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UTEP Development Board

 

Victor Arias, Jr.

Korn Ferry

Senior Client Partner, Dallas Office

Victor Arias, Jr. has more than twenty years of executive recruitment experience with several of the world’s most preeminent search firms, including Korn Ferry. He has served on the board of directors of Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen and is currently a trustee emeritus with the board of trustees of Stanford University. Other service includes the UTEP Leadership Council, the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council, the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, Notre Dame Institute of Latino Studies, and the Latino Corporate Directors Association, as well as serving as a White House Fellows Commissioner. Victor is a current member of the Catholic Foundation of Dallas and of the Salesmanship Club of Dallas. He earned his MBA from Stanford University and BBA from the University of Texas at El Paso, where he was named Distinguished Alumni in 2009.

 

Peter Chan

Professional Concepts

Founder and President

An engineering, business, and management consulting expert with over twenty-five years’ experience, Peter Chan started his career in Texas. In 1996, he established his practice in Phoenix, Arizona, when he joined the international consulting firm of Rust E&I. His next venture in 1999, CSA Engineering, specialized in water and wastewater projects and was subsequently acquired and merged by a global consulting firm GHD in 2009. His experience also includes managing large projects and starting up new business lines in water, wastewater and membrane projects for municipal and industrial clients. Peter now runs his own real estate investment firm in Arizona, where he currently manages real estate investment properties, property development, investment funding, and water and wastewater consulting. Peter enjoys staying active in the community, having established an endowed scholarship at UTEP, while serving as a guest speaker globally for engineering firms, corporations, and student groups.

 

J.J. Childress

Microsoft

Community Engagement Manager

J.J. Childress is the Community Engagement Manager for Microsoft’s TechSpark program. TechSpark is a national civic program aimed at fostering greater economic opportunity and job creation through partnership with rural and smaller metropolitan communities. J.J. is also the founder of Proper Printshop Productions and previously worked as a Financial Advisor for Per Stirling and Raymond James. He is actively involved in the community and serves on the board of directors for Fab Lab El Paso, The Borderplex Alliance Entrepreneurship Taskforce, and City of El Paso Regional Renewable Energy Advisory Council. J.J. received his BBA in Accounting & Finance and MBA from UTEP.

 

Jacob Cintron

University Medical Center

Chief Executive Officer

Jacob Cintron worked for Thomason Hospital (now UMC) for 17 years before moving on to hold executive-level positions at major health care systems in Chicago, San Antonio, and San Diego. Cintron returned to El Paso in 2006 to become CEO of Del Sol Medical Center, a position he held for 10 years before being named CEO of El Paso County Hospital District. He oversees University Medical Center, El Paso Children’s Hospital, and El Paso Health – Health Maintenance Organization. Jacob earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, MBA in Business Administration & Finance, and Master of Accountancy degree from UTEP. He was awarded the UTEP Distinguished Alumni Award in 2017.

 

Edward "Ed" Escudero

High Desert Capital, LLC

President and Chief Executive Officer

A graduate of UTEP’s College of Business Administration, Ed Escudero was honored with their Gold Nugget Award in 2012. He is President and CEO of High Desert Capital, LLC, a finance company specializing in providing various types of capital alternatives to small and mid-size companies. Previously, he was a senior executive with several firms, including C&R Distributing and Petro Stopping Centers. Ed plays a key role in community affairs, serving on several boards, including the El Paso Electric Company, the Medical Center of the Americas Foundation, WestStar Bank, The Hospitals of Providence –Transmountain Campus, Paso del Norte Health Foundation, El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation. He also served on the Texas State Securities Board from 2007-2011. He and his wife, Margie, live with their two children in El Paso.

 

Rodrigo Fernandez

Transtelco

Chief Financial Officer

Rodrigo Fernandez has fifteen years of experience in the telecommunications industry as co-founder and current chief financial officer of Transtelco, a privately held telecommunications company operating in the Southwest U.S. and Mexico. Rodrigo is responsible for overseeing Transtelco’s financial management, reporting and controls, and administration. He has been with the company since day one, overseeing all regulatory and compliance commitments relating to the Mexican Government concession, as well as raising capital for the company’s growth strategy. He is also a managing partner of Ondasun, a specialized real estate company focused on commercial and hospitality developments in downtown El Paso. Rodrigo is a member of the El Paso del Norte Group and serves on the boards of various companies in the banking and telecommunications industry. In 2001, Rodrigo graduated from UTEP with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance.

