My grandfather worked the oil fields of Central California in the 1940s, a farmer turned heavy equipment operator who believed hard work wasn’t just how you made a living, it was how you built your character. That belief got passed down, and it never left our family. My father grew up on a ranch outside of Solvang, shaped by that same ethic. He eventually left ranch life to study architecture at Cal Poly Pomona, graduating with a degree in Urban and Regional Planning, a detour that ended up defining everything. He spent his career working for cities across the San Gabriel Valley, eventually rising to City Manager.
On weekends, he took my brother and me to job sites. We walked construction projects, toured developments, and he broke down the fundamentals of design and how the built environment shapes the way people live and play. Some of those projects, I’d later find out, were Lewis developments, and my dad had a genuine working relationship with Richard and Randall back in those days. I had no idea I’d eventually land on the other side of that equation. At home, we were always building something: carpentry, masonry, landscaping. I was never afraid to get dirty, and my dad made sure of it.
When it came time to choose my own path, the answer was already clear. I followed my father to Cal Poly Pomona and earned my own degree in Urban and Regional Planning. I spent several years in the public sector across multiple cities, gaining real experience, but always feeling one step removed from the actual creation of communities. I could influence the process, but I couldn’t get my hands into it the way I wanted.
Joining Lewis changed that. Working across communities in Upland, Rialto, Rancho Cucamonga, and beyond, I finally got the full picture, from office-side planning and strategy all the way to stepping in as field superintendent and managing construction operations directly. It was exactly the kind of all-in experience I had been looking for, and it shaped how I think about community development to this day.
The cycle continues at home too. I’ve raised my kids with the same work ethic I was raised with. They’ve worked alongside me on major home projects, toured job sites since they were young, and yes, gotten behind the controls of some heavy equipment along the way. With supervision, of course.
My oldest daughter has a sharp eye for design, art, and landscaping, and landscape architecture or interior design feels like a natural path for her. My middle son took an immediate liking to heavy equipment and could easily see himself in a union apprenticeship someday. And my youngest has already told me, with complete confidence, that Harvard Law is the plan.
Three generations, one through line: do the work, build something meaningful, and never be afraid to get your hands dirty. It’s shaped everything about how I approach this industry, and it still does.
Adam Collier is part of the Planned Communities team at the Lewis Group of Companies for just over 12 years. He was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley and enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, working on home improvement projects, and attending auto races across the country.