Ines M. Rivas

She’s not just gorgeously exotic — Venezuelan vixen Ines M. Rivas is super smart and way fun. When she’s not managing construction projects all over the country, you’ll find her at Energy Fitness yoga or hanging with her best pals!

Ines Rivas, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! Here we go:

1. I am a Venezuelan import, and I’ve been in Paducah for two years. I lived in Jupiter, Fla., before for about 10 years. I recently became a proud US citizen.
   
   
2. I studied architecture in Venezuela and jumped into construction management when I moved to USA. I passed my Florida General Contractors License test in the first try and many of my subcontractors at the time lost money on the bet. I, of course, bet on myself and walked away with money in my pocket and a lot of pride!
   
   
3. I’m a Construction Project Manager with Vanguard Contractors, and that’s how I ended up in P-Town. I pursued a job opening almost two years ago, and what a great decision that was! I work with an amazing group of people who take a lot of pride in what we do and what we offer to our clients. Vanguard holds several government contracts and we perform extensive work for the US Army Corps of Engineers, NASA, US Air Force and the US Navy all around the Continental US, Alaska and Puerto Rico.
   
   
4. I always get asked how it is working in a man’s world. I have my gender challenges every now and then, but honestly men appreciate a smart woman and they quickly realize I’m on their team and get 100 percent behind me. I believe more women should be part of the construction industry; just know that if you want to work with the boys expect to be treated like one often!
   
   
5. I have a career I enjoy. I have a son, family and friends whom I love. Despite being very busy, I make it a point to find the time for doing the things I like and spending the time with people who I care about.
   
   
6. My job is awesome, and I get to travel constantly around the United States and interact with many different folks, but I know when I come home that this is where my priorities and true happiness are.
   
   
7. I have a 4-year-old Monkey aka Sebastian. Being Sebastian’s mom is definitely the highlight of my journey. We spend a lot of time playing and discovering the world. I want my son to be cut up and bruised from climbing trees, riding bikes and playing sports, not in front of the TV being conditioned for Army drone piloting.
   
   
8. We have hands down the best group of friends you can ever dream of! We have been very lucky to have such wonderful people around us who have adopted us as part of their families. I have wonderful guy friends who love Monkey and provide great male role models for him.
   
   
9. I take a lot of pride in being able to hold my own in a conversation. It is very important for me to be informed on current events and discuss the world around me. I like to think that I’m prepared to have an enriching conversation with whomever happens to cross my path. I’ve had some amazing encounters with total strangers in unexpected places that still put a big smile on my face.
   
   
10. I like people who have brains, spunk, humor and wit, self-confidence, strength of character, humility and humbleness — those who have been through some sh-t in life and made it through it.
    
    
11. I’m all for adventure and thrill seeking. I love just taking off in the car and going exploring. I’m often looking for a new quest and pushing my son’s imagination to the limits.
    
    
12. I have great memories of my world travels and I believe traveling provides you with a different sense of awareness about culture and the rest of the world. I’ve been in Europe, Japan, Central and South America…but there is still so much world to see and I can’t wait!
    
    
13. I love any experience that challenges my mind and body. I skydived in the San Francisco Bay area just three weeks after 9/11 and it was mind blowing! Now the fact that I love adventure doesn’t mean I’m great at it. I have many cuts and bruises that will show you the opposite, but it’s all about enjoying myself and having a good time.
    
    
14. My dad used to call me “arrebatada” which is Spanish for clumsy. Growing up, I fell off many trees and even the roof of my grandmother’s beach house once. I hid in a corner bleeding very quiet because I was afraid of my parents scolding more than the actual fall!
    
    
15. I am a big yoga practitioner these days and I even have a travel mat that I take with me on the road in case I’m unable to find a class nearby. When in Paducah, I practice with the super-duper amazing Julia Schaberg at Energy Fitness. She’s such an inspiration! I found with yoga the ability to give my always-at-work and never-stop-thinking brain a rest and focus on my breathing and body movement.
    
    
16. I’m known for making my friends laugh when I say something unintentionally stupid. Usually it has to do with the English language and my pronunciation to certain words. Lately the group’s favorite is “dutch-bag,” and it made me smile when even Bruce Brockenborough used it in a sentence the other day: “That dude is such a dutch-bag!” Ha!
    
    
17. I’ve been described as a “spark plug” before. I speak my mind and get what I want, but I do it with a smile. It’s that Latin South American in me!
    
    
18. I’ve been known to assess first impressions quickly and I’m generally right on target with my initial conclusion. I guess it is part of the magical woman’s intuition. I totally believe in vibes. If I get a bad vibe from somebody, I’m very careful around them.
    
    
19. I am very impatient with not making progress, and stubborn when I think I’m right (which is most of the time!)
    
    
20. The Goddess of the People (super friend Kevin Crouch) introduced me to my new favorite song: Shots, Shots, Shots, by Lil John. It makes me get up and boogie!!!
    
    

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