My Story
Efrain Gomez Jr. grew up in Donna, went through Donna schools, and built his life and his business here. This is his story in his own words.
I grew up in a small, tight knit neighborhood in Donna. Everybody knew everybody, and that shaped how I see this town.
My dad worked away from home so he could provide for us. That is a sacrifice a lot of Valley families understand. My mom kept our household running while he was gone.
Because of that, I took on responsibility early. I learned that work is how you take care of the people you love.
I went through Donna schools. Math made sense to me, and then I found drafting, and something clicked.
Mr. Vasquez was the teacher who took an interest. He pushed me, and he gave me room to lead in the drafting club. That is where I first learned I could organize people around a project and see it through.
One teacher paying attention changed the direction I was heading. I have never forgotten that.
Early in my career I was working away from home, the same way my dad had. Then I had children of my own, and I did not want to miss their childhood.
So I went back to school and became a physical therapist assistant. It was work I could do close to home, near my family.
That stretch was financially hard. We went through some lean years. It taught me what responsibility really costs, and how to keep going when the numbers are against you.
“I don't look at things as wins or losses. I look at them as either a win or a lesson.”
For a while I did both. I would work construction in the morning, change into my scrubs, and go treat patients.
At lunch I would head back to the job site, put in more hours, then change again and return to therapy for the rest of the day.
I am not telling that story to sound impressive. I am telling it because that is what it took, and a lot of families here know exactly what that feels like.
Eventually I had to choose. My wife told me to go for it, and that support is the reason I was able to take the leap into construction full time.
The business grew on referrals. One job done right led to the next. I learned entrepreneurship the way most people around here learn it, by doing it and paying for my own mistakes.
That is the advice I give young people now, because somebody gave me room to try.
“Take the risk. Believe in yourself. You're more talented and prepared than you think.”
Running a business pulled me into education from the employer side. I got involved with South Texas College and with workforce development, because industry and education have to be talking to each other.
When they do, students get exposure to real careers, and employers find the local talent they are already looking for.
That work is also how our scholarships and student opportunities started. It is the part of my week I look forward to most.
My involvement in education came before any of this. I was doing this work with no title and no seat at the table.
After a while I started asking a simple question. If we can accomplish this much from the outside, what could we accomplish from the inside?
That is why I am running. Not because I have all the answers, but because I am willing to do the work to find them.
“I don't know everything, but I do have the willingness to learn and try to make things better.”
My wife and our three children are the accomplishment I am proudest of. Everything else is downstream of that.
My faith, and the values I was raised with, are what I try to lead by: responsibility, transparency, hard work, humility, service, and the courage to do the right thing when it is not the easy thing.
That is what I would bring to Place 7.
More of Efrain's story will be shared as the campaign continues.
