Helena and Richard Chuapoco deliberately lived off one income while saving the other to start their own business.
Richard, who had worked in utility locating, eventually decided to start a directional drilling company. Diversified Underground was born in 2000. Helena and Richard were joined soon after by Mark Allen, a former colleague and U. S. Army veteran.
(To learn more about the rise of this 2025 Contractor of the Year finalist, check out our video above.)
Diversified Underground has evolved significantly since its founding in 2000, moving away from directional drilling and shifting to hydrovac excavation and utility locating, which now comprise 80 percent of its business.
The Watkins, Colorado, company has found its competitive niche in using smaller vacuum trucks for municipalities and road construction contractors. “Almost everyone around here chases oil field work, which requires big trucks,” Mark explains. “Using the smaller trucks is much more economical, and I think we found that little group in the industry that has a need for it. It’s working out quite well.”
Mark’s son Josh serves as field operations manager and now directs safety under Mark’s guidance. “Everyone who has a leadership role here has to go through the ranks,” Josh says. “You can’t lead a team if you don’t know how to do all the people’s jobs.”
“The success of Diversified Underground is literally the employees,” Richard says.
Adds Helena: “Anytime we’ve ever expanded or changed, we always look to within to promote within.”
