Construction CEO Arcilia Acosta dispenses entrepreneurial knowledge, skills to help others

Illustrations of Don Quixote figure prominently in the otherwisesimple décor of Arcilia Acosta’s office on Ambassador Row in Dallas. Quixote, Cervantes’ early 17th century idealist hero, refusedto abandon his dreams despite popular sentiment they were unattainable.Acosta did attain her dreams and, in quixotic fashion, she uses hersuccess to accomplish a greater good.

Not that anyone ever tried to persuade Acosta to lower her aim. Against the odds, however, she is one of very few female leaders in male-dominated commercial construction and civil engineering. Shedidn’t start out with the intention of forging a new trail, and she would be the last to say that she’s some sort of pathfinder. What is far more significant to Acosta is that she’s doing something she enjoys.

Her way

Acosta is the president of CARCON Industries, a business sheacquired from her father, who founded the construction company in 1985. Acosta took over the business in 2000 and brought it to Dallas, where she changed the firm’s focus to commercial and civil contracting. CARCON’s portfolio includes projects for Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas County Community College District, Dallas Independent SchoolDistrict, Texas Department of Transportation and Texas Women’s University.

But running only one business wasn’t enough to occupy or satisfy the high-energy Acosta.

In 2003, she led the start-up of Southwestern Testing Laboratories Engineers, a geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing andenvironmental consulting firm based in Dallas. Today, STL Engineers’list of clients includes TXDOT, North Texas Tollway Authority, D/FWAirport, Hillwood Development, Kimley-Horn and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In June 2006, STL Engineers was awarded a multi-year contract to provide geotechnical services for TXDOT.

It helped that Acosta’s father owned his own successful construction firm; she learned the ropes at the hands of a master. The rest of Acosta’s path to success can be attributed to a series of calculated steps. With a firm grasp on the ins and outs of construction, she earned a degree from Texas Tech and went on to work at a bank where she specialized in construction finance.

“Finance is at the root of everything,” she declared. “You have to be able to budget wisely and make sure your personal and business financesare managed correctly. When my husband and I planned to open the business, we planned it for two years. I was going to lose my salary andwe weren’t too sure when I would be making one again, so we had to be prepared for that.”

Having her businesses certified as minority-owned and women-owned have been other factors in her success. “It opened doors earlyon,” she explained. “It doesn’t take the place of doing good work nor does it come first, but it’s definitely a competitive advantage for us.”

Benefactor-at-large

All the experience, insight and wisdom gained from entrepreneurial success don’t just benefit Acosta’s businesses and clients. She spreads that wealth of knowledge and leadership in business and civics amongseveral organizations.

She is the chairman of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, the umbrella organization of the 26 Hispanic chambers in Texas with more than 15,000 members. Acosta is a past chair of the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and oneof three co-chairs of Dallas Achieves. She is a member of the Texas Council of Engineering Companies and the Junior League of Dallas.

Acosta said she is careful not to spread herself too thin. “I liketo help organizations when I think I have something to offer, such as helping others establish businesses or representing Hispanics on a boardthat has no other Hispanic presence.”

For instance, she serves on the boards of Compass Bank andEnergy Future Holdings, a Dallas-based energy holding company with a portfolio that includes TXU Energy, Luminant and Oncor. Her election to these two boards is historically significant because she is the onlyLatina and Hispanic voice on either board.

“I have a responsibility to assure our community is represented,”she stated, adding that she carefully weighs any decision to accept invitations to join various boards. “I have to know that my participationwill do some good.”

Head of the class

That’s why she’s also on the boards of the Foundation for the Education of Young Women, the Dallas Foundation and DISD Education Foundation.

“Education is huge,” she said. “It’s where everything starts.” Acosta and her siblings have established the Carrasco Education Foundation toprovide financial assistance to graduates of Midland Junior College.

Acosta has garnered a fair amount of recognition based on her workfor the good of others. In 2007, she was the subject of a PBS documentary. That same year, she received the AFLAC Civic Award, which recognizes Hispanic business leaders throughout the United States for their civiccontributions. In 2006, she was named Hispanic Businesswoman of theYear in Texas and, in 2005, she was selected by the Dallas Business Journal for one of the “40 under 40″ entrepreneur awards. She has caughtthe attention of Engineering News Record, Construction Today, DiversityTexas and Latina Style magazines.

“It’s always nice to receive recognition, but helping others is just a part of who I am,” said Acosta. “I wake up every morning loving what I do. If I can help others achieve that kind of success, I’ll do whatever I can.

“I think success comes from intelligent decisions,” she continued.”We’re each a product of our choices, not our abilities. We all have the capacity to achieve our goals. I tell people to dream big. At the very least, you’ll get close to the mark.”

Quixote would approve.

The Scoop on  Acosta

• Historical: First Latina and Hispanic to serve on the board of Energy Future Holdings and Compass Bank
• Mentor: Dallas businessman Ted Strauss
• Family: Husband Kevin and sons Carlos, 13, and Marcos, 11
• Last book read:  “Think and Grow Rich” by Napolean Hill
• Birthplace:  Kermit, Texas
• If I weren’t running STL and CARCON, I’d be: president or chancellor of a large university.
• People don’t know that I:  am a great sister and a great mother.