Rooted in Faith: The Robbins Family Featured in The Cavalier
– By #Lester-Robbins Construction
Ana Gonzalez and Nick Robbins never imagined where life would take them when they first crossed paths in the hallways of St. Thomas More as wide-eyed freshmen. But life works just as God has planned...
Now married for 23 years, the couple has built a full life together – raising three children and running a thriving local concrete construction business. For these 1999 graduates, things have only gotten better with time.
And much of that has to do with the couple’s strong foundation of faith – something that grounds every aspect of their lives.
“We’ve known each other since we were 14, so we’ve been part of each other’s lives for more years than not,” Ana said. “There’s a lot of history there.”
History that shaped not only their relationship, but also their shared drive to build something lasting in a community they love.
Entrepreneurship runs deep in both Ana and Nick’s families.
Ana grew up watching her father launch a business when she was still in middle school. That spirit of initiative stuck – her twin sister, Angelica (STM 99), and husband, TJ, own Black Hills Realty, her brother, Johnny (STM 07), and his wife, Bethany, run Evolve and two of Ana’s younger sisters, Teresa (STM 2000) and Maria (STM 10), work there as well. Another brother, Joe (STM 05), is an ear, nose and throat doctor based in Colorado.
Nick’s business drive – especially in construction – can be traced back to his grandfather, Duane Becker, who owned and operated a construction company on the eastern side of the state.
“Every time Nick went out to visit him, he was riding in a Bobcat or some other piece of equipment,” Ana said. “I think that’s where his love for construction really started.”
Nick worked for RCS Construction for many years, learning the ins and outs of the business before deciding to go out on his own.
In 2008, he founded Lester-Robbins Construction with fellow 1999 STM grad, Brandon Lester. What began as a small-scale, two-man operation is now a growing company rooted in the values of hard work, quality craftsmanship, strong leadership, trust and faith. Brandon left the company in 2011.
Faith has also been an integral part of the family’s daily life. Although Ana was raised to go to church and had a strong foundation of faith, in 2013, when her grandmother passed away from cancer, her family had a renewed sense of what faith meant. “It changed everything for us. We saw our faith in a way that was very real and that we could have a real relationship with the Lord,” she said. “We integrated that into our life and business.”
The couple consecrated their building and offices to St. Joseph and have an image of him above the shop. Ana prays for each employee by name every day. They are also very active in their home parish, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and help in any way they can in the Rapid City Catholic School System.
In 2014, Ana left her job as an emergency room nurse to join the growing company full‑time, taking on all office manager duties. While the company does some residential work, the majority of projects are commercial, including projects for Monument Health, Indian Health Services and Rapid City Regional Airport.
“One of the things that has helped us in our business is knowing people – the relationships we have built. There are so many people who have helped us build and grow this business,” Ana said. “Rapid City has been a great place for us to start and grow a business.”
Ana added that they have an amazing team, including their oldest child, Bailee (STM 20), who joined the company full‑time, working in marketing and human resources. “A lot of people talk about the difficulty in finding good help, but we really put in a lot of effort over the past four to five years – really pouring into the employees and building a structure they want to be a part of.”
The company emphasizes an apprenticeship model, fostering the next generation of construction workers. And Nick leads by example – a model of what hard work means.
“It is a small business, so he not only works full time in the field, but he does all the estimating, project bidding and project management,” Ana said.
They all wear many hats – and that’s part of what makes both life and business work. For the Robbins couple, the two are deeply intertwined.
“We finally got to a spot where our foundation feels really strong,” Ana said. “The kids have gotten to a certain age and are showing interest in the business, so we are thinking that maybe we are building something generational.”
The couple’s middle child, Gabrielle (STM 23), is in the construction management program at South Dakota State University and interning at Scull Construction.
Their youngest, Dylan, a junior at STM, is spending the summer working in the field at Lester‑Robbins Construction. He is also contemplating going into construction management.
For Ana and Nick, success isn’t measured only in projects completed or business growth – it’s found in the legacy they’re building together. Rooted in faith, grounded in family, and driven by purpose, they’ve created a life that reflects what matters most. And as their children begin to step into the story, that legacy is only just beginning.
- Article written by The Cavalier | RCCSS
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