There's a particular kind of nod that happens when you spot another Georgia Tech grad in the wild — we didn’t “graduate", “we got out” as YellowJackets. It does not matter the major, every freshman has to take the same chore classes which include Calculus, Chemistry and/or Physics. And even then, majoring in Business is not exactly a walk in the park. Easy majors do not exist- which may or may not explain why our football team doesn’t always bring home a W. Those guys have to perform at a D1 level on Saturday, then take a Calc 2 exam on Monday morning. TECH.IS.HARD. FULL STOP. A degree from Georgia Tech really means something. That alum spent four (or in Robinette’s case five, she had a victory lap) years grinding. We still had fun, enjoyed Greek life, went to football games and spent many a night at Moondogs (IYKYK). We also knew when to be heads down, survive the 3 hour lab that went till 9PM and pass a test with only 5 questions. Get more than one question wrong? You're toast.
Hugh and Robinette continue that grind- cause that's what it takes to be successful in anything. We grew up In Nashville then headed to Atlanta back in the 90's or as the kids say nowadays, the 1900s. Hugh graduated in 1998 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Robinette followed in 1999 with a degree in Industrial Engineering. If you'd told either of us back on North Ave that we'd eventually build a career in Nashville real estate together, we probably would have laughed. But the thing about a Georgia Tech education — whether it's ChE or IE — is that it doesn't just teach you to solve problems, it teaches you to think like an engineer for the rest of your life, no matter what field you land in. Hugh spent 20+ years in corporate leadership focused on Healthcare IT, and Robinette spent over 20 years working as a project manager. Then we pivoted and started The Gaston Group. That systems-thinking, deadline-driven, detail-obsessed mindset never left either of us. It's baked into how we approach every client relationship and every transaction today — because let's be honest, a home purchase is really just a project with a very personal deadline.
Why So Many Yellow Jackets End Up Here
We may be homegrown, but we're far from the only Jackets in town. Nashville has pulled in a steady stream of Georgia Tech alumni over the past decade — and it's not hard to see why. The city's healthcare, tech, logistics, and corporate sectors have exploded, and a lot of that growth leans on exactly the kind of technical, analytical talent Tech turns out. Add with no state income tax, a genuinely fun city, and a reasonable drive back to Atlanta for football season, and it's an easy sell — even for those of us who grew up here.
Whether you're a transplant who chose Nashville, another native who boomeranged back like we did, or you're still weighing a move to Middle Tennessee, we'd love to connect.
An Open Invitation to Fellow Alumni
This isn't a sales pitch so much as it is an open door. If you're a Georgia Tech grad in Middle Tennessee — EE, CE, or any other flavor of YellowJacket — we'd genuinely enjoy grabbing coffee, swapping stories the 1996 Olympics or talking through whatever's on your mind.
And if you or someone in your network is relocating TO OUR OUT OF NASHVILLE and could use a real estate partner who actually understands both the demands of a corporate or technical career and the city itself, inside and out — that's exactly the kind of relocation work we specialize in through The Gaston Group.
Go Jackets!
And, yes, we work with UGA grads too. Don't worry, we won't quiz them on thermodynamics.
Hugh (ChE '98) and Robinette (IE '99) Gaston are Nashville natives, Georgia Tech alumni, and co-founders of The Gaston Group at The Agency. If you're a fellow alum in Middle Tennessee, reach out at 615-330-2678 or through 615GastonGroup.com.
