New Mexico State University

Joseph Patrick Garcia (J. Patrick)

Council Vice-Chair

Mr. Garcia has over 30 years of service (Mechanical Engineering/Technical & Organizational Leadership/Program Management) with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). Over 27 of those years have been in direct support of Stockpile Stewardship.

Mr. Garcia is the Senior Director of the Non-Nuclear Production Office. He stood up this office and has oversight of over 200 technical and professional staff and $120M in funding for program and research activities. He is responsible for deliverables being met while overseeing organizations conducting detonator production including high explosive operations and prototype fabrication/machining including hazardous materials. He is responsible for strategic planning of the Office to meet Laboratory needs. Previously, he was the Directed Stockpile Work (DSW) Integration Program Director also standing up that Program Integration Office. He was responsible for process improvements including business practices, cross-portfolio integration, planning, estimating, equipment investments, risk assessments and reporting. Prior to that position, he was LANL’s Weapon Systems Engineering Division Leader with oversight and direction responsibilities for scope development ($200M) and work scope for over 240 technical and professional staff.

He provided programmatic/technical direction for groups within the division to include: Stockpile Systems, Dynamic testing assembly, Production Liaison, Design Agency Surveillance, Weapons Response, Military Liaison, Engineering Analysis and Nuclear Explosive Safety. Prior to that role, he had the technical and programmatic responsibilities for the W76 and W88 systems for LANL simultaneously, serving as the LANL representative to each (Mk4/Mk4A, Mk5) Project Officer’s Group (POG) interfacing with the US Navy and the LANL Joint Re-Entry System Working Group (JRSWG) member for the UK Trident Program. He has multiple years of experience working with national and international officials. He has held multiple roles as the LANL technical and programmatic lead for design agency surveillance. He has experience with assembly/disassembly and inspection of LANL designed nuclear explosive packages (NEPs) for all reentry systems and gravity bombs and their major components.

He has prior experience in many systems-related activities to include: qualification testing production/assembly (component and system), resolution of production upsets/problems. He has presented technical and program information to senior government officials and generated reports and other documentation for senior government officials and offices. Prior to weapons-related work, he served as a Technical Staff Member within LANL’s Waste Management organization converting a pilot waste treatment process to a production operation. Prior to his service at LANL, he served two roles for American Rolling Mill Company (ARMCO) Steel in Kansas City, MO as a mechanical engineer and a production engineer for Rod Mill operations.

Mr. Garcia was born and raised in Los Alamos and is married to Teresa (19 Years) with a blended family of a son and four step-daughters.

Edmund Archuleta 

Professional Preparation:

New Mexico State University - Civil Engineering - B.S. - 1966

New Mexico State University - Civil Engineering - M.S. - 1968

University of New Mexico - Management - M.S. - 1983 

Employment:

  Synergistic Activities:

• Former Chairman of the Pecos River Commission
• Board Member & Past Chairman of the Water Research Foundation
• Board Member and Past Chairman of the Paso del Norte Health Foundation
• Previous member of the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council and served on several professional Boards such as the American Water Works Association, Water for People, Water Pollution Control Federation, Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Association, and Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies.
• Have previously served on boards of civic and business organizations such as United Way, Rotary Club, Regional Economic Development Corporation, Symphony,and Providence Memorial Hospital in El Paso Texas. Presently serve as a Commisionner for Las Cruces Utilities. Presently serve on the Pastorial Council at St. Albert the Great Newman Center at NMSU and am a member of a Las Cruces Chapter of Toastmasters International.

