who we are

Johnny’s career began in 1976 with Universal Corporation, which was an industrial engineering subsidiary company of The Arkel Group. The company later became Arkel International where Johnny became Vice President in 1986 and then Chief Executive Officer from 1992 - 1996.

Today, Johnny still serves as chairman of Arkel Constructors and provides insight on operational oversight to the organization and assists with alignment of the key aspects of the company. Along with his involvement in the day-to-day operations of his businesses, Johnny is active in the Baton Rouge community with commitments to the American Cancer Society, Baton Rouge Airport Commission, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, and TRUCE (A community support group).

Since founding Arkel Constructors in 1996, Johnny has led the company to become one of the premiere commercial and industrial building general contractors in Louisiana with a regional presence throughout the Gulf Coast. Johnny has hired the right people and instilled into them the core values of integrity, work ethic, and customer service from day one – which are still the backbone of the company today as his son, Derek, President, continues the success.

As president of the company, Derek's responsibilities cover all aspects of operations from pursuit of opportunities to oversight of the project execution, to the financial management of the organization.  His leadership provides structure, alignment, and oversight to critical decisions that impact projects and processes.  

Derek’s experience began with Arkel Constructors in 2000 and he ascended in the organization from a field laborer to become the Vice President in 2009 and President in 2017.  Derek takes an active role in the company by staying engaged in the day-to-day responsibilities of running the company.  His focus is on hiring and supporting the staff around him that represents the company’s culture and core values on each project.

Outside of work, Derek is heavily involved in the community volunteering his time and resources to assist the less fortunate and youth of the community.  When he’s not in the office you will find Derek on the sideline coaching kids sports, supporting his 3 children in their activities or volunteering his time in the community.  

As Chief Operations Officer, Marks’s focus is to help implement Arkel’s company strategies into daily operations to meet the company’s objectives. He will help lead our team of high-performing professionals to be efficient, productive, and effective as he helps provide structure and direction. Mark will be involved with our project teams daily, helping with problem-solving and implementing the industry’s best practices.
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Prior to moving his family to Baton Rouge in 2008, Mark’s career began in Architecture with a degree from the University of Connecticut and after years of design, moved into the Design/Build market, gaining valuable experience from both sides of the table. After building one of the highest-profile projects in Baton Rouge history, the New Woman’s Hospital facility, Mark joined Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center as the Vice President of Facilities and Construction, bringing another perspective from the Owner's side to add to his tool chest. With over 35 years of experience in the Construction industry and developing projects from a few thousand dollars to a few hundred million dollars and seeing them develop from different vantage points, this brings years of invaluable experience to the team.

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As the Chief Financial Officer, Tracye has the primary day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activity for the company, as well as overseeing the administrative structure of the organization. This includes managing all accounting, finance, forecasting, job costing, and corporate compliance.

Before joining Arkel Constructors in May of 2023, Tracye served as the chief financial officer of Feliciana Bank & Trust. Her experience brings a wealth of knowledge to the accounting side of the business and ensures the company is in position to continue growing with the proper processes and controls in place.

Pete serves as the Vice President and leads the Preconstruction Department.  Pete provides oversite through the preconstruction process and on each estimate deliverable the company provides.  His experience as both an estimator and construction manager in the South Louisiana region allows Arkel to be competitive with every opportunity. He brings a team approach and leads by example when partnering with design teams and Clients to secure the best value for each project. Pete has a wealth of knowledge that the organization relies on daily to provide solutions for the most complex projects.

Pete is a Baton Rouge native and graduate of LSU in construction management. He has a long-standing reputation of consistency and fairness to everyone he has encountered in our industry.  With over 40 years of construction experience, Pete provides a calming presence to any meeting with his knowledge base and problem-solving capabilities. These attributes have made him one of the most respected men in the area among owners, architects, and engineers as well as with the subcontractors and vendors throughout the region.

Mike O’Deay serves as the Vice President of ACI Facility support.  In his role, Mike leads the strategic growth and business development efforts for the company. He is well-versed in the commercial maintenance and construction industry, having served in similar roles during his 32-year career in construction management and project development capacities.

Mike’s success has centered around always being a problem solver. He partners with clients to provide them with a unique maintenance solution that allows them to focus on improving their business while focusing on reducing their property operating cost. His extensive experience with renovations, relocations and tenant build-outs have made him the go-to man in our region.

