Ramon Aparece was born in 1982 in Fort Myers, Florida, and raised in Cape Coral along the Gulf Coast. His parents were Cuban immigrants. His father worked as a diesel mechanic. His mother managed hospitality operations at a beachfront resort.

Hard work was not optional. It was expected.

“I grew up watching my parents work long hours,” Ramon says. “They showed me that if you take pride in your job, people notice.”

As a teenager, he spent time fishing the Caloosahatchee River and helping neighbors with yardwork. At 14, he took a summer job retrieving golf balls from water hazards at a municipal course.

That job changed everything.

“I was more curious about the grass than the golf,” he says. “I kept asking the grounds crew how they kept it so perfect in this heat.”

By high school, he was working part-time on the maintenance team. He learned about irrigation systems, soil layers, and how Florida’s climate punishes turf year-round.