John Sofarelli - President, CDP, LEED AP

Visionary. Leader. Generous. Family-Oriented. Patient.

As our President and majority owner, John sets the tone for our company, and you can practically see the wheels in his head that are always turning. He creates the vision and direction, lays out the expectations, and knows he can count on the rest of us to follow through.

He and Russ Suddeth make a great team and have created an environment that allows the people, and therefore the work, to flourish. “I try to make this a great place to work. If the employees and the clients are happy, I’ve done my job. Everything else will follow as it should.”

"Hard on problems, compassionate with people."
– Russ Suddeth, Sr. V.P.

John is always focused on making the right decision. “I find that when you take a step back and take the emotion out of the moment, you can see both sides and come to a good decision. It’s not always the easiest or most obvious path, but I consciously look for the solution that’s ‘the right thing to do’. ”

In addition to the strong personal ethics that drive John, he has a compelling background and list of achievements that make it clear why he’s qualified to run our operation:

• A fourth-generation contractor with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry in Texas, Maine, Maryland and Florida.
• Certified General Contractor, Holds state of Florida Real Estate License.
• Graduated with honors from the University of Florida in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the college of Architecture, School of Building Construction.
• 2002 Distinguished alumnus award, University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning.
• Completed relevant Masters level course work at the Crummer Graduate School of Business of Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.
• Became Vice President of Tribble and Stephens Company, after only 5 years as a Construction Field Engineer, and managed over two million square-feet of retail, office and industrial work.
• Formed J. Raymond & Associates, Inc. in 1988 and is responsible for supervision of all aspects of the business including marketing, estimating, production, quality control and policy, while working closely with all clients and personnel.
• Is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Those who know John are amazed at how he manages to be dedicated to the company and its clients while still maintaining a robust and active personal life that includes both his family and his community. He and his wife, Anne, live in Lake Mary with their three children; JJ, Rachel and Rebecca. They are active members of Nativity Church in Lake Mary, where he serves as Vice President of the Parish Council and Building Liaison.

“His concern for employees is obviously genuine and therefore reciprocated.”
– Tom Lail, Sr. Project Mgr.

He is a member of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce and served on the Special Events Committee of the Downtown Orlando Partnership. John is also on the Board of Directors for BETA in Orlando. He is generous with his time and skills to numerous charity and social organizations and gets joy and satisfaction from helping those in need. According to John, the blend of business and personal commitments work hand in hand. “To be a good leader, you have to be a good servant.”