NMSU engineering alumnus Richard Leza, native New Mexican and leading venture capitalist, has written an autobiography which has been published and released on Amazon.com. Leza is a civil engineering graduate and is an ardent supporter of NMSU and the College of Engineering. 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. In 1990, he was honored the NMSU Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award. In addition, Leza has established four scholarships at NMSU.

Amazon description: “Leza’s Memoirs: Beating the Odds is an inspiring autobiography of high-tech guru Richard L. Leza, one of the nation’s top Hispanic venture capitalist and start-up entrepreneur. The book details how Mr. Leza skillfully guided his life from poverty to success; lived in a poor Hispanic community in New Mexico, founded and invested in approximately twenty start-ups in Silicon Valley. He dives into his growing up in poverty and life-death experience at age 22. His direct honesty on how education was the only way out and the key to success with his burning curiosity, self-confidence and hard work. You will learn of conflict and competition with rivals that pushed Mr. Leza to quit his job in order to earn a Stanford University MBA degree. That decision led him to the new world of entrepreneurship in the Silicon Valley and eventually prepared him to start his own venture capital firm.

Mr. Leza felt he could contribute positive insight and give confidence to Minorities. Whether you are making a decision on continuing your education, finding that dream job or following your entrepreneurial spirit, it has to start from within you. He hopes that his experiences can help you with your own decisions. But what is most important is that you need to believe in yourself and are not afraid to take chances. No matter what drawbacks and prejudices you have experienced, you must believe in yourself, be aggressive in your beliefs and support it with higher education.

These easy-to-read memoirs will also focus on challenges, pitfalls, and common-sense as related to being a successful Minority taking risks. For many years, Mr. Leza analyzed his accomplishments and realized that he was a proud Hispanic (sometimes called Latino, Chicano, or Mexican-American). He has seen and experienced life from his unique perspective. Mr. Leza’s excitement when something goes well in his life; his passionate reaction when facing obstacles, his deep love for his immediate family, and extending a hand for those in need, especially for helping to obtain higher education for the underprivileged.”