Hector Lopez, El Paso mayoral candidate

NAME Hector H. Lopez
OFFICE YOU SEEK Mayor
AGE 33
OCCUPATION Assistant Director of Admission US West Coast, Mexico & Caribbean (US Territories) Villanova University
EDUCATION
-Villanova University, Master of Arts (MA) in Strategic Communication
-Georgetown University, Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) in International Politics, International Law, Ethics and Organizations

-Certificate in Latin American Studies
-Cathedral High School
FAMILY Mother: Maria Eugenia Lopez, Father: Hector Lopez, Sisters: Marisol Lopez, Adriana Lopez

1) NUMBER-ONE CAMPAIGN FOCUS: Public Trust
From email scandals to indictments, from secretive cell phone use to backroom deals, public trust has been eroded completely. We need to rebuild the public’s confidence in city government, and that will be my number one priority as the next Mayor of El Paso.

El Pasoans have now experienced the city management form of government and we have seen its numerous flaws. Unfortunately, accountability and transparency have been forgotten at City Hall ever since our conversion to a city management form of government. Leaders need to be held accountable through elections—there is no room for an unelected bureaucrat with zero oversight from passive “progressives” pushing the agenda of a few billionaires. City management needs to be placed on a ballot, not on a pedestal.

2) WHAT SETS YOU APART FROM YOUR OPPONENTS?
I am the youngest candidate in this race, and the most qualified to become the next mayor of El Paso. While the other contenders in this race play the political game of old, I represent a fresh start for our community. I am the only candidate with a fully articulated multi-point platform with specific policies addressing public trust, business, education, civic organizations, citizenship, regional collaboration, and others currently being developed with input from El Pasoans.

3) RELEVANT EXPERIENCE THAT QUALIFIES YOU FOR THE POSITION YOU SEEK:
For over ten years, I have had the pleasure of working in El Paso and communities across the Americas and the United States.
As the former Industry Development Advisor and International Trade Liaison for the City of El Paso, I advised and represented the economic interests of El Paso domestically as well as internationally with governments and corporations. As International Trade Liaison I advised on the strategic facilitation of international trade, which enables the sustenance of the city’s tax-base and the stabilization of our employment figures. As Industry Development Advisor, I helped retain and create jobs and was responsible for the city’s corporate relations, economic expansion strategy, incentive management, industry negotiations, and business incentive, retention, and development policy.

As the Senior Vice President of the National Hispanic Institute (NHI), I directed, managed, and represented the organization’s international leadership, education, and community development initiatives as well as its fundraising efforts. I outreached to near 30,000 students, helped maintain our ties to over 120 colleges and universities, and developed numerous partnerships throughout the US, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico & the Dominican Republic. My work during this time also included the strategic planning, producing, and directing of national and international level events on behalf of the institute.

As the current Assistant Director of University Admission for the US West Coast, Mexico & the Caribbean (US Territories), my work with families and students throughout the country continues as I direct, manage and represent my alma mater’s outreach initiatives for admissions and enrollment. In addition, my academic course work has been in strategic communication, organizations, ethics, strategic planning, international relations, international politics and Latin American studies.

Beyond my credentials, I bring a passion and vision for innovative organizational practices and their increasing role in our great city’s future. The next Mayor of El Paso should represent the community first and not only understand community development, but also have experience in it. I have dedicated my life to this endeavor working with families, students, educators, business owners, community leaders and many others.

4) IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO REVOKE ONE ORDINANCE IN EL PASO IMMEDIATELY UPON TAKING OFFICE, WHICH ONE WOULD IT BE?
Several ordinances passed at the City of El Paso have incrementally consolidated more and more power in the city manager. The next Mayor of El Paso should take a careful look at each of the ordinances associated with consolidating power in the office of the City Manager and build the consensus needed to successfully revoke these ordinances. This would be the first step necessary to regain direct authority and oversight over the city manager by city council.

5) DESCRIBE A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE:
My outlook on local government shifted after working for two mayoral administrations from rival political factions. I left my position in the Department of Economic Development disillusioned with local leadership and local government. I consequently accepted a senior position with the organization I had been involved with since the age of 14, the National Hispanic Institute. For nearly 10 years, I served communities like El Paso across the US and in 6 different nations. This experience inspired a renewed commitment to genuine service and community development as I witnessed the impact an entrepreneurial nonprofit could have on the lives of thousands of families, students and their communities.
This very experience was behind my decision to run for office and the reason I feel so strongly that it is time to turn the page on the politics of old in El Paso.

6) IN WHAT WAYS IS EL PASO ON THE RIGHT TRACK, AND IN WHAT WAYS DOES IT NEED TO CHANGE COURSE?
Our city faces great challenges but we are also armed with great community assets. We have talented young people in abundance, we speak English and Spanish fluently, and we grew up on both sides of the border and know what it means to be transnational. It is time to capitalize on these assets.
It is time to end the divisive politics of the past in El Paso and work towards a future where business, education, civic organizations and our regional partners collaborate in establishing our community as the most influential metroplex in the Americas.

Our community leaders at City Hall are currently preoccupied on pet projects that do nothing to enhance the readiness of our graduates to grow our transnational economy. They perceive talent as something that exists beyond our city limits rather than recognizing that our most abundant natural resource across our regional community is our young people. We can no longer allow shortsighted political gangs to consolidate power while they deprive the next generation of an even playing field here in our community.

7) IF ELECTED, HOW WILL YOU BALANCE THE NEEDS OF FAMILY, YOUR CAREER AND YOUR OFFICE?
Once elected Mayor, I plan to step down from my current position with Villanova University and be a full time Mayor who leads at local, state, federal and international levels for El Paso.

8)WHEN AND WHY DID YOU COME TO EL PASO (IF APPLICABLE)?
I am a 1st generation American citizen, born and raised in El Paso. I grew up on the east and south side of El Paso.

9) PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER YOU HAVE A WEBSITE, TWITTER OR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT:
Website: lopezforelpaso.com Facebook: Lopez for El Paso