“IF THEY PUT BARRIERS ON YOU, FIND OUT HOW TO BUILD A BRIDGE TO CROSS THEM”
Omar Arroyo, a successful businessman, is the first Hispanic to be elected by Haines City constituents as Commissioner, and the first Mexican to hold such a position in the State of Florida.
Upon meeting Omar, we could immediately notice his kindness and serenity when he received us and began to tell us about the path he had to travel to get to where he is.
Originally from Mexico, raised specifically in Amatepec, he is the oldest of 3 brothers, and he told us that after finishing high school, without imagining it, one day his family informed him that in a week they would travel to the United States. After a difficult and failed trip on two occasions, they managed to arrive in Austin, Texas, a city where they lived for approximately 2 years.
At the age of 15 he began to work in the carpentry trade; her mother could not afford her expenses alone and because he was her oldest, he decided to drop out of school and help her. The young Omar began to explore the field of construction without knowing that he was building solid foundations to become one of the benchmarks in the industry.
In 2001 he moved alone to Haines City where he had heard they had jobs in carpentry. He stood out as a good worker and managed to raise the necessary funds to bring his mother and brothers. Despite countless difficulties and uncertainties trying to make his way towards economic independence. Although on more than one occasion, he lost almost everything; Omar made the decision to fight for his dreams and overcome all kinds of visisitudes in search of business success.
In 2013, a project was born that has become the most important for Omar and Osnay, their brother and main partner of O & O Construction Group LLC, a company that today builds thousands of houses annually in Central Florida. Omar is also engaged in the purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties. He also recently decided to become part of Integrity Mental Resources Corp, a mental health clinic in order to expand and address the high perceived need for psychological treatment today.
The young visionary has not only been assertive in the workplace, but also in raising and enjoying his family. He met his wife Alejandra when he was 19 years old and they currently have three children. He told us that he enjoys spending time with them in his free time, especially visiting theme parks, such as Legoland Resort and Peppa Pig Theme Park (on the cover).
Omar never imagined running for Haines City Commissioner. He decided to do it when noticing the misinformation and lack of equality, when more than half of the city is Hispanic and a councilman of Latino origin had never been elected. He ran in 2021 and although he did not win, it gave him the experience to do so in 2022. He begins his legacy by opening doors for other Hispanics to have a voice in government.
Commissioner Arroyo is an inspiration to all who have the privilege of knowing him, an example of perseverance and work ethic. He relies on many young people who, like him, aspire to improve their lives and that of their family, encourages them to work hard and never stop dreaming. "We have to fight for our dreams, no one else is going to do it for us." He told us with certainty in his voice.
