We were given life to do extraordinary things" Mi Papacito, Mario Alvarez B. October '95)

     The founder and president of Álvarez Construction Co. Inc., Jairo Álvarez Botero is one of the largest home builders and developers in the state of Louisiana. He immigrated to the United States at twenty-five years old after having served as an officer in the Colombian Army for many years where, in the early 1960s, he was charged with the protection of Presidents Alberto Lleras Camargo and Guillermo León Valencia.

    While serving in the Presidential Guard, he single-handedly averted a coup against his president, which would have brought back the dictatorship of General Rojas Pinilla. After coming to the United States with only one hundred dollars in his wallet, Jairo struggled to learn the language while working his way through college. After graduation, he returned to Colombia to start a family and began his first construction company. Many years later, he returned to the United States, determined to live the American dream.

    Today, that dream has come true. The Colombian, army reservist, husband, father and grandfather turned American entrepreneur, athlete, artist, avid gardener, cancer survivor and philanthropist is now a millionaire builder and developer, who resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with his beloved family, all of whom work with him as partners in his business.