Victor Salinas joined Straife in 2018 as Director of Operations in Ecuador and currently serves as the Vice-President representing Straife in Ecuador.
He began his architectural career in Ecuador, where he obtained his bachelor's degree in architecture. After several years of practice in Ecuador and Canada—where he completed an Engineering Management degree—Victor joined The Steinberg Collaborative and EDI Architecture in Houston, TX. There, for nearly four years, he focused on mixed-use and high-rise residential developments, participating in domestic and international projects and overseeing many aspects of architectural design and construction administration. His responsibilities included reviewing construction documents and specifications, as well as coordinating across multiple disciplines throughout various project stages.
Victor advanced his career as Project Architect on one of his most challenging assignments: the Bome project in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, a small self-sustaining city comprising roads, bridges, office buildings, recreational facilities, and residential housing. He then joined the design team and later became Construction Manager for a large-scale ExxonMobil office building in Luanda, Angola. He contributed to numerous commercial, institutional, healthcare, and residential projects across African countries such as Angola, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.
As Director of Architecture and Construction for General Works, an Italian-owned firm, Victor broadened his leadership scope by overseeing a range of government projects, including major infrastructure (such as airports), business developments (including hotels), and residential complexes.
In recent years, Victor has held senior roles with companies such as AECOM, Bovay Engineers, and Katerra, serving as Director of Construction and Vice-President, and consistently leveraging his extensive experience in both design and construction.