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Five questions with Ron Arana
Portrait of Ron Arana.
Ron Arana (BArch 2009) is the co-founder and managing partner of Arana Group, a San Francisco-based general contracting firm focused on public, institutional, and community-serving projects throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Trained in architecture at Թ, Ron brings a design-minded perspective to construction, entrepreneurship, and leadership. His work centers on collaborative project delivery, technology adoption, and creating opportunities within the built environment. In 2026, Ron was recognized by Autodesk as one of its 40 Under 40 Champions of Construction.
1. What is your current practice/business?
I am the co-founder and managing partner of Arana Group, a San Francisco-based general contracting firm serving public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and institutional clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our work ranges from renovations and modernization projects to complex public and community-serving facilities. What I enjoy most is being at the intersection of design, construction, business, and people. My architectural education still influences the way I approach our work today. I tend to look beyond simply building what is shown on the drawings and think about design intent, constructability, collaboration, the end user, and the broader purpose of the project. As our company has grown, I have also become increasingly interested in how technology, data, and AI can improve the way construction companies operate and deliver projects.
Arana's jobsite.
2. Why did you choose CCA?
I grew up in San Francisco and knew early on that I wanted a career connected to architecture, design, and the built environment. CCA appealed to me because it approached architecture as both a technical discipline and a creative one. What ultimately made the experience so valuable was being surrounded by people working across so many different creative fields. You were constantly exposed to different ways of thinking, making, and solving problems. Looking back, that environment had a significant influence on me. My career did not follow a traditional architectural path, but the design thinking, curiosity, critique, and problem-solving skills I developed at CCA became foundational to how I approach construction and entrepreneurship today.
“My career did not follow a traditional architectural path, but the design thinking, curiosity, critique, and problem-solving skills I developed at CCA became foundational to how I approach construction and entrepreneurship today.”
(BArch 2009)
Digital Builder podcast with Autodesk.
3. If you could share one piece of advice with current or future students, what would it be?
Do not let your degree define the boundaries of your career. Let it shape the way you think. When I graduated from CCA, I could not have predicted the exact path my career would take. Architecture eventually led me deeper into construction, business, entrepreneurship, technology, and leadership. I would encourage students to remain curious and be open to opportunities that may not fit the career path they originally imagined. Build relationships, learn how different parts of an industry work, and become comfortable being a lifelong student. Your education gives you a foundation, but you ultimately get to decide what you build on top of it.
4. What's your secret to staying inspired and creative?
Curiosity and the people around me. I genuinely enjoy learning how things work, meeting people from different backgrounds, and understanding how other industries solve problems. I find inspiration in architecture and construction, but also in technology, business, entrepreneurship, and the communities around me. Some of that inspiration still comes directly from CCA. I made lifelong friends there, including D'Sjon Dixon (BArch 2009), Michael “Meez” Perkins (BArch 2009), and Vladimir Vlad (BArch 2010). We have each taken different professional paths, but we continue to exchange ideas, challenge one another, and stay connected to design and the built environment. Having friends like that who continue to grow and evolve professionally keeps me inspired as well. Construction itself also demands creativity because no two projects or problems are exactly the same. You are constantly balancing design, people, schedule, cost, logistics, and unexpected conditions. That forces you to keep thinking differently. I also try to remain a student. The more I learn, and the more I learn from the people around me, the more connections I see between disciplines. Those connections often lead to the most interesting ideas.
5. What do you have coming up?
There is a lot ahead that I am excited about, both for Arana Group and for the construction industry more broadly. At Arana Group, we are continuing to grow our work with existing and new clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area while investing in the people, systems, and technology that will help us become a stronger company. We are also taking on exciting federal work, including a major historic renovation project with the National Park Service. Projects like this are especially meaningful to me because they bring together architecture, preservation, construction, collaboration, and community impact. I am also focused on where our industry is heading, particularly how technology, data, and AI can improve the way contractors plan, communicate, manage risk, and build. Construction will always be a relationship-driven and hands-on business, but I believe thoughtfully combining that experience with emerging technology can significantly improve project delivery. Outside of Arana Group, I am proud to serve on the Board of Rebuilding Together San Francisco. Continuing to give back to the community, creating opportunities, and helping inspire and support the next generation of builders and leaders is increasingly important to me. Being named one of Autodesk's 40 Under 40 Champions of Construction in 2026 was especially meaningful because it brought together so many parts of my journey—design, construction, entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, and community. I am excited to keep building Arana Group, taking on meaningful projects, contributing to the future of our industry, and finding new ways to positively impact the communities we serve.