• 50 years experience in the water and waste water field. Planned, designed, and had constructed numerous small and very large projects. Have provided operations management and served as CEO of a very large municipal utility system.
• Early career experience involved working for two different engineering consulting firms as a project engineer. During that time worked on feasibility assessments as well as on design of several systems for both the private and public sector. Developed significant experience in assessing and designing systems for tannery wastes, meat packing plants, potato processing plants, steel mills, and power plants.
• In the public sector have managed all aspects of a municipal utility from plant operations to engineering and top management at two large U.S. cities.
• Was responsible for initiating one of the first successful conservation programs in the country, expanded reclaimed water systems and oversaw the planning and eventual construction of the world’s largest inland desalination system as well as the largest arsenic treatment of groundwater in the U.S. The planning of the desalination plant with cooperation from the Defense Department brought a 5 billion dollar investment to Ft. Bliss in El Paso.
• Worked with Mexican, Texas and New Mexico officials and federal and international agencies in agreements effecting El Paso along the U.S./Mexico border. Have worked extensively with local, state and federal elected officials on regulatory and policy matters.
• Have been instrumental in supporting and embracing innovation and technology at water utility systems and have provided numerous presentations on water matters at numerous locations in the U.S. and in other parts of the world; i.e. Tokyo, Berlin and Perth, Australia.
• Is Board Certified by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (BCEE), and prior to retirement in 2013 was a registered professional engineer in Texas(P.E.).
• Family: Children Troy and Edmund Archuleta, Jr. and Tara Binns. Brothers Tony, Adelmo and Joseph Archuleta.

Leonard Bloom

Western Refining

Leonard Bloom is a 1981 civil engineering graduate of NMSU. Upon graduation, he went to work as an engineer for Chevron in their coal mining company and then transferred into their refining company. He spent a total of 23 years with Chevron in various engineering assignments and joined Western Refining in 2003 upon the sale of the El Paso refinery to Western. He was the engineering manager with Western until he became the director of maintenance. El Paso is Western’s largest refinery and produces gasoline, diesel and jet fuels.

Kevin Eades

PE: President and Chief Executive Officer 

As President and CEO of Molzen Corbin, Mr. Eades oversees all facets of the organization, focusing on client-relations, strategic growth, and overall performance. Having joined Molzen Corbin in 1994, he has dedicated his 28-year career to serving the com­munities of New Mexico. Most recently, he assisted in a company transition to a 100% employee-owned firm.

Kevin has extensive experience managing contracts, coordinat­ing projects and master plans, and working with communities to address current needs and plan for long-term sustainability and growth. He is adept at working with clients on a one-to-one basis to ensure that their technical organization­al needs are being met. In addition to coordinating, planning, and managing strategic projects, he has also designed numerous civil engineering projects throughout his career, including drainage, water improvement, sewer improvement, traffic coordi­nation, and road improvement projects. He was the project manager for the I-25/NM 14 (Cerrillos Road) Diverging Diamond Interchange, a $20-million, award-winning project that was completed in 2016 and was the first of its kind in New Mexico. He also assisted the Village of Los Lunas on a 20-year journey to visualize, plan, fund, and design the $188 million “Los Lunas Corridor” Project that will provide a new I-25 interchange and a 3.5-mile divided roadway from I-25 to NM 47, as well as a new bridge across the Rio Grande River.

Kevin is a proud Aggie, having received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from New Mexico State University in 1994. He is a member of the Amer­ican Society of Civil Engineers and is active in the New Mexico Society of Profes­sional Engineers, American Council of Engineering Companies, and the New Mexico State University Academy of Civil, Agricultural, and Geological Engineering, as well as the College of Engineering Advisory Council.

Kevin is married to Jenice Eades, a Lobo and home builder. They have three kids— John, Kyle, and Sami.

Debra Hicks

Pettigrew & Associates, P.A.

Debra P. Hicks graduated from New Mexico State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. She started as a summer intern at Pettigrew & Associates in 1979. Upon graduation from NMSU in 1983, she joined the firm as an engineer intern. In 1990 Hicks bought the firm and proceeded to become the CEO and president. 

Throughout her 40-plus-year career, her engineering experience has included mining, power plants, bio-diesel plants, multi-family housing projects, aquatic facilities, parks, education facilities, small and large-scale subdivisions, museums, hotels, racetrack/casinos, roadways, hazardous materials facilities, uranium enrichment facilities, infrastructure, trail systems, airports and numerous other commercial and industrial developments.