 

Mitzabeth Garay

El Paso, ADP

Division Vice President and General Manager

Mitzabeth Garay has worked for ADP for over 18 years. Prior to this role Mitzabeth worked for ADP as the Vice President for Client Services, Vice President for Migration Services, and Senior Implementation Manager. ADP is a human resources management software company that employees over 1,700 people in El Paso, including 350 UTEP graduates. ADP has given over $2.5M to UTEP all time, primarily to support the ADP Math and Science Teachers Academy. ADP provides software for the UTEP College of Business Administration (COBA) and ADP Human Capital Management (HCM) Academy as an in-kind donation.

 

Rosamaria Gonzalez

Grupo de la Vega

Executive Assistant to the CEO

Rosamaria Gonzalez is the Executive Operations Assistant to the CEO for Grupo De la Vega. This company has food services, real estate, gas retail, and grocery operations in El Paso and Mexico. This company is owned by the de la Vega family, which includes Alejandra De la Vega Foster. Prior to this role, Gonzalez worked as Vice President for Capital Bank where she oversaw US domestic commercial banking, treasury management, and bi-national relationships. She is also a former Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank. She received her M.B.A in Finance from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey

 

Ruben R. Hernandez

JP Morgan Chase

Market Executive

Ruben Hernandez joined JPMorgan Chase Bank (then Texas Commerce Bank) in 1992 as a credit analyst and was recently named market executive, where he is now responsible for the Middle Market and Business Banking divisions in El Paso and New Mexico. In June 2004, he joined the Corporate/International Department, which later became the Maquiladora Department, working as an underwriter and relationship manager. Fluent in Spanish, Ruben has extensive experience in doing business in Mexico. He is also very experienced on both the credit and sales side of the Bank. He currently serves on the board of directors for the United Way of El Paso and Kids Excel El Paso. Other memberships include the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, El Paso Lighthouse for the Blind, and the World Trade Center El Paso/Juarez. A native of El Paso, Ruben earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from UTEP in 1992.

 

Robert “Drew” Hoy

Hoy Dealership, El Paso

General Manager

Drew Hoy is a third-generation car dealer. Following in the footsteps of his late grandfather and father, Bob Hoy and Steve Hoy, Drew is a member of the Borderplex Alliance and is proud to continue the family legacy of providing excellent service at Hoy Family Auto and serving the community. After graduating from the University of Denver, he worked in the Denver auto market for several years before returning to his hometown of El Paso. He is also a graduate of the National Automobile Dealers Association. Drew is married to Kate Hoy and they have one son, Hudson.

 

John Mack

Prudential

Executive Director & Head of Technology

John Mack oversees global business & technology solutions in Ireland and El Paso for Prudential. He is also on the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility & Community Engagement Council. Prior to this role, he worked as a IT Manager for Prudential, Senior Project Manager for Fannie Mae, IT Project Manager for GECU, and Operations Specialist for Bank of America. John is active within the community and serves on the Board of Directors for the UTEP Alumni Association and United Way of El Paso Young Leaders Society. He completed his BBA degree in Finance and Computer Information Systems at UTEP.

 

Kristine "Kristi" Marcum

Bank of America, El Paso Market President,

Merrill Lynch, El Paso Resident Director

Senior Vice President

Senior Financial Advisor

Kristi Marcum has been providing financial and wealth management advice and services at Merrill Lynch since August 2000. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in education. After graduation in 2000, Kristi joined the El Paso Independent School District as a 7th and 8th grade language arts teacher. A full-time resident since 1979, Kristi is involved in a number of non-profit organizations in the El Paso community, having served on various boards, including the Junior League of El Paso, the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, the Center Against Sexual & Family Violence, and the YWCA Paso Del Norte. Named El Paso market president for Bank of America in January 2016, she holds several FINRA registrations. Kristi has two sons, Evan and Brendan, and a five-year-old grandson, Wyatt.

 

Benjamin “Ben” Marcus

MIMCO, Inc.

