Leo Arevelo was in high school when his parents moved his family from Matamoros, Mexico, to Mankato to pursue better educational opportunities for their four children. In 2007, after graduating with a B.S. in construction management from Minnesota State University—Mankato, Arevelo joined Schwickert’s, a Mankato-based mechanical and roofing contractor serving the Upper Midwest.
As a human reource generalist, Arevelo is responsible for the safety, training and development of workers, a role that suits him perfectly given his understanding of Latino culture. “For example,” he says, “individuals in Mexico have a macho attitude and don’t follow safety rules because they want to impress their boss. That kind of mentality needs to change.”
Arevelo is undergoing OSHA training and plans to provide this training to construction companies throughout the state. He hopes to create a network of professional Latinos to share resources and improve communities.
Arevelo enjoys spending time with his wife, Nicole, and their young son, but he has also made time to mentor junior high and high school students in everything from learning English to dancing salsa.