Hicks served as a Trustee at the University of the Southwest for fourteen years, including a two-year term as Chair; director for New Mexico Junior College Foundation for two terms where she also served one term as chair; member of the Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission from 2005-2006; Regent for New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology from 2013-2015; member of NMSU 2013 Presidential Search Committee; president for the Academy of Civil, Agricultural, and Geological Engineering at NMSU; Secretary for the New Mexico Transportation Commission in 2011; and Regent for  New Mexico State University where she served as Chair of the Board from 2016 through 2018.

As a part of her professional activities, she has served as director and president for the New Mexico Engineering Foundation, section chair and director for the American Council of Independent Laboratories, president for the Southeastern Chapter of the New Mexico Society of Professional Engineers, and Public Relations Committee for the National Society of Professional Engineers. She serves as President of Lea County Community Improvement Corporation, Vice Chair of the City of Hobbs Utilities Board and President-Elect of the American Council of Engineering Companies New Mexico. Additional directorships include Carlsbad Department of Development, Eagle Trust Foundation, Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital and NMSU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council.

She was honored as Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of the Southwest in 2003, received recognition for Contributions in Economic Development for the State of New Mexico in 2008, named New Mexico Woman of Influence by Albuquerque Business First in 2013, and Top CEOs in 2015.  In 2019 she was inducted as a member of the Sociedad de Ingenieros as an Ingeniero Eminente in recognition of her outstanding service to the New Mexico State University College of Engineering. 

She has worked extensively to promote STEM education in New Mexico through initiatives including MATHCOUNTS, New Mexico Education Workgroup, New Mexico Higher Education Strategic Planning Committee, NMSU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council, Hobbs Community Math Task Force, Tatum Municipal Schools WERC mentor program, and Lea County Women’s Network Mentor Program.

Hicks has focused her involvement in outreach programs on building better communities through such programs as Hobbs Boys and Girls Club, Junior Service League, founding director of MyPower Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Rotary Club, Palmer Drug Abuse Program, the new Learning for Life Explore Engineering Post affiliated with Boy Scouts of America, and Crosswinds Community Church Building Advisory Committee. 

Colonel Art Hurtado

U.S. Army (Retired) Invertix Corporation

Art Hurtado is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Invertix Corporation, a small, veteran-owned, systems engineering and services company, headquartered in Annandale, Virginia. Hurtado is a seasoned executive with over thirty years of commercial and government technical and management experience. Before co-founding Invertix, Mr. Hurtado served as senior vice president, telecommunications for CACI, Inc. Hurtado previously served as vice president, systems applications for Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation. Hurtado was born in Taos, New Mexico. He began his undergraduate studies at Hardin Simmons University. He completed his bachelor's of scinece in chemistry at Missouri State University and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry. Hurtado served with distinction as an officer in the U.S. Army. Among his medals and honors, he received a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge while serving with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. In addition to numerous command positions he also served as the Project Manager for Electronic Warfare, and as a Program Manager in the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. He was the first director of the Joint Precision Strike Demonstration Office. He also served as the Chief Scientist during the early stages of development of the Public Safety Wireless Network. He earned his MSEE at New Mexico State University, and is a member of the Eta Kappa Nu honorary society of electrical engineers. He is a graduate and research fellow of the National War College and a certified Project Management Professional. He is a member of the NMSU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Council and is also a member of the Klipsch Electrical & Computer Engineering Academy. He is an advisory board member for George Mason University’s Volgenau School of IT&E and for Missouri State University’s Department of Chemistry. He was recently appointed by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve on the Board of Visitors of Virginia Commonwealth University. Art and his wife Dianna, currently reside in Fairfax, Virginia.

Michael L. Johnson

Mr. Johnson is currently retired and serving in various consulting and advisory roles as well as collecting, judging, and displaying vintage Corvettes. Before retiring from his 28-year career with Conoco Inc. in late 2002, he served as senior vice president of Conoco Inc. and as chairman and CEO of Conoco Gas and Power, a division of Conoco Inc. This part of Conoco is an integrated, midstream portfolio of businesses that includes gas gathering and processing, gas storage, gas and power marketing, power generation, and natural gas liquids marketing, transportation and storage for North America and the Caribbean.

