Benjamin Bonilla Jr. has no qualms with rolling up his sleeves and getting a little dirty, especially if it gets the job done.

As a matter of fact, if you ever see his landscaping trucks in your neighborhood or at your business, chances are Bonilla is working alongside his crew to make sure everything is completed to his satisfaction.

That’s just the kind of customer service his clients have come to appreciate and trust.

Thirteen years ago, the Corpus Christi native started Evergreen Lawn and Landscape on a part-time basis while teaching and coaching. The decision to turn his passion for landscaping into a business hinged on his concerns for his newborn son, Ross. He and his wife Pam considered daycare, but were not satisfied with any of the options available.

“So I started landscaping on the weekends and after school, so my wife could be a stay-at-home mom,” he says. “Eventually, it came to a point where I couldn’t do teaching and landscape work at the same time. We had to make a critical decision.”

They decided to pursue his landscaping business full time in 2008. It’s a choice Bonilla immediately relished. Meanwhile, as the clients mounted and he added additional personnel, his business flourished.

One of his first landscaping clients was local clinical psychologist Macy Kinzel, Ph.D. Her initial goal was to find someone to mow her lawn, but what Kinzel didn’t realize was that she had also found a lifelong friend.

“He helped me through a very rough time in my life, for which I’ll be forever grateful,” she acknowledges. “He is a fair person and does what he says he’s going to do. I’ve referred many clients to him.”

Today, Evergreen Lawn and Landscape employs a staff of 22, including two full-time, licensed irrigators who specialize in designing commercial and residential irrigation systems, utilizing computer animated design. The company also offers a wide range of services, such as outdoor lighting, water elements, flag stone and rock work, in addition to landscape design and maintenance.

“My wife Pam also plays a major role in the company, assisting new clients and helping with invoices, payroll and bookkeeping duties,” he adds.

The 1982 W.B. Ray graduate recalls a diligent work ethic and steadfast persistence were qualities instilled throughout his youth by his parents, Linda and Benjamin Bonilla Sr.

“They taught me the value and virtue of hard work from an early age, so consequently, I always had a job. Even while I was teaching school, I was working Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings at my uncle’s law firm doing administrative work,” he says.

His uncle is Ruben Bonilla, prominent local attorney and chairman-emeritus of the Port Authority of Corpus Christi. And although he comes from a family of numerous respected attorneys, he says his parents never forced him to consider law as a career choice.

“My parents knew the difference I was making in my students’ lives everyday. They have always been proud of my choice to become an educator and eventually a business owner.”

Upon graduating from Texas A&M University - College Station in 1987, he immediately began teaching, first at Haas Middle School for 16 years. There, he was a head coach, taught history and led his athletic teams to various city championships.

Then he was at Moody High School for two years, where he was the assistant coach for the varsity girls basketball team under the leadership of Myra Nerios. Bonilla helped the Lady Trojans clinch playoff berths both years during his tenure.

He had many opportunities to explore the outdoors as a coach. But nothing could compare with the amount of time he spends outside running his landscaping business.

“I absolutely love working outdoors,” he says emphatically. “Having this business gives me the freedom and flexibility to watch my son play football and basketball. I can also play a role in his academics. I’m truly blessed.”

Besides, he adds with a broad smile, “I could never see myself confined to a cubicle, inside all day long. That just isn’t for me.”

The territory his business covers is vast and includes the entire surrounding Coastal Bend area, from Corpus Christi to Victoria, George West, Falfurrias and Rivera. Bonilla estimates more than 80 percent of his business is commercial with the rest of his work in residential properties.

“We pride ourselves on tending to the immediate needs of our customers. Evergreen is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, which is extremely important to us, as it speaks volumes to a potential client who may not be familiar with our work,” Bonilla says. “Our response time to the needs of our clients is second to none.”

Some corporate clients include Stripes, Walgreens and Whataburger. He also does landscape maintenance at various apartment complexes around Corpus Christi.

And while many businesses in service-oriented industries are suffering from the trauma of a weak economy, Bonilla says his business has been thriving.

“The economy has not affected us a whole lot, but I believe the key is a positive outlook,” he says. “Persistence pays. I would advise business owners who are having a tough time to keep knocking on those doors. There will always be tough times, but remaining fair and honest will go a long way in developing trust with your customers.”