Alejandro Muñoz Wants El Paso to Bet on Its Own Ideas

Muñoz originally imagined a future in music. He spent years performing throughout the El Paso–Juárez region before the band separated and he began looking for another path.

He found it at UTEP.

Mentors encouraged him to pursue finance and helped him see possibilities beyond those he had initially imagined for himself. That support eventually led to an opportunity at J.P. Morgan and a career spanning finance, technology, transportation, and entrepreneurship.

“If I hadn’t landed that first opportunity at J.P. Morgan, I might not be where I am today,” he said. “It’s been the people along the way who believed in me and helped me grow.”

Muñoz now wants to provide that same kind of support to UTEP students.

“I want to help students dream bigger and believe they can compete anywhere,” he said.

Muñoz sees entrepreneurship as an important part of the Paso del Norte region’s economic future.

His vision starts with the assets already here: a bilingual and bicultural workforce, a cross-border economy, and established strengths in advanced manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and supply chain management.

Rather than reproducing another city’s startup culture, Muñoz believes El Paso can develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem grounded in its own industries, people, and identity.

“Living a bilingual, bicultural life is actually a superpower,” Muñoz said.

He sees that same advantage in UTEP students, many of whom balance their education with work, family responsibilities, and cross-border commutes.

“Our students have grit,” he said.

Muñoz is putting that vision into practice through Hunt G.O. Foundry, the Hunt College’s entrepreneurship initiative for students and faculty.

Organized around three program series, the G.O. Foundry connects aspiring entrepreneurs with experienced founders, executives, and industry leaders.

Programming is designed to provide practical guidance, expose participants to different entrepreneurial paths, and help move promising ideas toward action.

The larger vision is to make entrepreneurship a tangible student experience.

Muñoz said he already sees a shift in how students approach their ideas and ambitions.

“They’re thinking globally, and that gives me tremendous confidence in the future of our region,” he said.

For Muñoz, building that confidence matters as much as teaching the mechanics of launching a business. He wants students to recognize that they can create opportunities from El Paso and participate in markets far beyond it.

“Our students deserve the best,” he said. “We need world-class resources, mentors and opportunities that create a lasting legacy.”

Muñoz’s relationship with UTEP has included nearly every side of the University experience: student, scholarship recipient, alumnus, donor, and faculty member.

He also serves as vice president of the Hunt Alumni Network, which helps connect alumni with students and the college. The revitalized network established the Hunt Business Alumni Network Endowed Scholarship to provide financial support to Hunt Business students.

Muñoz views alumni involvement as another way to expand what students believe is possible.

“Students can only aspire to what they’ve seen,” he said. “When alumni share their experiences, they help students see what they can become.”