The history of our country is full of admirable names, all of them whom left their mark on this earth. We study the lives and work of these men at school the moment we learn to read, and we make of them the role models to follow and emulate, as aspiring good citizens. However, history nowadays continues to write itself; there is another class of men and women, that though they’ve not been called to arms to defend their Fatherland, as was back then, today, they are an example for their hard work, their success, their dignity and honesty.

The town of Moca, home to great Dominicans since its inception, is the homeland of Hugo Pérez Ovalles, a pioneering forward-thinking man, whom championed his own battles with effort, and hard work, becoming who he is today. The mastermind behind “Therrestra”, a leading construction company, at the service of tourist, residential and commercial development projects, specialized in project design, construction and oversight in the Dominican Republic and in the Caribbean.

Therrestra is currently present in the Dominican Republic and in Jamaica, currently generating 2,000 jobs.

Also, the company is registered in Aruba, St. Maarten, Saint Lucia, Cuba and the U.S.

Through this interview, today we will learn a little more about the way of life of someone that came from nothing and has no intention of stopping.

1- Did you ever dream or believe you’d become a construction entrepreneur?

When I was a boy, I dreamt of becoming a cabinetmaker or a baker. There was a bakery right in front of the house. Dream of becoming an engineer? Never. Renowned entrepreneur? Never

After I graduated, and like any engineer, I dreamt of having a 3M³ Tipper Truck, a Mixing Cone, a Vibratory Compactor and maybe build two houses per year.

2- Moving between two worlds, as are construction and business, would you say this is your calling? How did you learn this?

Professionally speaking, it doesn’t matter what you do for a living, because you will never see it separate from business. The two go by the hand. Developing a good construction, is doing good business, for present times and the future.

I think my calling, though I must confess I am terrible at self-marketing, I am somewhat crass in that sense, is that I am tireless, I’m limitless. I strive responsibly for what I believe is right.

3- You’ve been responsible for important developments, hence achieving recognition in a very competitive field. What is your secret?

In anything you do, there must always be something extra, that special touch that sets you aside from the rest. Our secret is: Good pricing, good execution, good project management, trimming, accountability and timely delivery, before the deadline. Bottom line, the key is the details, it’s all in the details.

4- What do you believe your company is yet to achieve?   

Not settling is part of human nature. We always want more. We want to continue working to become a standard and example all throughout the Caribbean, of what Dominicans can achieve. We’ve got the skills, the technique and the drive for it.

5- What would you like to accomplish that could be considered your greatest contribution to society?

For instance, the day that Freddy Beras-Goico died, every citizen, the State, all of us in unison, mourned his passing. My belief is that when our time comes, the country, your province, your town or slum, name a street, a park, build a bust or anything in your honor, then your time on this Earth will not have been in vain. We want to be the standard and ambassadors of hard work, of the Dominican Republic.