Luis Armona

Mr. Armona was born in Havana, Cuba. He received his B.S. from California State University Long Beach in 1985. Mr. Armona is licensed as a general contractor by the California State Contractor’s Licensing Board since 1984.

Mr. Armona oversees the Meruelo Group managed family of companies, having equity interests in and sitting on the board of many of those companies, most notably, Meruelo Group, LLC, a holding company owning Southern California utility construction contractors Herman Weissker, Inc., Doty Bros. Equipment Company, and Tidwell Excavation, Inc., and electrical contractors Neal Electric Corp., and Select Electric, Inc. Those companies work extensively on major private and public construction projects. Other Meruelo Group affiliated operating companies include La Pizza Loca, Inc., Fuji Food Product, Inc., and Fujisan Franchising Corp.

Since 1987, Mr. Armona has participated in the successful development of over 25 apartment communities and 20 shopping centers in Southern California and Southern Florida, primarily in Hispanic neighborhoods.

Since 1990 Mr. Armona is owner and CEO of the real estate development firm, Merona Enterprises, Inc.

Since 2004, Mr. Armona is owner and CEO of Mambises Enterprises, Inc., a real estate development firm. Since 2005, Mr. Armona is principal and CEO of Merona Construction, Inc., a commercial and residential builder.

In 2011, Mr. Armona entered the gaming and hospitality industry acquiring an ownership interest in the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino located in Reno, Nevada. The resort features luxury accommodations, gaming, fine dining, quality entertainment and activities, and large convention facilities.

In that same year, Mr. Armona also diversified into broadcast media through acquisition of an ownership interest in KWHY-TV (22), a Spanish-language television station in Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Armona sits on the board of CBC Bancorp, the parent company of Commercial Bank of California.