Mr. Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in geology from NMSU, a master’s in geochemistry and Ph.D. courses from Rice University, and a master’s in finance from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an honorary Ph.D. from NMSU. He was chosen as a NMSU Distinguished Alumnus in 1997, and is the past Chairman of the NMSU Foundation Board of Directors.

Mr. Johnson serves on the Rice University Owl Club Board of Directors. He is frequently called upon to testify before Congress regarding gas supply and gas economics, and is a frequent speaker to outside groups on the U.S. gas business and free enterprise as well as science topics paleoclimatology.

Mr. Johnson has been a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists since 1972. He also is a past chairman of the Natural Gas Supply Association, past vice chairman of the Texas Intrastate Pipeline Association, a member of ERCOT, and the past president of the Houston/Galveston-Stavanger Sister Cities Society. He was on the board and a member of the executive committee of the Gas Technology Institute. He was also a member of the Natural Gas Council of America.

A native of Roswell, N.M., Mr. Johnson now lives with his wife Judy, who is the former City Controller for the city of Houston and NMSU alumni, in Nambe, N.M.

Richard Leza

Retired 2016-- Former Chairman of the Board of Exar Corporation (NYSE: EXAR)

Richard Leza became a director of Exar in October 2005 and was elected chairman of the board in September 2006. After 10 years as chairman, he retired in June 2016. He was appointed interim chief executive officer and president of the company three times during his services.

Leza received the NMSU Arrowhead “2021 NMSU Entrepreneur Hall of Fame” for being one of the Top Elite Founders of multiple companies.

Leza also received the high honor in 2014 of being one of the Top 100 Elite Board of Directors by The National Association of Corporate Directors.

Leza was a dynamic business entrepreneur and venture capitalist who served as chairman and director in more than 12 corporations from 1980 to 2016. He was also a member of the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies for seven years. Leza was a board member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Advisory Council for eight years. He is emeriti director of the New Mexico State University Foundation Board and a current member of the College of Engineering Dean’s Executive Committee and Dean’s Advisory Council. He was also the co-founder, past chairman and past president of Hispanic-Net, a nonprofit organization. In 1990, he was honored the NMSU Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. In addition, Leza has established five scholarships at NMSU.

Leza was the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of AI Research Corporation from 1988 to 2007, an early-stage venture capital firm specializing in the areas of business-to-business software, information technology, medical devices and medical analytical software applications. Leza was also the co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of CastaLink, Inc., a provider of a web-based supply chain collaboration solution. In addition, he served as co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of NucleoTech Corporation, an application software company focused on digital image-driven analytical DNA software solutions. From 1982 to 1988, he was co-founder, chairman and chief executive officer of RMC Group, Inc.

Leza earned an  AA from East Los Angeles City College, B.S. in civil engineering from New Mexico State University, MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and an Honorary  Doctor of Laws from New Mexico State University.

Wencil McClenahan 

The Boeing Company (retired) 

Wencil McClenahan retired from The Boeing Company after a 25-year career, which he joined after graduating from NMSU in 1991 with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. While working at Boeing, he earned an M.S. degree at the University of Washington, also in Mechanical Engineering.  His first assignment after graduation was on the new B-777 program that was in the design phase, where he learned the complex processes of engineering and manufacturing modern aerospace products.  After this position, McClenahan developed deep skill in probabilistic and analytical methods of product and process optimization.  In 1998 he led the development and implementation of the Boeing Enterprise Six Sigma program.  Over the next few years, he led teams that were charged with resolving, correcting or preventing issues that had the highest level of concern regarding safety or cost.  McClenahan was recognized with two separate Boeing Space & Intelligence “World Class Engineering” awards, and was selected to the Boeing Technical Fellowship.

McClenahan currently serves as President of the NMSU Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Academy, and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council. 

