. He is one of ERO’s strengths in cost estimating. He is relied on for the creation of project databases in BIM and management of costs estimates, materials, life cycle costs and schedules throughout project development. Zamora’s knowledge of construction processes improves the quality of his construction documents. Zamora’s success is founded in his critical thinking and problem-solving.

Being a self-starter, Zamora elected to serve as an adjunct instructor for 3D visualization and Revit BIM for South Texas College from 2009 to 2011. Zamora is an NCARB candidate having completed his Intern Development Program.

O. Ivan Mata
PE

Project Engineer

Structural Engineer

Oved Ivan Mata is a structural engineer for ERO Architects with more than five years of experience in design and analysis. Mata received his Professional Engineering License in May 2019. He is well versed in Structural Design and Analysis; Construction Means & Methods; Concrete/Steel/Wood/Masonry Design; Prestressed Concrete Design and Analysis; and has software experience in Risa 3D and Foundation as well as Autodesk Robot Structural.

Mata is respected by his co-workers due to his team approach to work. He is never off-the-clock when it comes to them or production and accuracy. He is always seeking innovative applications in engineering to optimize the structure and balancing economics with professional practices.

Mata is renowned for enjoying practicing engineering. Recently, he found working on the Weslaco ISD East High School Band Hall structure exciting with its long-span structural beams needed to provide the requisite open spaces in the rehearsal areas. He designed part of the building’s perimeter wall structure as axial load-bearing, to support the open area requirement as well. Steel supports facilitated the optimization of the design approach.

Mata has a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UTSA and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering with a structural concentration from TAMUK. He is a member of ASCE and AISC and takes pride in following a professional development approach parallel to these organizations.

Carly Wise

Robert L. Sands, Jr.
ALEP

Director of Planning & Project Management

Planning & Project Management

Robert Sands is the Facilities Planning Manager at ERO Architects. He is accountable for the successful development of master plans, facilities planner and making recommendations for capital improvements. Sands has planned and managed 10 K-12 bond programs totaling over $5.3B. Mr. Sands was responsible for implementation of Houston ISD’s 1.89 billion dollar bond program comprised of replacing 20 existing High Schools. Sands maintained a web-based management/financial program,ensuring all projects were planned, coordinated and implemented Standard Operating Procedures, Design Guidelines, Educational Specification, and all codes and regulations requirements affecting specific projects. Many projects involved LEED certification requirements as well as Green Building School practices.

Within 28 months of passing the 1.89 billion dollar bond, 21 projects (worth $390 million) were in construction ahead of schedule and within budget.

Gerardo "Jerry" Garcia

Principal/Chief Facilities Officer

Construction Administration Manager

Jerry Garcia is a principal and Chief Facilities Officer, managing ERO Architects’ Construction Administration Department. He manages from construction review and compliance, contractor communications and documentation to payment authorization and warranty and close-out. His experience is so valuable he is involved in the project during the design and construction document phases to advise on constructability and schedule efficiencies. 

With more than 30 years of construction administration experience, Garcia has developed into a very gifted construction administrator. He has learned well how to effectively communicate with construction contractors. He is adept at eliciting and providing information in a timely and professional manner that ensures the contractor builds the design as intended. He has reviewed hundreds of construction documents, interpreted them for contractors and experientially learned what works and does not work from the owners’, architects’ and contractors’ points of view. His experience covers both public and private sectors and from small renovations and rehabilitation to commercial and large, complex public buildings such as the City of McAllen Performing Arts Center and the 420,277 gsf Seguin High renovation and new construction that occurred while campus was occupied.

His knowledge in construction administration has kept the firm complaint in every aspect including OSHA safety and health measures. He is certified as a Safety Inspector and Accident Investigator. His prior experience in the construction industry has taught him the value of high-quality construction documents and supports the process with equally flawless and complete records of observations, communications, RFIs, and change orders.

Joel "Jody" D. Galindo
PE, SE, M.ASCE

Associate Principal/Director of Structural Engineering

Structural Engineer

Joel D. Galindo, PE, is a project manager for ERO Architects’ in-house structural engineering services. Galindo has more than ten years of structural engineering experience. He is one of 112 engineers in Texas that is licensed as both a professional engineer and a certified structural engineer.

Galindo intently focuses on life safety, public welfare, cost-effect design and due diligence in construction conformance. He is uniquely driven to engage current technology and research to increase the precision of 3D models to accurately replicate a building’s actual performance. Galindo achieves much of this by producing BIM models using 3D finite element modeling and AutoDesk® Revit® 360. He is well-versed in the use of point cloud data from 3D scanning.

Galindo is a power-user of RISA-3D, RISA-Foot, SAFE 2014 and EnerCalc as well as his own in-house programmed macro-enabled Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to accelerate calculation computations. He models and analyzes concrete cracks, foundation settlement, vibratory analysis of floors, building sway and seismic impacts. He runs Navisworks to identify all systems clashes to eliminate errors and optimize designs. He is highly skilled at value engineering and forensic analysis. 

The key to Galindo’s success is his determination and collaboration to achieve design coordination, innovation, cost-minimization and reduction in in-field conflicts or added costs.

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