From infantry to home repair and maintenance

Conrad Archuleta gives the “personal touch”

By Melanie Casey on August 17, 2011

Conrad Archuleta likes to get it done right the first time.  

The former infantry Soldier and general contractor is the founder of the Olympia-based painting, maintenance and remodeling company "A Personal Touch."

The company's motto is "always get the job done right the first time," and based on its number of repeat customers, it does just that.

The family business includes his dad, mom Linda, who mans the phones, and son Raymond, 23. The company works frequently in homes on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, completing move-out maintenance and clean up, water damage repair, painting and much more.

A high-school dropout and native of South Dakota, Archuleta was living in California when he decided to join the Army. Inspired by a good friend's enlistment (and one who enjoyed ‘guns and blowing stuff up'), Archuleta enlisted and joined the light infantry. He served more than six years with stints at Fort Drum, NY, Fort Carson, Colo. and Baumholder, Germany.

The father of four, who "grew up being around family, and in the military was never around family," decided, as his kids got older "(they) were more important." He separated from the military in 1995. The transition back to civilian life was "tough," he said.

Archuleta originally started "A Personal Touch" several years ago when he was living in Colorado. He came to the area in 2002 with the mother of his son Quentin, now 15, when she was assigned to Fort Lewis.

In 2005, after working for local contractors and friends, he revived the company locally. Archuleta brings his military experience to "A Personal Touch" and "still uses PLDC and leadership skills" to his no-holds-barred, tell-it-like-it-is management style.  

He currently has more than 10 employees, including a few fellow veterans. The company is now "worth a good amount," Archuleta said, and he hopes to switch gears in the next few years, take some time off and perhaps begin a new career as a home inspector.

For more information, visit www.apertouch.com or call (360) 402-8939.