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Pedro J. Cevallos-Candau has demonstrated progressive executive leadership for more than 30 years. Dr. Cevallos-Candau co-founded Primera Engineers, Ltd. in 1987 and sold the firm in 2016. During this time the firm grew to become one of the largest Latino-owned engineering firms in the country, doing business in multiple states. His transformational leadership helped the company grow while maximizing employee engagement and involvement. The Chicago Tribune named Primera Engineers as one of Chicago’s Top Workplaces several years in a row. He launched his new firm, PECECA Business Consultants, a management consulting firm, in March 2016. Prior to starting Primera Engineers, he was in the faculty of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Dr. Cevallos-Candau has been a leader in the empowerment of Hispanic professionals in the Chicago area. He was a founding member of the Chicago Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) and was involved in the formation of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE). He is an active member of many engineering professional societies and has served on the Board of Directors of several of them, including serving as President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC). He is a Past Chairman of the Board of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), Past-President of the Rotary Club of Chicago, and Governor of Rotary International District 6450. He is also a member of the Board of Governors of the Metropolitan Planning Council.