
Our Team
Professionals with a passion for perfection
JAMES RAMOS | ceo
James Ramos is the Founder and CEO of Ramos Companies and a licensed General Contractor.
James has built an award-winning design-build firm, grown one of the fastest-growing RE/MAX agencies in the country, and successfully developed multi-family developments throughout Tampa Bay.
James is an accomplished author, radio host, and speaker who is respected for his innovative views in the real estate and construction industries.
James holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Florida and an MBA from Emory University, where he finished in the top 2% of his class.
Chuck Leadbetter | president
Chuck Leadbetter is the President at Ramos Design Build. A native of Maine, Chuck has over 35 years of experience in the construction industry. Which includes residential, industrial and commercial construction.
Chuck acquired a very strong background and knowledge in construction property management, estimating, networking, capital improvement budgeting, employee management, safety training, construction consulting, and mentoring young professionals joining the construction industry.
He attended the University of Maine, Orono and Farmington campuses where he studied business management. The 35 plus years of construction includes 25 years of owning and operating a general contracting company in Maine and also owning and operating a construction consulting company for six years.
Chuck is currently resides in St. Petersburg with his wife Lisa.
david fraga | finance manager
David Fraga has been in the finance industry for 10 years and plays a crucial role at Ramos Companies.
Also a Tampa native, when David’s not analyzing numbers, he’s volunteering his time at a local community theater.
As Finance Manager, David manages the finances of all entities of Ramos Companies, from Construction, to Development, and Real-Estate.
jaime miller | Director of pre-construction
Jaime Miller was born and raised in South Tampa, growing up in a family involved in construction and real estate. Jaime attended Stetson University in Central Florida for undergraduate.
Jaime’s prior experience is with the largest high-production builder in the country, having managed the purchasing department with a heavy focus on cost control, methods for strategic procurement of goods and services, streamlining processes, team leadership and production scheduling.
As the Director of Pre-Construction, Jaime is applying her prior experience to take the quality and professionalism of Ramos Design Build to the next level with team management, process automation and diversification of resources to ensure that new projects launch seamlessly from Pre-Construction planning into Construction jobsite actualization.
In her spare time, Jaime enjoys taking part in all the Arts, Culture and Dining that the growing Tampa city life has to offer, with her husband and teenage son.
lily oliva | Project Manager
Lily Oliva was born and raised in South Tampa and graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor's degree in media communications.
Lily has extensive experience in purchasing, budgeting, producing marketing material, overseeing the company’s CRM, and strategic communication, all of which play a vital role in the Pre-Construction process.
As Project Manager, Lily assists in the pricing of client selections and submitting purchase orders, coordinates the scheduling and delivering of materials, and facilitates ongoing communication between the office and field staff.
Hevelyn Villar | Project Manager
Originally from Londrina, Brazil, Hevelyn Villar has been involved in the design and construction field since 2004.
She started with her family's construction company, Planolar Construction and Development, and she slowly got involved in every part of the construction process, which helped cement her desire to be involved in the process of building dream homes.
Hevelyn graduated from the University of Utah with a graduate degree in Architecture and Urban Planning, and now works with us at Ramos Companies as a project manager after years of working in construction management.
Chuck Culp | working superintendent
For Chuck Culp, building a home is not just a job; carpentry is in their blood. Chuck’s carpentry experience started at a very young age, learning a lot from his father and working in carpentry from a young age.
That experience has only grown over Chuck’s many decades of building, and we at Ramos Companies consider ourselves lucky to have their knowledge and expertise on our team.
Building anything requires a strong foundation, and Chuck Culp serves as one of the many examples that show why Ramos Companies is built on bedrock.
Doug Finn | working superintendent
Doug Finn has over 50 years of working in residential and commercial construction, and we at Ramos Companies are thankful to be able to have their expertise go into every home with which we work.
Doug has worked on dozens of job sites across the northeast, from apartment buildings and shopping centers to massive custom homes, and everything in between.
When we look for carpenters and laborers, we seek out the best and Doug surpassed all our criteria and continues to do so when it comes to making sure our work is completed at the highest level of quality.
cesar castañeda| working superintendent
Cesar Castañeda has been working in the construction industry for over 15 years. Originally from Columbia, Cesar grew up in a family of builders, and was studying electronic engineering when he moved to the States and the opportunity to work in construction arose.
