Annie Mecias-Murphy is the co-owner and president of JA&M Developing LLC, a family-owned construction firm established in 2005. The concept of the American dream was crucial to Dr. Mecias-Murphy when she first began her journey into the construction industry. She was exposed to the area of construction by her parents, in particular her father, who began working in construction from the time he immigrated from Cuba in 1969. After spending several years in the teaching and counseling field, she decided to continue in the trade full time. She had acquired experience in construction from the time she was a child working with her father and quickly mastered the various aspects of the trade, empowering her to pursue valuable career opportunities. Dr. Mecias-Murphy simultaneously pursued postgraduate education, earning a Doctor of Philosophy at Barry University in 2007.
JA&M has more than tripled in value since its creation, a figure that Dr. Mecias-Murphy holds up as another example of the American dream in action. The company offers full-service general contracting for commercial projects, including municipal projects, and turnkey shell service for rough carpentry, stucco, masonry and steel.
Dr. Mecias-Murphy attributes her success to the drive and work ethic instilled in her by her parents and the resiliency that she has gained from her faith. She credits her professional and educational mentors with helping her develop the skills and vision needed to succeed in business, and hopes to be able to pass the same lessons on to others from her current position. She advises that the key to succeeding in any field is approaching both the job and the people with respect, regardless of your differences, and that developing the ability to recognize and organize talent in others will go a long way. In recognition of her outstanding work on behalf of the construction industry and the impact that JA&M Developing LLC has had on the Florida real estate and building markets, Dr. Mecias-Murphy was named Woman of the Year in 2016, and she is also the author of the chapter one of the Florida Contractors Manual 2021-2022 edition. JA&M has been awarded the Excellence in Construction Award since 2016, along with the Sharp Safety Award and the Step Safety Award.
As a part of her commitment to “passing along” the American dream to others, Dr. Mecias-Murphy sits on the board of directors for the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Florida East Coast Chapter, the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County and the Epic Foundation; is an active member and volunteer at Metro Life Church; and volunteers with several other area children’s charities. She hopes to continue to serve the communities she lives and works in. When she is not focused on her work, Dr. Mecias-Murphy enjoys spending time with her family.