Scott A. McLaughlin,

Executive Director, Spaceport America

Scott A. McLaughlin is a highly experienced engineer and executive with a diverse background in both design and business. He has worked in both the private and government sectors and has traveled around the world installing, maintaining and marketing specialized wind radar systems. His innovative designs support space launch, test ranges, aviation operations, weather service networks, atmospheric research, pollution studies and shipboard-based wind measurements. Users include research and defense agencies such as NASA, NOAA, DOE, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, universities, as well as customers in Spain, Taiwan, India, UAE, Thailand, Kuwait, Mexico, Samoa, and Colombia.

Having worked on both sides of the negotiating table, McLaughlin understands the difficulties and advantages present in both private business and government operations. As a technical innovator, a founder, and an executive of a new business unit, he also appreciates the trials and tribulations of entrepreneurial companies looking for funding while working to “cross the chasm” and to make their mark on the world. In working with and for the federal government at White Sand Missile Range in southern New Mexico, NASA at Johnson Space Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, and now the State of New Mexico, McLaughlin also embraces the challenge of how best to honor taxpayer funded activities.

McLaughlin was born and raised in New Mexico. After graduating from New Mexico State University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, he moved to Texas, then Colorado where he established a radar design and manufacturing business. After being acquired by a similar small company, and a 25-year absence from New Mexico, he returned home to the Land of Enchantment to work and play in the vast and beautiful Chihuahuan Desert and mountains of the southwest. With a life-long love of space and aviation, Scott found a dream job as director of business development at Spaceport America. In March 2021, he was selected as the new executive director of Spaceport America.

Manny Mora

General Dynamics Mission Systems

With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Manny was inspired to become an  engineer after viewing the Moon Landing in 1969.  Manuel “Manny” Mora earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from NMSU. Part of a  Navy CoOp program, he spent half his time in Newport, Rhode Island working in a  Navy research lab and the other half in Las Cruces studying.

Manny is currently on the College of Engineering Dean’s Council and the Physical  Sciences Laboratory CREW (Classified Ready Employable Workforce) Program  Council. He was previously Chair for the Electrical and Computer Engineering  Academy at NMSU and still serves as a member. He travels to Las Cruces at least  twice a year from the DC area to provide guidance, advice and mentorship to  engineering students.

After graduation, Manny went on to work for Motorola as the company’s first  Hispanic engineering section manager, overseeing the Joint Surveillance and  Target Acquisition Radar System program. He later received Motorola’s Engineering  Award, presented to less than 2% of their engineers and scientists. In recognition of  his impact on the industry, Manny has also earned the Hispanic Engineer National  Achievement Award for Technical Contribution.

Manny is currently working as the Vice President and General Manager of Space  and Intelligence Systems for General Dynamics Mission Systems in the National  Capital Region, where he oversees strategy and solutions to advance the gathering,  dissemination and exploitation of intelligence for the U.S. and its allies. He has been  involved with the company at the forefront of GPS technology and its partnership  with NASA for missions such as communications with the Hubble telescope and the  Mars rovers, among other highly classified objectives.

An extraordinary philanthropist to NMSU, Manny has provided transformational  support to the Dean’s critical needs for the College of Engineering.

Manny and his wife of 36 years, Alexandria, are passionate about encouraging and  helping today’s youth achieve a college education, especially in the STEM fields. His  parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1959, and they were true  advocates of the value of hard work and education.

Margaret "Peggy" Morse

The Boeing Company (retired)

