ASSOCIATION

Mr. Harold R. Charles founded CEEPCO Contracting, LLC. in 2003 and is the Principal-in-Charge of all aspects of the organization. Under his leadership, CEEPCO has grown steadily in size and scope into the industry leader it is today. Mr. Charles earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of the DC  and a M.S. in Environmental Management from the University of MD. Mr. Charles also holds the following titles: Registered Professional Engineer in DC, MD, VA and FL; Certified Project Management Professional (PMP); Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP); as well as Certified General Contractor DC, MD, VA and FL.

Prior to founding CEEPCO, Mr. Charles served as a Civil Engineer and Environmental Coordinator for the DC Air National Guard at Andrews Air Force Base; as an Environmental Protection Specialist for the US Army at the Pentagon; as a Civil/Environmental Engineer for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); and as an Environmental Engineer for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Mr. Charles decided in April 2009 that it was time to start giving back and he needed to make Haiti part of his professional portfolio. Just two months later, he secured his first construction contract in Haiti before the devastating earthquake that left the already fragile country in need of rebuilding.
Engineer Harold Charles is among a handful of U.S. government Haitian-American ‘prime’

construction grantees in Haiti. Mr. Charles started Ceepco about 10 years ago and was enjoying great success before venturing into Haiti. While he acknowledges that there are lots of challenges to doing business in Haiti, he says the impact he has had makes it all worth it.

To help stimulate economic growth, he purchases materials and hires locally to help build capacity. He says it is important to plant roots in the community and collaborates with the local organizations to expand recruitment and even makes direct investments where there is a need.

For Mr. Charles, this is not just business as usual. He sees this as an opportunity to give back to the country where he was raised and learned the values that propelled him to academic and career advancements in the U.S. He goes to great lengths to make sure his company is a resource and he nurtures relationships in the communities he serves. He does not take this opportunity to help rebuild Haiti’s infrastructure lightly. He works hard to ensure his infrastructure projects are environmentally responsible, help to reduce the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, and increase access to water, sewer, municipal solid waste handling, recycling, and disposal systems.

Mr. Charles is proud that he started working in Haiti before the earthquake, which has attracted contractors and investors in droves.   Earlier this year, his Silver Spring, Maryland-based Ceepco Contracting was awarded a $11 million USAID contract to provide site development work for permanent shelters in northern Haiti.  Ceepco is building 750 single family homes in Caracol which is the country's largest new housing community built since the earthquake.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ceepco has created over 1,500 jobs in the last two years, training and employing local Haitians. Additionally, the firm has hired many engineers and construction managers and subcontracted with architectural and engineering firms – 98% of subcontractors and consultants are Haitians living in the country or abroad. To help stimulate economic growth, Ceepco hires locally and purchases materials in the northern corridor to help grow the market.

 

Websites:

http://www.ceepcocontracting.com/

 

http://www.blackenterprise.com/blogs/how-this-haitian-american-entrepreneur-is-rebuilding-haiti/

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ceepco-Contracting

 

 

 

 

For information, please contact:

Telephone: 202-681-0222
Email: info@lakouassociation.org

Mail: Lakou Association Leadership Gala Awards
2007 Osborn Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20910