This story was originally published in the Miami Herald in partnership with the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media.
When Patricia Bonilla arrived in the United States in 1992, she was a 22-year-old civil engineer from the Dominican Republic with a suitcase, a young family, and a plan to earn her master’s degree. Little did she know that one day she would lead a thriving construction firm in South Florida.
Today, Bonilla is the CEO and founder of Lunacon Construction Group, a company that will celebrate nearly 20 years in business in January 2027. Her journey, marked by immigration, loss, motherhood, and entrepreneurship during an economic recession, reflects both the challenges and determination of immigrant business owners in the United States.
Early Lessons in Excellence
Born in 1968, in Santo Domingo, Bonilla grew up in a household where discipline and education were paramount. Her father, Pedro Bonilla, an engineer, built his own company after rising from poverty. Her mother, Fanny Sanchez, was an attorney who worked alongside him.
“They were very hardworking people,” Bonilla said. “They taught me to do the right thing, to be integrous with your word, and to treat everyone the same.”
As the oldest of four children, Bonilla excelled in school and pursued civil engineering, a choice her father initially opposed.
“When I told him I was going to be an engineer, he said, ‘Absolutely no. Construction is not for women.’”
Undeterred, it strengthened her resolve. Construction had long been part of her life as she frequently accompanied her father to job sites and absorbed the language of the industry at home.
Tragedy struck when her father died when she was 19-years-old. His death reshaped her future.
“I thought, who is going to teach me now?” she said.
Determined to continue growing in the field, she decided to pursue a master’s degree in construction management in the United States.
Starting Over in America
Once here, she enrolled at Florida International University. While married and with three young children, she juggled graduate school and work.
Adjusting to American culture was challenging. Bonilla maintained the high standards she grew up with, cooking meals daily for her family and prioritizing education while navigating a new environment. Though she spoke English and Spanish, skills that helped her land a corporate construction job, she faced bias in the workplace.
“In promotions and payments, it was definitely not like men,” she said. “And sometimes they would mention my accent.”
The obstacles intensified when her first marriage ended, leaving her a single mother and sole provider for her three children.
“That was probably my biggest challenge,” Bonilla said.
She continued building her career in construction, often needing to prove herself repeatedly in a male-dominated industry. Women make up roughly 10% of the construction workforce, a statistic she says reflects her experience.
“You have to prove yourself all the time,” she said.
A Leap of Faith
By the mid-2000s, Bonilla had established a stable career in corporate construction, working for a Florida-based firm specializing in heavy civil and building construction. Corporate construction involves planning, designing, building, and renovating large-scale structures like office buildings, retail spaces, and corporate campuses. But the demanding schedule and a 50-mile commute weighed on her, especially as her oldest daughter prepared to start high school.
She left her job and just two days later Bonilla received a phone call about a potential project opportunity. She describes the timing as providential.
“It was an act of God,” she said. “God said, ‘Have faith.’”
In 2007, she launched Lunacon Construction Group in Miami and partnered with Emilio Criado, her now husband and president of the company, who she had met earlier in her career. Lunacon specializes in a wide range of construction projects from commercial spaces to sustainable residential developments as well as parks and recreation facilities, warehouses and industrial facilities, and retail spaces. The couple married in 2008, months before the financial crisis hit.
The recession brought uncertainty to the construction industry, which often rises and falls with the economy. With limited financial security, the couple pivoted strategically into federal contracting, a move that helped stabilize the starting company. Over the years, Lunacon has completed and contributed to a range of high-profile projects including the Wacky Barn at Zoo Miami, work on Loan Depot Park (formerly known as Marlins Stadium), Maurice Gibb Memorial Park, South Dade Aquatic Center, the United States Postal Service Cape Coral North Branch facility, and the Pinecrest Upper Gardens.
Growing Through Innovation
Nearly two decades later, hat began in a modest garage, expanded into a formal office in Palmetto Bay, Florida with over 50 employees, marking an early milestone in the company’s growth. Criado, credits Bonilla’s commitment to continuous improvement for its longevity.
“Patricia has never stopped learning,” Criado said. “We’re always innovating, always growing. If there’s something new out there that works, we implement it right away. And if it doesn’t work, we recalibrate.”
He also points to the strength of their partnership.
“We have tremendous respect for each other,” Criado said. “I respect her as an engineer and as a leader, and we’ve worked together to grow this business.”
Bonilla’s leadership style has shifted over the years. Once shaped by rigid corporate environments, she now emphasizes mentorship and values-based leadership.
“If I’m the one talking the most in a room, I haven’t done my job,” she said.
The company prioritizes excellence, integrity, and opportunity, hiring based on ability and actively employing women in roles beyond administrative positions.
Building a Legacy
Beyond business success, Bonilla sees Lunacon as a vehicle for impact. She describes it as “like a child,” something nurtured not only for profit, but for legacy.
She has also authored two books. Be Who You Long For focuses on empowering women to embrace multiple roles, such as motherhood, professionalism, and entrepreneurship, from a place of abundance. Her second book, Scaling Beyond the Blueprints, offers guidance to tradespeople seeking to grow sustainable construction businesses.
“I felt compelled to share what I have learned,” she said.
Reflecting on her immigrant journey, Bonilla believes courage is central to success.
“Immigrants have courage,” she said. “They take action.”
From a determined engineering student in the Dominican Republic to CEOof a South Florida construction company, Bonilla said her story is a testament to resilience, and to the belief that fear, when met with faith and persistence, can become the foundation for something lasting.
“Don’t give up,” Bonilla said. “With persistence, passion, and hard work, you can build the life you envision, even when it feels impossible.”