Vice President of Development and Acquisitions

A native El Pasoan and a graduate of Coronado High School, Ben Marcus holds a degree in urban planning from Arizona State University. He is vice president of development and acquisitions in his family’s real estate company, MIMCO, Inc. Outside of work, Ben serves as managing partner of Urban Lion, LLC, a local real estate market investment company. His other strategic investments include oil, gas, and mineral rights in Texas and Oklahoma, industrial warehouses, apartment complexes and land in the DFW metro area. A serial entrepreneur, Ben’s fascination of startup companies led him to assist in the creation of Cat Empire Angel Fund, LLC, which invests in over a dozen Silicon Valley start-ups.

 

Elia del Carmen Mares

Philanthropist

Born and raised in Chihuahua, Mexico, Elia del Carmen Mares graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Loyola University. She is a founding member and past executive director of the World Trade Center El Paso/Juarez and serves as trustee for Desarollo Corporativo del Norte of the Mares Family Corporation. She is also currently serving on the board of directors of the El Paso Symphony Orchestra, Borderplex Alliance, Executive Women’s Forum, and Rotary Club of El Paso. While serving with the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce, she was selected as the first chair of their International Division. Now retired, Elia takes pride in being a lifelong philanthropist. She has three daughters and five grandchildren, and believes that giving back and serving others is her family’s heritage.

 

Leah E. Masters

United Bank of El Paso del Norte

Administrative Officer

Leah Masters began her career in the executive offices of El Paso National Bank (later known as Texas Commerce Bank and then JPMorgan Chase Bank). She then moved to the JPMorgan Chase retail bank, serving as a personal banker and branch manager. In 2003, she undertook a new role at Masters Oil, overseeing human resources and the operations of their convenience stores. In 2013, she returned to banking with United Bank of El Paso del Norte. Leah has served on the advisory board for UTEP’s College of Education, co-chairing a committee that successfully raised $25,000 for scholarships. Her other civic involvement roles include the Rotary Club of El Paso, Executive Forum, Camp Pioneer, Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest, and Hospice of El Paso. A graduate of UTEP with a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies, Leah also holds insurance and investment licenses. She and her husband Tom have five children and six grandchildren.

 

Ricardo Mora

Technology Hub

Chief Executive Officer

Ricardo Mora is Principal of RM International, a diversified services company with subsidiaries in the telecommunication, cellular, and food service industries. He is the CEO and Founder of the Technology HUB in Juarez, Mexico which is a Silicon Valley styled innovation, business, and entrepreneurship site spread across a 1.8 acre compound grown from the building that once housed the US Consulate. He is also the Chairman of Fundación Axcel A. C. which is a non-profit organization based out of the Technology Hub in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico that offers mentorship and training to the region's entrepreneurs. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.

 

Cecilia “Ceci” Miles Mulvihill

RMPersonnel

Chief Executive Officer/Owner

Ceci Miles Mulvihill has worked in her family’s businesses since graduating from UTEP with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. Her career began at Rudolph Miles and Sons, a custom house brokerage company, and has culminated at RMPersonnel, a staffing company that she has successfully managed since its inception in 1990. Ceci spends numerous hours volunteering in many community and non-profit organizations. Currently, she serves on the board of directors for the Borderplex Bi-National Economic Alliance, the Burkitt Foundation and various other advisory boards. She is a director emeritus of the El Paso Zoological Society and was honored in 2006 by UTEP’s College of Education with the Gold Nugget Award and as a Distinguished Alumni in 2010.

 

Madhavan “Madhi” Nair

Esperanto Developments

President and CEO

Madhi Nair has pioneered sustainable growth for many companies in their infancy stage through assistance in making complex business decisions, increased work ethic, and impeccable accounting standards. He is often regarded as the go-to person for complex operational takeovers and transitions, driven by in depth profit and loss comprehension and analysis. Empowering his team with the efficacious philosophy of leading by example, Madhi is committed to the philosophy that “a happy team is a productive team.” He invests in a wide range of life enrichment programs, such as fitness, counseling, financial incentives, and community outreach.

