Meet Laura Ciriello-Benedict: Ciriello Plumbing’s First Female Owner

 

A Third-Generation Leader in a Family-Owned Business

Ciriello’s story began with a $200 loan and a belief that doing the job right matters more than doing it fast. William J. Ciriello started Ciriello Plumbing in 1952, with the first brick-and-mortar location opening in Beech Grove, Indiana in 1956. His son, William J. Ciriello Jr., carried the same beliefs and standards into the business’s next chapter when he purchased Ciriello’s from his father in 1980. He worked to sharpen the company’s reputation as one of the most trusted Indianapolis plumbing companies.

Then, in January 2010, the business changed hands one more time to William Jr.’s daughter, Laura Ciriello-Benedict—making Ciriello a three-generation family business and earning her the distinction of being its first female owner.

 

The First Female Owner of Ciriello Plumbing

Growing up, Laura was never far from the family business. She would find herself cleaning up the trucks, answering calls, and helping out with odd jobs when she could. But by the time college came around, she was ready for something different. She enrolled at Indiana University Indianapolis and graduated in 1995 with a degree in business management and human resources. At that point, she had her sights set on a career in accounting.

Then her father asked her to lunch.

It was during this meal that William Jr. invited Laura to take a larger, more active role in the family business. She agreed, as long as she could one day become the owner. In November 1995, she joined the board and took the contractor exam, becoming one of the first women to do so.

By 2010, she was able to buy the business from her father and become Ciriello’s first female owner. More than 30 years later in the industry and over 15 years as owner and president later, she has grown into one of the most accomplished figures in Indianapolis plumbing—and one of the few female master plumbers in the state.

 

Shaping the Future of Plumbing Through Industry Leadership

Laura’s influence on the plumbing industry has gone far beyond Ciriello’s day-to-day operations.

She has become well-known for her dedication to education and training. For three years, she served as chairwoman of Mechanical Technical Skills, Inc., home to the largest plumbing apprenticeship school in the country, which was co-founded by Laura’s father. In her position, she was able to update the curriculum in ways the board had been wanting to do for years, modernizing the program’s approach and strengthening its value for students entering the field.

Still, she didn’t feel that was enough for those working with Ciriello. In fact, they have developed their own additional curriculum that provides their team with even more classroom and practical training beyond what the apprenticeship program requires.

This extra training is especially important to Ciriello as they rarely hire people with a plumbing background. Very few, if any, of the Ciriello plumbers came with any experience beforehand. While many may think this is a flawed plan, Laura believes it’s exactly what makes her team the best in Indianapolis.

Laura is well-known for prioritizing character over experience when hiring. As she puts it, “I can’t teach you to be a good person. I can’t teach you to be honest and trustworthy. But I can teach you to be one hell of a plumber.” It’s this philosophy combined with Ciriello’s rigorous training that has shaped a team that’s not only technically excellent but deeply committed to the customers they serve.

 

Community Involvement Beyond Plumbing

Laura’s commitment to her community reaches far beyond Ciriello. Like her father before her, she has been deeply engaged with Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) at every level—serving as a past President of PHCC Indianapolis and Indiana PHCC and most recently as a Zone 3 Director for the PHCC National Association. She has also served as National PHCC Secretary and as a National PHCC Committee Member and continues to sit on the Indiana PHCC and Mechanical Skills boards today.

However, her efforts in the community don’t stay in the professional world. Laura regularly visits high schools to talk to students about careers in trades, both because she’s proud of the field and knows firsthand what it can offer.

“I am somewhat unique,” she says. “So you might pay more attention to me simply because you can’t believe I’m a plumber. So I like to talk to young people about the field…” She’s equally candid about the financial opportunities and the impact a career in a trade can have on a young person.

As a female plumbing contractor in a predominantly male-dominated industry, Laura has made a deliberate effort to open doors for others. She works with the National Association of Women Business Owners and actively participates in career fairs, speaking specifically with young women about how to enter and build a meaningful career in the trades. While women remain underrepresented in most trades, Laura is determined to change that with every platform she has.

Her community work also extends into healthcare advocacy. She co-founded Stop HD, a fundraising group for Huntington’s Disease research, and has served as a past board member of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. In 2006, she received the Excellence in Volunteerism Award from the HDSA Indiana Chapter.

 

What Laura's Leadership Means for Ciriello Customers Today

Ciriello Plumbing is a woman-owned business, and that ownership comes with more than 30 years of hands-on industry experience, a master plumber’s license, and a philosophy built around accountability and trust.

The awards and recognitions Laura Ciriello-Benedict and Ciriello have earned over the years reflect that commitment in tangible terms:

• National Association of Women Business Owners Avatar of the Year (2011)
• Delta Faucet PHCC National Contractor of the Year (2019)
• PHC Pros Magazine Contractor of the Year (2020)
• Indiana PHCC Contractor of the Year (2009)
• Greater Indianapolis PHCC Contractor of the Year (2007)
• Excellence in Volunteerism Award, HDSA Indiana Chapter (2006)
• Beech Grove High School Alumni Hall of Fame (2008)

Behind each of these recognitions is a woman-owned plumbing company that has never stopped investing in its people, its craft, and the community it serves. Whether it’s a residential repair, a commercial project, or an emergency call in the middle of the night, Ciriello customers can count on a team that was hired for character and trained to the highest standard in the field.