Arthur Biele:  

Upon Graduating Samuel Gompers High School, I attended City College of NY Harlem Campus for the next five years, taking 160 Credits and earning degrees in Electrical Engineering, Math, Physics, and History. Upon Graduation, I went to work for Wickham Contracting Company, a GC specializing in electrical work. I had worked for them during my summers since I was 16 years old as an electrical apprentice. At 25, I became an electrical Journeyman, and was transfered to the office as an assistant construction Project Manager where I was very involced in the renovation of Operation Suites at the NY Metropolitan Hospital, and in charge of completing the Final punch lists on 7 different School projects. The folllowing year I was made a Project Manager in charge of their 4.5 million dollar contract with GSA for the renovations the Federal Court of Appeals at Foley Square in Lower Manhatten. Our own forces did the electrical and demolition work, and we hired separate contractors to do the HVAC, Plumbing, Steam Work, Computer System,Pneumatic Controls, Carpentry, and Painting. I handle the scheduling, coordination between trades, submittals, etc. and I prepared and negotiated $ 2.5 million dollars in Contract Changes. Other Projects I ran were a 2 at the FBI Building at 26 Federal Plaza, the Municpal Building 19th floor (David Dinkins Offices), Grand Central Station, and Penn Plaza Stations, In 1983 I decided to become self employed and hired myself out to several local 3 Electrical firms over the next few years. In 1987, My younger brother Bill (who also attended Gompers) and I formed our own Construction Company, Preferred Contracting Inc.. After the first two years of hard work, we started making good money on projects with NY City and State Agencies as well as the Port Authority of New York. My brother became disabled in 1990 and worked part time for a year before going on disability. My Business still prospered and for a few years until I entered a contract with two people I trusted who walked away with $ 400,000 of my share of the earnings when the project came to an end. This really put the hurt on me finacially. Still, my reputation by this time enabled me to hire myself out to other firms at $ 2,000 per week plus expenses into 2005. In September, 2005 I had a stroke which left me disabled with memory and focus problems, particularly when trying to mutlitask, my mind shuts down, plus I have periodic tiredness. I had a foster son from the Bronx, in 1982 into 1983, for 14 months, includes his entire year at age of 14. Then He went back to live with his mom. I married a girl from my Bible Study group, a citizen of Australia who grew up in Brisbane Australia. We honeymooned for two weeks in Barbados. Ayear later we went to Australia for five weeks, meeting her family and friends in Sydney, and Brisbane. We also spent a few days on the Gold Coast, a resort area with great beaches, shows, and fin...Expand for more