BUSINESS YOU SHOULD KNOW

FOR THE LAST NINE YEARS, THE WARREN GROUP HAS BEEN AT THE HEAD OF MAJOR PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND INTO SOUTH AMERICA.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHO DESIGNED THE THE ART VILLAGE? MCALLEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S EXPANSION? DOCTORS HOSPITAL AT RENAISSANCE?

These plus so many more incredible projects came from the firm - The Warren Group Architects, Inc.

Behind the name is a stunning, petite woman with piercing brown eyes, a soft, firm voice, who is half Mexican and half Lebanese, and with determination that would knock an elephant off its feet! Laura Warren decided when she was seven years old she was going to become an architect.

When others scoffed, her loving father gave her the boost she needed.

"It's your future, not theirs. What are you going to do?" he asked the young girl. "If this is what you want to do, you do it!"

At 16 she was working in an engineer's office which only cemented her decision.

"I have not stopped since," Laura's proud to have followed her father's advice.

Becoming an architect in America was a four year feat, on top of her degree from Mexico and four years prior experience.

When told it was almost impossible, all she heard was "possible" and she passed all her tests within a year. That second four year set of internship (because of her out-of-country degree) finished and very soon thereafter The Warren Group Architects was established. For the last nine years she has been at the head of major projects across the country and into South America. But, there is one thing she puts in front of her thriving, inspired company.

"I'm a mom first. They're my inspiration," she stated with conviction.

An involved mom, as Assistant Scout Master, she'll be part of her son's Boy Scout troop's 56 mile hike and encourages her children in their desires to become doctors.

Sleeping little, cooking a lot (she loves it), designing, leading, mothering - this dynamo is following her beloved father's sage advice.

"You make sure you leave the world better than you found it!"

Collecting frogs to ever remind her to move forward, frogs never take a step back; Laura has made it her goal to leave the planet a better place for her having lived on it.