After nearly seven years of building a successful business, the entrepreneurs of Gutier pay it forward through their involvement with the University of Houston College of Technology. Co-founders Michael Gutierrez and Jorge Mancilla have devoted their time at Gutier to finding ways to give back to their community.
Gutier is a fully-integrated construction services company that leads in design, construction and consultancy all over the Texas – Louisiana region. It was founded in 2014 by Gutierrez and Mancilla, both UH alumni.
Gutierrez and Mancilla have been friends since the 6th grade and have developed a partnership that is vital to the growth of Gutier. Gutierrez is a College of Technology graduate from the Construction Management program, and Mancilla is an alum from the C.T. Bauer College of Business.
Growing from a start-up with zero employees or investment to a leading organization with more than 50 employees, Gutier’s founders believe that their success and motivation is 100% dependent on its people.
“At Gutier, entrepreneurial spirit is a key part of our culture. This means that everyone at Gutier from all levels of the organization has the opportunity to make a difference,” said Gutierrez.
Gutier has continued their involvement in the UH community through the College of Technology’s Construction Management program. As employers, they work with the program to provide internships to dedicated Construction Management students.
When asked what motivates them to continue investing their time into the college, their immediate response was their desire to give back to the community.
“From when I was a student until now, I have always noticed how impactful UH students are. Partnering with the Construction Management Internship program gives us the chance to help our community by granting college students the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience,” said Gutierrez.
“We believe the students at the University of Houston are unique,” said Mancilla. “UH was a great time in my life because of the support that I received; I hope my efforts can help create that for someone else.”
As Gutier continues to be a model in the construction services industry, a large contribution to their growth is how they work with their people. “The fundamentals of business will always remain constant and we’re always evaluating how we can grow, but how we manage and empower our team directly impacts how successful everyone is,” said Mancilla.
Recently, Gutier won a construction contract with the University of Houston to develop a building for the Advancing Community Engagement and Service Institute. This is the company’s first ground-up construction project with the university, and they are committing to it with a full UH-led team.
“The entire execution team for this project is UH alumni and students; there is nothing but UH leadership,’’ said Gutierrez. “The common denominator is the UH capabilities and expertise that are making this happen, which is why this project is so meaningful to me.”
“We are excited to keep the UH legacy going and give back to the university that gave us so much,” said Mancilla. “It feels full-circle to be able to help construct a building that will last for hopefully another 100 years.”