Marie-Andrée Pelletier has been at the helm of JPL Construction for a number of years. The company was founded in 1966 by her grandfather, Joseph Pelletier. She took over from her father, Jacques Pelletier, who ran the family company for nearly 30 years.
“I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. For years, I accompanied my father to his business meetings and to many of his work activities,” she recounts. “He inspired me greatly throughout my youth.”
Ms. Pelletier completed her studies in civil engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke before getting her first job with the Genivar engineering firm. “I worked there as a design engineer. But very soon I decided to move into general construction, where I could track every stage of a project, from beginning to end.”
In 2004 she did just that, moving into the family business, where she was given commercial construction contracts. She started with a $50,000 project, and was soon getting bigger and bigger ones. The last commercial contract she carried out was an $8 million project.
Marie-André Pelletier then moved to the disaster recovery department as an assessor, and later into the position of Vice President and Head of Operations at JPL in 2007.
When her father died suddenly in 2009, Ms. Pelletier officially took over the family business. She is now its President and Head of Disaster Recovery. JPL Construction also has a general construction division, and since 2010, a custom residential construction division.
Modest beginnings
Marie-Andrée’s grandfather worked in construction in the 1960s before opening his own business. From the very first, Joseph Pelletier intended to build a company he could leave to his children. He started small, with residential renovation projects. As he went along, he developed an expertise in disaster recovery restoration. Over time, Joseph Pelletier built himself a name among insurers and disaster experts, earning their respect and trust. His children joined in the late 1960s. His son Jacques became his right-hand man, and ended up succeeding him as President and CEO in 1980. His daughter Huguette took charge of the administration and served as Treasurer.
Little by little, the business made its way into commercial and institutional construction, carrying out renovation and expansion contracts in this sector. However, residential renovation and disaster restoration remain the backbone of the company. The commercial construction side really took off in 2002, when a first engineer was hired by the Gatineau company. The division further consolidated when Marie-Andrée’s spouse, Roel Langeveld, joined the business in 2006. By that time, Mr. Langeveld, an engineer, had 15 years’ experience in major construction projects and project management.
“The business has continued growing since I took over as President. The disaster recovery department has expanded, and since 2010 we have been developing the custom residential construction market,” explains the President.
The number of staff more than doubled over a very short period, from approximately 30 in 2009 to 80 in 2011. In a field where labour is hard to find, particularly the kind that works on disaster recovery, JPL Construction has often been able to rely on Emploi Québec subsidies for training. “Their support has been instrumental in our development. It has been a tremendous asset,” points out Ms. Pelletier. With more than 45 years of experience to its credit, this third-generation business appears to be on track for many more years of expansion. This will pave the way for the next generations of Pelletiers to make their mark in the National Capital area.
Pratical information
-
What made you decide to start up this business?
I decided to run a business because I was inspired by my father. He was a go-getter, and I inherited his temperament. This job suits my character perfectly.
-
Why Gatineau?
My family is from Gatineau, and I was born here. It is a lovely region, and we simply decided to establish the business here.
-
In your opinion, what advantages does Gatineau have over Ottawa?
At this point, Gatineau has so many development projects, particularly in the downtown. For a company like ours, this is a great advantage. In fact, we won the construction contract for Place Victoria, a 16-storey building on rue Victoria in Vieux-Hull.
-
What are the advantages of working for yourself?
Being your own boss has its downsides. However, these are largely offset by the fact that you get to earn your living doing something that you love. You rely on that adrenaline to get you through. In business, we are masters of our destiny because we are in charge of the final decisions.
-
What surprised you the most about the business world?
The tremendous number of challenges you have to face every day.
-
To what do you attribute your business success?
Mostly, it comes down to the organization you have, to the qualified staff and to the business values and culture to which the team adheres. We also focus on client service. In fact, every year our staff attend a course on guaranteeing quality service to clients. We have also set up a “recruits camp”, where recently hired employees attend information sessions on client service.
-
What were your toughest challenges, and how did you overcome them?
Our business is still growing, and our biggest challenge lies in hiring enough staff to meet the demand. This is not easy because skilled labour is hard to find, particularly in the disaster recovery field. This is a poorly known trade, and there is no training for it. So we had to set up our own in-house training program.
-
What does it take to succeed in business today?
You have to be passionate about what you do or you will not make it through. You also have to surround yourself with a team and an organization that are focused on success. You have to set your sights on client service and continuing training for staff.
-
What advice would you give someone who is thinking of starting up a business?
IYou must surround yourself with the right people in terms of professionals, employees and friends. This is absolutely essential. Otherwise, it can get to be too much for just one person. You also need a solid team. That is critical in a business. From the very start you have to be well organized. If not, you are bound to get some nasty surprises down the road.
Click here to see all stories
- « DE – CLDG is there to serve entrepreneurs who have a business idea. For additional information, call 819-595-8002. Our services are free and confidential.
