Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/08/2015 -- LA's most unlikely entrant in a business field stands about five feet tall and comes from a demographic that makes up less than a tenth of a percent of the people in that industry.

It's likely that this person is the only representative in the construction business in the LA region.

Cecille Maristela, a Phillipines native, is the owner of Urban Green Development Inc. (UGDI), a construction company that's already been involved in several major projects in Beverly Hills.

The National Women's Law Center says women are just 2.6 percent of the workforce in construction today. Most of those are white. Minorities account for less than 1 percent of the women in construction. Finding a lady from the Pacific islands who actually owns the construction company? Maristela is likely unique.

"As young lady who grew up in a very conservative family in a province in the Philippines and went to a catholic school I never imagined being involved in construction," she said. "But, we were never raised to believe that there were limits to what we could become just because we are women."

Maristela has a background in finance and management, but that didn't really appeal to her. She's still glad of that experience and training because it helps her to run the business end of UGDI. Still, her heart is in the construction end.

"I love being challenged. I got an opportunity to work on a development project up north. That's how I started in the industry," she said. "From there, I learned all aspects of construction; budgeting, scheduling, space planning and design to actual construction. It is a lot of juggling. I found myself drawn to construction. It's the type of job where you are constantly solving problems and you have to think on your feet. I love seeing projects as they evolve.

"I felt it was a good fit for my personality."

As for being a woman in a male-dominated industry? Not a problem for this dynamo. She actually sees it as an advantage. "Being a woman in a male dominated construction industry has a lot of advantages for one we are very good in multi-tasking, we bring different perspective to the industry, we are organized, a perfectionist and we have an eye for design and elegance," she said.

For more information, contact Maristela at www.ugdi.info or call 310-465-8840

Contact:
Cecille Maristela
Los Angeles, CA
Tel: 310-465-8840
Email: info@udgdi.info