Lena D. Kopp is an accomplished Native American entrepreneur from the Choctaw Nation who has excelled in the construction and trade industry for over 20 years. Starting in the construction industry in 1994 in the office, then transitioning to the field as a laborer and an ironworker before moving her way up into welding, she joined AltairStrickland in 1999, where she excelled in welding and quality assurance control until 2012. During this period, she achieved certification as a welding inspector and spent time with the Fluor Corporation from 2003 to 2012, where she contributed her skills as a welder, supervisor and NCCER instructor for welding, iron, core and rigging, and with AMEC in 2006, serving as a boilermaker supervisor and welder.
Having excelled in a very physically demanding field, Ms. Kopp credits much of her success to her dedication and determination to get the job done. In 2013, she founded Kopps on the Run LLC, which provides drug and alcohol testing and collection services, followed in 2014 by the 4C Welding and Industrial Center Inc., an NCCER-accredited training sponsor and assessment center. Most recently, in 2021, she became co-owner of CYA Tool and Safety Supplies, which provides safety clothing, shoes and tools to the construction industry. As the owner of these businesses, she additionally serves as the director, administrator, and solicitor for the 4C Welding and Industrial Center, where she helps to guide training in various aspects of the construction field, including welding and safety courses, and conducts the tests for relevant certifications. Since 2014, she has been certified as a master trainer and administrator by the NCCER and became certified as a practical rigging and signal person examiner in 2016.
Perpetually motivated by the desire to continue to grow as a woman professional, Ms. Kopp is proud of what she has accomplished over the years, particularly during the times when she was also working to overcome negativity and other obstacles in her life. Looking toward the future, she hopes to acquire a larger facility that will allow her to lease out space to other businesses that are related to trade accreditation. Her ultimate goal is to make the 4C Welding and Industrial Center a one-stop shop for people who are looking to achieve certifications in construction. Furthermore, she would like to hire some managers to aid in running her businesses and to help them grow. Above everything, Ms. Kopp wants to ensure that her companies’ growth is sustainable, so that she can provide for her two youngest children without worry.
Alongside her primary career responsibilities, Ms. Kopp has contributed to a number of other professional endeavors. Closely involved with the NCCER, the National Center for Construction Education and Research, she sits on four of their committees as a subject matter expert and is currently working with them to revise and update the curriculums and assessment tests for their certifications. She has also spent time as the treasurer of the Southeast chapter of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma. Active in her community as well, she has served as a member of her local chapter of Lions Club International and has volunteered her services as a troop leader with the Girl Scouts of the United States of America. Ms. Kopp has sat on the Hugo Area Chamber of Commerce’s board for the last eight years, serving as chair of committees and on the executive committee in various roles, including chamber president in 2022.
For her excellence, Ms. Kopp has been the recipient of a number of honors and accolades, including several awards from the Choctaw Nation Small Business Development Program, being named Chatapreneur of the Year by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma in 2017, and being presented with the Dr. Fern Green-Bowling Diamond Award in 2017 and the Community Service Appreciation Award from Hugo Chamber, to name a few. Having accomplished much over the course of her career, a particular moment that has always stuck with her was when she was with Flour Corp and she was asked, during her third foreman’s position, to replace various parts on a massive ID fan. What they were asking her to do was incredibly dangerous, but Ms. Kopp managed to find a safer way to do it and successfully got the job done by the end of her shift.