Since his time working in construction, Cesar has worked on hundreds of renovations, especially in Las Vegas where he lived prior to moving to the Tampa Bay area. Whether it’s a custom home or renovation, Cesar feels that “every project is a process that you go and make better every single day.”
His attitude, passion, and dedication to a job are reflected throughout his work and are few of the many reasons Ramos is excited to work with him.
Andrew Arena | Director of development
Andrew Arena has over 35 years of experience appraising, developing, managing, financing, purchasing, selling, and brokering in the Tampa real estate market. He’s helped develop everything from medical offices to condominiums to Walgreens stores in both Hillsborough and Pinellas, and even student housing for the University of Tampa.
Andrew attended Hillsborough Community College and holds a real estate license in the State of Florida. Before coming onboard with Ramos Companies, Andrew worked as the Real Estate Director for one of the largest real estate holding companies at the time, and then was a partner with Anthony & Associates and Anthony Development Group, where he helped complete various development projects. Andrew is married and lives with his wife and two children in Tampa, Florida.
John McKinnon | Real Estate
A Florida Gulf Coast native, John McKinnon knows Tampa Bay and is passionate about living here. From its waterways, trendy restaurant scene, and energetic social atmosphere. John McKinnon loves this city and wants you to love it, too. A long-time restaurant and beverage consultant, John understands the importance of high-end customer service and clear communication.
John will ensure your home buying experience is relaxed, transparent, and as stress-free as possible. John’s motto is simple, “The right process for the right result.” John is an avid rock-climber and surfer and enjoys all of the bounties of Tampa Bay’s natural landscape. He lives in Old Seminole Heights, with his wife Gina.
Marco Lamonte | Realtor
Marco La Monte is a father of 2 and a recent grandfather. Mark is a lifetime resident of Tampa, Florida. He loves family time, vacations and helping people locate the home of their dreams. Mark is very involved in the community volunteering at local schools with food drives for the children.
Mark loves to fish and has been navigating the waters in Tampa Bay for over 35 years. Mark loves sports and is a big fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Freddie Langiotti | Realtor
A Tampa native, Freddie graduated in 1988 from the University of Tampa with a degree in Business Management. A 4-year baseball letterman, Freddie was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1988 and was a minor league player for 4 years before getting injured.
After the major leagues, Freddie served 6 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, but his love of baseball was too much, and he returned to the field in 1997 as a minor league coach with the New York Yankees, and subsequently as the Athletic Director of Tampa Catholic High School from 2000-2014. Then, in 2017, Freddie became a licensed Realtor. His management skills experience, love of negotiation, and knowledge of the Tampa Bay area are qualities that enhance his ability as a real estate agent and investor.
Freddie enjoys traveling with his wife, volunteering, hunting, fishing, playing golf and attending sporting events. He currently lives in South Tampa with his wife Shannon, daughter, grandson, and 2 furry children.
Stephanie Donovan | Realtor
Stephanie Donovan is an established agent in the Tampa Bay Area. Most important to Steph is providing excellent service to buyers and sellers in order to earn their trust, referrals, and repeat business. She’s in the business of helping people and selling homes from all price ranges. Clients appreciate her patience, ability to listen, and market knowledge.
Joining the Ramos Companies Team, Steph connects her local and global networks while utilizing smart and effective marketing strategies and state of the art data tools to best deliver an exclusive level of service to her clients.
She received her bachelor's in communication from Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, and previously worked as a Communications and Marketing Professional.
Partners
Lauren Klein Interiors | Verified Vendor | Interior Designer
Lauren Klein has spent much of her life designing homes, specializing in residential design for single family homes. After spending many successful years in California working as a high-end interior designer for multimillion dollar homes, Lauren brought her company, Klein Interiors, to Florida and started working with Ramos Companies as one of our verified interior designers.
Were you to ask her, Lauren would always say that the most rewarding part of working in home construction is not the money or the renown, but the look on a client's face when you deliver the home of their dreams as a finished product. With that attitude towards home design, Lauren is a perfect fit with Ramos Companies.
McNamara Design | Verified Vendor | Interior Designer
Mckinlay rose | Verified Vendor | Interior Designer
Amanda Koenn | AKA integrated Marketing
Amanda Koenn is the Founder and Managing Director of AKA Integrated Marketing, and an important part of our marketing team.
Amanda is a seasoned marketing professional with over thirteen years of experience in helping clients reach their goals through integrated marketing campaigns.
She is passionate about implementing a customer focused marketing strategy that helps prospects make the buying decision that is right for them.