By News and Media Relations

By Kelli Quin

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – JUNE 26, 2025 – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley recently dedicated the Limon Family Plaza to entrepreneur Rolando Limon with a plaque outside the Interdisciplinary Engineering and Academic Building in Edinburg. This moment ranks among his proudest achievements, alongside his role as a father, pastor and business leader.

“I could not believe it at first; I felt very honored,” he said.

In February 2025, UTRGV hosted a private reception in Limon’s honor, attended by friends, family and colleagues, who celebrated his generosity and hard work.

“Being recognized by UTRGV, being a part of UTRGV – that is my biggest thing in life,” he reflected.

BUILDING A LEGACY

Limon was born in 1964 in Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, to an American mother and a Mexican father. As the oldest of four children, he felt a strong sense of responsibility early on. His father often traveled to the United States for work, sending money home when possible. During his absences, Limon and his siblings helped their mother by gathering spices to sell, selling newspapers, cleaning windshields and performing music at bus stops. Their grandfather and uncles taught them basic agricultural skills, including planting crops and raising animals.

Due to his family’s circumstances, Limon was homeschooled by his mother and grandfather, completing his elementary education and finishing 6^th grade at the age of 16 – a milestone he cherishes.

“I am very proud I finished elementary school,” Limon said. 

At his graduation, only his brothers were present, as both his parents were in Mexico. Limon said their pride in him was unwavering, and that moment marked a significant achievement for him. To this day, he has kept the photos and certificate from that graduation. 

THE EARLY YEARS

In 1980, the Limon family migrated to the U.S., settling in the less-developed Rio Grande Valley of Texas. They worked in the fields to survive, and Limon’s passion for music led him to church, where he not only nurtured his love for music but also began a profound transformation in his life. After becoming a church member and connecting with God, he felt his life begin to shift. A deacon taught him plumbing, while the pastor introduced him to carpentry – skills that laid the foundation for his future in masonry.

In the late 1980s, Limon joined a general construction company, honing his masonry skills and learning about land preparation and concrete work. Among his various trades, masonry felt most natural to him.

“Masonry has been around since the beginning of civilization,” Limon noted. “Thousands of years ago, when civilization started, they used the same tools and concepts. The mason was the builder, the architect and the engineer.”

Limon began working as a mason in 1982, taking on jobs with various families and companies. By September 1992, confident in his abilities, he established Limon Masonry, initially focusing on residential projects before expanding into the commercial sector. The business quickly gained success, allowing Limon to buy his father a truck and build a house for his family. 

Today, Limon Masonry is recognized for its professionalism, fast-track construction and high standards of craftsmanship and safety. With numerous new builds, renovations and restorations, Limon’s strong work ethic is evident.

“We always have a plan for each day, for each week and for each month, and that’s how we finish the project,” he said.

His friend and business partner, Rolando Leal, emphasized Limon’s dedication: “He does not have an 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule. He starts at five in the morning and doesn’t finish until eight at night.”

Recent projects include the McAllen Performing Arts Center, Rio Bank corporate headquarters, Texas Regional Bank in McAllen and several UTRGV buildings in the Upper Valley. Limon takes pride in knowing these structures will last for many years.  

“They will be there for another 15 years, maybe even 100 years,” he said. 

He believes he is leaving not just a mark, but a legacy in the Rio Grande Valley.

A COMMITMENT TO UTRGV

Since 2007, Limon has been a dedicated donor to UTRGV, making a significant contribution to the College of Engineering and Computer Science in 2019. He hopes to support students from humble backgrounds who lack financial resources earn their degrees in engineering.

“I wanted to be an engineer but didn’t make it because I didn’t have enough money. Now, I am trying to help other kids,” he said. “I’m a carpenter and a plumber. I can do a lot of stuff, but I am not an engineer.”

During the reception, guests spoke of Limon’s humility and dedication, noting that he prefers working in the field with his team rather than behind a desk.

As a keepsake, the UTRGV Division of Institutional Advancement presented him with a glass plaque to commemorate the event. When asked where he displayed it, he replied, “Right now, I have it in my bedroom on my nightstand.”

Though Limon never attended university, he hopes students from backgrounds like his will have opportunities he never had. His advice is simple but powerful: “Have discipline. Be true to yourself and always tell the truth. Stay in school and finish your degree – no matter what you’re going to do in life, get a degree.”