Peggy Morse retired from Boeing in 2015 as Vice President of Strategic Missile Systems and Directed Energy Programs. . She managed a staff of 1,300 people that did development, test and sustainment work for ICBM systems and laser weapon systems. The major sites were Ogden, Utah; Heath, Ohio; Anaheim, CA; and Albuquerque, NM.  There were also teams of people at all of the AF Missile wings. Prior to that, Morse was a member of the IDS Program Management staff in Seal Beach, California. Morse was the director of strategy and business integration for Boeing Australia from January 2005 until February 2006, working in the Sydney office. Her job responsibilities included working with all the sites in Australia to better integrate with the U.S.-based business units, as well as coordinating and deploying the country strategy. Prior to that assignment, Morse was a program manager in space and intelligence systems for three sequential programs from 1999 until 2004. From 1997 until 1999 she was the director of sales operations in BCA, and managed the interface between sales and the airplane programs. From 1996 until 1997, she was the chief engineer of the inertial upper stage program, one of Boeing’s heritage rocket programs. She was a manager in business development in 1995, as well as a program manager of a series of classified programs from 1989 until 1994. She started with Boeing in 1981 as an engineer in the area of antenna design, and radar cross section measurement and software development. Morse attended New Mexico State University and graduated with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering in 1980. In 1986, she received a master of science in electrical engineering from the University of Washington. She has been on the board of numerous non profit arts organizations, the chair of the Boeing Welliver Faculty Fellowship Program, and an associate member of the Corporate Council of the Arts in King County, Wash. After moving to California in 2001 she was named to the board of OC Arts, Palm Springs Modern Committee and the Long Beach Symphony Association. She currently splits her time between Seattle and Long Beach. Morse has one grown daughter, Jessica and two twin granddaughters, Sydney and Madeleine. She enjoys traveling, gardening, pottery and outdoor activities.

Randolph Rothschild

Raytheon Missile Systems (Retired)

Randy Rothschild is a retired Senior Manager of Systems Engineering from Raytheon in Tucson, AZ. He began his career with Raytheon Missile System after graduating with Honors from New Mexico State University in 1988 with a BSEE. Mr. Rothschild has held roles as a Project Lead, System Integrator, Lead Designer, Chief Engineer, Factory Technical Director, and Department Manager. His experience spans the entire lifecycle of hardware development which includes, Proposals, numerous Research and Development projects, Design and Development activities, Factory Technical Leadership, and Field Test. Some of his community contributions include serving many years on the board for the New Mexico Alliance for Minority Participation, membership in the NMSU Electrical and Computer Engineering Academy, and numerous outreach projects that promote STEM in public schools. He was very active within and external to the company and has received awards and honors for his service.

Frank Seidel

President and founder of Seidel Technologies

Frank Seidel, President, and founder of Seidel Technologies has over 37 years of experience working in the oil and gas industry. His introduction to working in the field began working summers as a roustabout engineer trainee for Amoco Production Company in West Texas. After receiving his Bachelor’s of Science in Chemical Engineering from New Mexico State University in January 1982, Frank was offered a full-time engineering position with Amoco in Hobbs, NM. It was in this position that he continued to gain experience in what is now one of the world’s largest oil fields.

While in Hobbs, Frank distinguished himself by winning a several special awards from Amoco for his critical thinking and problem-solving skills, resulting in him saving the company money. He has co-authored and presented papers to the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and has worked with Amoco on research, also co-authoring an internal Amoco Engineering Report on Solids Control Efficiency that was the basis for software used by companies today to model equipment efficiency.

In 1987, Frank was transferred to Houston, TX where he worked in Amoco’s Western Region office. While in Houston, he worked as part of an engineering team that pioneered some of the first horizontal drilling in the Austin Chalk Field. Frank received additional awards from Amoco for his efforts and continued to write a paper for SPE and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) on Horizontal Drilling that was published in SPE’s Journal of Petroleum Technology. In 1991, Frank was transferred to Denver, CO where he managed drilling operations in Oklahoma and New Mexico. He and his team were responsible for drilling the first horizontal wells for Amoco in both states. In Denver, Frank continued to win internal awards for technical excellence.

In 1994, Frank joined an independent operator, Burlington Resources, and was asked to work in their Farmington, NM office as the Drilling Engineering Team Leader, mentoring young engineers. While in Farmington, Frank’s team implemented innovative improvements in air and gas drilling techniques in New Mexico’s San Juan Basin. As the team leader, Frank was nominated for New Mexico’s Business Development “1999 Entrepreneur of the Year” for his work in Oil & Gas Air Drilling Optimization.