Mike is a Baton Rouge native and veteran who spent 18 years living and working in over 20 countries, before deciding to return home.  “I realized one day the two things I missed the most – A good shrimp po’boy, dressed of course, and Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium – could only be found in my hometown”.  

Sammy is responsible for overseeing all aspects of project execution in the field. He is an integral part of each project’s success with his vast experience and knowledge of the industry.  Sammy works daily to provide our field supervision with the support needed to align resources and provide solutions that result in quality projects.

Everyone that works with Sammy compliments his demeanor and his focus on providing the best service to the Client.  He understands the importance of working as a team to accomplish a task and communicates this daily to the Arkel superintendents and subcontractor community. Sammy is a problem solver and is responsible for the training and development of all field staff.

Sammy started with Arkel in 2007 as a superintendent and is currently Director of Field Operations. He is a father of 5 and when not on a jobsite, you will most likely find him working on projects around the house.

As the Director of Business Development at Arkel Constructors, Dakota Ball is committed to driving strategic growth through innovative partnerships and fostering strong client relationships. He plays a key role in overseeing the company’s marketing initiatives and collaborates closely with clients and project teams to enhance project delivery and the overall client experience from preconstruction to completion.

Dakota joined Arkel Constructors in 2018 after graduating college, and he has since gained valuable experience in accounting, project management, and preconstruction. This diverse skill set allows him to effectively connect with clients and partners across various market segments. His enthusiasm and dedication to his work create a vibrant company culture that resonates with both colleagues and clients.

An engaged member of ABC, AGC, and LCIA, Dakota is passionate about professional growth and industry involvement. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, running at the LSU Lakes, and exploring Hawaii.

Jeff is responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of projects from budgeting thru project completion with a focus on managing and developing project team members. With 11 years of architectural experience, Jeff brings a unique perspective that provides value during the pre-construction phase and allows him to identify potential issues before they arise during construction. With Jeff’s experience, he provides a resource for problem solving and can communicate with design teams, engineering consultants, and Clients to ensure there are no surprises through the construction process.

Jeff graduated from LSU in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management and then received a Master’s in Architecture from LSU in 2010. In his spare time, Jeff enjoys traveling and searching out new golf courses to play.  

Jeremy is responsible for the operations of the Industrial Division at Arkel Constructors. With over 25 years in commercial and industrial construction, Jeremy brings a unique perspective to the Arkel team with experience from the client’s perspective.  With Jeremy’s background,  he provides a valuable resource for our industrial clients as he understands the challenges of construction in the industrial sector. 
 
Jeremy graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Construction Engineering degree from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1999.  He is married with two children and during his free time, you can find him attending his daughter's cheer events, visiting his son at college, or out on the water boating with the family.

As the company safety director, Brandon ensures the standards of our safety program are met and implemented on each project we undertake. Brandon began working with Arkel in 2013 and continues to work on new and innovative ways to enhance both employee and subcontractor engagement.  Brandon is involved with the commercial, industrial, and facilities maintenance divisions of Arkel.

James Lachney serves as the Operations Manager for ACI Facility Support. In this role, He oversees the operating system of the organization. James has 12 years of experience in supervising teams of employees while maintaining and planning future work schedules. Management of procedures, customer service activities, oversite of customer invoicing and management of customer requests are all part of the role he assumes with ACI.    

James is an organized individual with the goal of efficiency and great customer service. He started his construction career in the field of carpentry and millwork in 2005. His focus was on historical restoration and remodeling throughout the New Orleans area.

James is a New Orleans native. He relocated to Baton Rouge to pursue a degree in Construction Management. Following completion of school, he began working with ACI and has been with the company since.  

Reggie is responsible for overseeing ACI Facility Support field operations. Reggie is an integral part of each project’s success as he applies extensive experience and knowledge of the industry. Reggie works daily to provide the field with the support needed to align resources and provide solutions.

Tim McCurry serves as the Field Service Manager for ACI Facility Support. With over 25 years of experience in the construction industry as a home framer, residential remodeler, and supervisor of commercial projects, he uses that experience to assess the project and schedule each tech according to their skills and experience. He works closely with each tech to ensure they have what is needed to complete the work order and always keeps integrity and quality as the top priority.