History of Business

COMPA Industries, Inc. is truly a family business whose 20 year history has intertwined with the family Lopez. The COMPA story begins in Anaheim, California where Rene LaForm Lopez began his vision to start not just a family company, but a family legacy. It was in this light that the Lopez Family joined with Mendoza family to start COMPA Industries, Inc. in September of 1986. Bert Mendoza was the godfather of Lopez’s youngest child, making Rene and Bert “Compadres.” With Bert’s 30 years of experience in electronics, fabricating computer boards from near raw materials, the COMPA’s set up shop in Anaheim, California. COMPA Industries’ first offices were a warehouse that soldered computer boards and assembled the necessary components. Bert later sold his shares, leaving COMPA with the Lopez family.

In 1987 COMPA Industries was awarded Orange County’s first 8(a) certification and having broad management experience, was in prime position for growth. Through an introduction by an old acquaintance, Rene LaForm Lopez started it first substantial contract in Bethesda, MD with the Department of Energy while maintaining the Anaheim, CA office to attend to local commercial projects. With the East Coast operations opening the government market for COMPA Industries and Rene and Edna’s wish to move back to their homeland in the desert southwest, COMPA opened offices in Albuquerque, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. With the aid of key personnel, Dr. Nazeer Ahmed and Colonel Frank Myer, COMPA Industries (now headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico) began winning contracts local to the region. Within 2 years, COMPA Industries grew into 3 main offices (Albuquerque, El Paso and Washington DC), managing a staff of over 65 employees working on 8 government contracts with 6 different agencies in 16 different states. COMPA Industries now housed capabilities in Environmental Engineering, IT Administration, GIS, Facilities Management and Maintenance and an almost limitless ability for growth.

Right when COMPA Industries was on its highest momentum, an unfortunate automobile accident took the life of its owner Rene LaForm Lopez in June of 1996. This left Edna L. Lopez the sole heir to the business. While struggling with realities of losing a husband and coping with painful therapy to deal with her own injuries sustained from the accident, Edna became COMPA Industries latest CEO/Owner whose number one dilemma was figuring out how to financially survive the upcoming expiration of COMPA’s 8(a) status. Pulling together in this time of restructuring, Edna was directly supported by her three eldest sons, David – who would take on the responsibilities of President, Daniel who returned to serve again as COMPA’s CFO, and Armando – who began to tackle the internal IT infrastructure of the company. Once the 8(a) status expired in 1997, COMPA Industries was left with the dynamic transition of not only changing leadership but transition of over half of the Company’s contracts coming to a natural close while trying to ramp up a newly awarded large contract. In the short time frame, COMPA’s financial infrastructure became too expensive to sustain. The remaining years of 90’s were marred by tough decisions that had to be made to downsize COMPA into a niche business and the multiple audits resulting from the boom of contracts enjoyed at the beginning of the decade. COMPA would eventually have to sell off or close the many capabilities and offices established from its earlier success to maintain a niche business in Staff Augmentation.

By year 2000, COMPA Industries was limping by on environmental work and a large staff augmentation contract with a local laboratory; as the environmental efforts decreased, the staff augmentation would steadily grow to over 150 staff augmentation employees by 2004. Beyond recording record profits not enjoyed since the early 90’s, COMPA was also recognized as the local laboratory’s Vendor of the Year. One after another, the accolades began to pour in. Edna had established herself in the government community as serious small business Staff Augmentation giant. Today, COMPA Industries has become a household word in the world of government staff augmentation, receiving awards at the national level.