 

Carmen I. Perez

Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP

Management Committee Member and Managing Partner of the El Paso Office

After graduating from UTEP, Carmen Perez attended Southern Methodist University School of Law. Before joining Linebarger Goggan in 1995, her legal career included serving as an attorney to the Texas court of appeals, the Consumer Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the El Paso County Attorney’s Office. Her community service includes the State Bar of Texas (where she received a prestigious Presidential Citation), American Bar Association, the Children’s Rights Litigation Working Group, College of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Center for Legal Ethics, and Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas. As a member of the Mexican American Bar Association (MABA), she was honored in 2016 she with their "Investing in Our Community’s Future” award. Carmen is married to Jim Brod. She has a daughter, Jacqueline, and a son, Juan Jose.

 

Jonathan “J.W.” W. Rogers

Wondor Eco:nomics and Wondor Apparel

Founder

J.W. Rogers grew up in El Paso. After graduating from El Paso High, he attended Oklahoma State University where he studied finance and economics. After college, J.W. went to work in the culinary industry in New York, where he developed a strong interest in the environment and sustainability. Since returning to El Paso in 2015, J.W. has spearheaded many environmental and development projects. He is the founder of Wondor Eco:nomics a local, green business incubator focused on the restoration of the Chihuahuan Desert and the communities it supports. Recently, J.W. partnered with three other investors to rehabilitate the historic Abdou Building in downtown El Paso. He enjoys philosophical strolls.

 

Tania Schwartz

The Mesa Group

Vice President of Community Relations

Tania Schwartz is vice president of community relations for The Mesa Group, an investment firm with holdings in land development, real estate and banking. She is the sole proprietor of The Tania Schwartz Collection and is a trustee of the Schwartz Foundation. Tania earned her master’s degree in education from UTEP and studied for her doctorate in educational leadership. Tania is the president of Texas Women for the Arts. Past leadership positions include the Junior League of El Paso, YWCA El Paso Del Norte Region, Texas Women for the Arts, Texas Cultural Trust, The Hospitals of Providence, Tom Lea Institute, Lydia Patterson Institute, and Kids Excel El Paso. She is also a member of the El Paso Development Board, Murchison Park Initiative, El Paso Opera, City of El Paso’s Museums and Cultural Affairs Department. In 2006, the Junior League of El Paso inducted Tania into the El Paso Women’s Hall of Fame. She has two sons, Sam and Max.

 

Peter A. Spier

Hunt Investments Management

Senior Vice President

Peter A. Spier has more than twenty years of real estate and finance experience. He is a Senior Vice President with Hunt Investment Management (“HIM”). Prior to joining HIM, he held various roles at Strategic Growth Bank Corp, a consolidator of community banks throughout the southwestern United States. Previously, Peter directed acquisition and development activities for the Plaza Companies, a privately held real estate management and development company in Arizona. He also worked in the investment banking group at Deutsche Bank Securities and KPMG. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in applied economics. Peter serves as the president of The El Paso Club and the executive committee of the El Paso Downtown Management District. He and his wife, Stacey, live in El Paso with their three children.

 

Monica C. Vargas-Mahar

The Hospitals of Providence

Market Chief Operating Officer

Chief Executive Officer, Sierra Campus

Monica Vargas-Mahar is the market chief operating officer for the Hospitals of Providence and the chief executive officer for their Sierra Campus in El Paso. In her previous role, Monica served as the COO at the Hospitals of Providence, Memorial Campus. She is board chair of the United Way of Greater El Paso and serves on the boards of the Child Advocacy Centers of Texas, the Council on Policy Development for Texas Hospital Association, the National Association of Latino Healthcare Executives, and the Institute for Healthy Living Executive Council. In 2012, Modern Healthcare Magazine recognized Monica as a Modern Healthcare "Up & Comer." Monica earned her master’s degree in healthcare administration from Trinity University in San Antonio and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

 

VJ Smith

Marathon Petroleum

Government and Public Affairs Manager

VJ Smith has worked as the Government and Public Affairs Manager for Marathon Petroleum since 2018. He is the former President of Clear Channel Outdoor for the Albuquerque and El Paso Division. VJ is active within the community and serves on the Board of Directors for the El Paso Chamber, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, and El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He attended Fort Lewis College and received his Bachelor of Science in Geology and Earth Science. Marathon and all of it’s predecessors (Western Refining and Andeavor) has donated over $1.7 million dollars to UTEP.

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