Still working for Burlington in 1999 when they purchased Poco Petroleum based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Frank was then named the Canadian Drilling Manager, becoming one of the company’s first expatriate employees in Canada. He built a distinguished team of engineers and operations personnel that drilled over eight hundred wells per year and over 1,000,000 meters of hole, establishing an industry record at the time. In 2001, Frank co-authored the “Air and Gas Drilling Manual” with Dr. Bill Lyons and Dr. Bayum Guo from New Mexico Institute for Mining and Technology. In 2005, when Burlington was purchased by Conoco Phillips, Frank joined the Canadian start-up Canetic Resources. In eighteen months, Frank’s operations department went from two employees to over 150, and managed a daily production of over 70,000 bopde. In 2007, Canetic was sold to Penn West Resources. At this point, having spent nearly eight years in Canada, Frank and his wife Jennifer decided to return to the U.S. Frank became Drilling Manager for El Paso E&P in Denver in December 2007. By 2008, Frank was promoted to Operations Manager for El Paso’s entire Western Region, achieving record production.

In 2009, El Paso announced closure of their Denver office and Frank was inspired to create Seidel Technologies, LLC, an oil & gas engineering consultation firm centered in Denver, CO. Frank, and the team he built continued to develop and apply new drilling techniques to in order to improve efficiency. One such process is the horizontal drilling in coal bed methane seams, eliminating the need for fracing and creating development activity by companies such as British Petroleum and Exxon (XTO) in the San Juan Basin. Seidel Technologies grew rapidly, achieving $15 million in revenue by 2015, with approximately sixty contract employees. To date, Seidel Tech. has helped its clients achieve over $30 billion in realized value.

Frank has continued to support NMSU by serving NMSU’s Foundation Board and the NMSU Department of Chemical Engineering Advisory Board. Frank and Jennifer have provided funding for “Entrepreneur Encounters” at Arrowhead Center, the Frank Seidel Scholarship for Chemical Engineering Students, and the Seidel Brew Lab in the Chemical Engineering Department. Frank was honored in 2017 with the top NMSU Alumni Award the “James F. Cole Memorial Award for Service.”

In April 2019, Frank served as National Chairman of the American Association of Drilling Engineers National Technical Conference and Exhibition and received a national service award for his efforts. Frank continues to serve on the Executive Board of the Denver Chapter.

Frank and Jennifer, a NMSU alumna, in June 1982, have three daughters: Hailey, Caroline and Rosalind.

Wayne Savage

Executive Director, Arrowhead Park

Arrowhead Center at New Mexico State University 

Wayne is the Executive Director of the Arrowhead Research Park a 200-acre real estate development at New Mexico State University.  Anchor tenants include the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ampex Space Systems, Alliance DNA, Vista Photonics, and the NM Spaceport Authority.  The Park is an initiative of Arrowhead Center, NMSU’s widely recognized entrepreneurship and economic development organization.  Wayne is focused on positively impacting economic metrics for Las Cruces and southern New Mexico in the life science, aerospace, media, energy and ag-tech industry sectors through new business recruitment to the Park, and through facilitating collaborations between private industry and NMSU’s strategic initiatives.  Current projects for the Park include a new multi-tenant office building, a creative digital media hub, a 3 MW Solar + Storage Renewable Energy System, and a Net Zero Energy District development plan.

Wayne is a 1980 graduate of New Mexico State University’s Industrial Engineering program, and serves on the University’s Engineering Advisory Council.   He has over 35 years of experience across a range of industries, and returned home to New Mexico in 2007 to work on the design and construction of Spaceport America, before joining Arrowhead Center in 2013.   

Wayne is a founding board member of the New Mexico BioScience Authority, and also Vice President and Board member of the NM BIO industry trade association.  He serves as a member of the Spaceport America Regional Tax District Board.  In previous years, he has had leadership roles in the Borderplex Alliance Life Sciences Task Force and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce Commercial Space Task Force.

Eloy Torrez

Eloy J. Torrez founded SEI Group, Inc. in 1996 to identify, pursue, and capture opportunities in government and commercial markets, and continues ownership today. He is a seasoned leader with over 47 years of multi-function general management, international, and entrepreneurial experience with knowledge and skills that apply to the defense, aerospace, environmental, energy, and construction industries.

Doug Davis

Davis is a distinguished leader in the automotive, autonomous driving, and IoT sectors, boasting a remarkable 35-year tenure at Intel Corporation. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Intel’s Automated Driving Group, where he pioneered the company’s automated driving business, positioned Intel as a top provider of chip technology for autonomous vehicles, and oversaw the acquisition of Mobileye. He has cultivated strong relationships with nearly every automotive OEM, technology innovator, and Tier 1 supplier in the industry. Additionally, Mr. Davis has extensive board experience, currently serving as a director for Oshkosh Corporation and Verra Mobility. He earned his M.B.A. from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University.

Ron Seidel

Ron Seidel is principal of RBS Energy Consulting, working with private equity, investment banks and government on electric energy issues, primarily in the ERCOT market.  Prior to his consultancy, Ron was President of Texas Independent Energy with full P & L responsibility for two 1,000 megawatt combined cycle plants in ERCOT, Senior Vice President of Energy Supply at City Public Service of San Antonio and an executive at TXU where, among other duties, he was Senior Vice President of Fossil Generation and Mining, President of TXU Energy Trading and Operations Manager at the Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant.  Ron holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from New Mexico State University, earned an MBA from the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University, is a registered professional engineer in Texas and has held a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Senior Reactor Operator license.

Mark Robertson

Mark Robertson is a seasoned professional with over three decades of experience in the defense and aerospace industries. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology (BSET) and an MBA.

 Robertson began his professional journey at Hughes Missile Systems, where he worked as an engineer on the Phoenix air-to-air missile project. This initial role provided him with valuable experience in cutting-edge defense technology

Following his time at Hughes, Robertson transitioned to Allied Signal, taking on the role of a test engineer. His expertise and leadership skills soon led to his first managerial position, overseeing the development and support of test equipment.

Robertson's career progression continued as he was promoted to Director of Engineering for Allied Signal's Tucson Division.

In 2004, Robertson relocated to Phoenix and joined Goodrich Aerospace as Vice President Engineering. In this capacity, he managed a diverse portfolio of aerospace products, including Evacuation Slides, Lighting, Cargo Handling Seating and Energetic products

In 2012 when Goodrich was acquired by United Technologies Robertson was promoted to an engineering executive role. In this position, he took on expanded responsibilities, overseeing:

• Aircraft power generation and management
• Aerospace sensors
• Integrated Systems

In 2015, Mark Robertson opted for early retirement after a career spanning various leadership roles in the aerospace and defense sectors. Despite retiring, he remains actively involved on various boards and supporting his alma mater as a member of the engineering council. 

Lisa Webster, PE NM TX, PMP

EEA Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Lisa Webster graduated from NMSU in 1984 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering.  She was active in college in ASCE and Chi Epsilon and continued to be active after college in the NM Section of ASCE as first, Secretary-Treasurer for 9 years, and then the first female president of the Section. She was a Centennial Distinguished Alumnus, College of Engineering, in October 1996 (100 alumni were chosen from the graduating classes of 1896-1996), member and secretary of CAGE (Civil Agricultural Geotechnical Engineering). 

Later she was on the Construction Industries Commission for the State of New Mexico.

She has served on the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors (NCEES) Civil Exam committee member since 1997; has also been Past Chair of the Civil Exam committee and Structural Subcommittee Chair.

She is EEA’s Program Manager for the MESA program at a national laboratory where she manages their design and construction projects, for the MESA complex.

Also, she is currently on the board of All Faith’s Children’s Advocacy Center where she is the chair for the Management Committee.

She has been appointed to NMSU Dean of Engineering Advisory Council since 2002.

Chris-Long

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Albert-Thomas

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