Hunt Business Leadership Council

Miriam Baca Kotkowski is a respected leader in the transportation and logistics industry and the first woman in her immediate family to earn a college degree in 1984.

Her professional journey began with managing the U.S. Purchasing office of a well-regarded company in Mexico. In 1998, she co-founded Omega Trucking, Inc. with the mission of providing door-to-door freight services between the U.S. and Mexico.

As President of TECMA Transportation Services, Miriam leads regional and international logistics operations, provides internship opportunities for aspiring business professionals, and has served as a lecturer at UTEP, reflecting her strong commitment to education and community empowerment within the supply chain field.

Roberto Coronado is a Senior Vice President and Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. He is responsible for the bank’s community engagement and development function.

Coronado leads the team that builds deep, strategic partnerships with community and business leaders to help shape the Dallas Fed’s understanding of the economy in Texas, Southern New Mexico and Northern Louisiana. The team’s conversations with people in the region inform the Dallas Fed’s policy views.

As an economist, Coronado’s research focuses on the Mexican economy, U.S.–Mexico economic integration and the border region. He has authored articles for Federal Reserve publications as well as academic journals in both the United States and Mexico. With this expertise, Coronado serves as a key adviser on regional economic conditions and acts as a liaison between the Bank and stakeholders in Texas and Mexico.

Coronado serves on the boards of the National Association for Business Economics, Texas 2036 and the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence.

He earned his Doctorate in Economics from the University of Houston, and he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Economics and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Paul Dipp is a commercial real estate specialist and prominent business leader whose career spans more than five decades, with a focus on the real estate and food industries. While attending UTEP, Dipp combined his academic studies with hands-on experience gained through his family business. As co-founding partner of Plaza Properties, he played an integral role in preserving the Plaza Hotel and Plaza Theatre. He currently serves as President of Economy Wholesale Grocers.

Dipp has been recognized for his leadership and success over the years with honors including the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award, the 2025 Miner Business Impact Award, and UTEP’s 2019 Gold Nugget Award. A dedicated mentor and advocate for education, he actively supports UTEP students through employment and internship opportunities in business and civic organizations. He remains deeply committed to business innovation and to the community that nurtured his growth.

Edward Escudero is President and CEO of High Desert Capital, a finance company based in El Paso, Texas, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of WestStar Bank. He has held leadership roles including Executive Vice President and CFO of C&R Distributing, a major fuel and lubricant distributor and operator of convenience stores in West Texas and Southern New Mexico. Prior to that, he served as Secretary and CFO of Petro Stopping Centers, L.P., where he played a key role in expanding the company to 34 states with over $2 billion in annual sales. He was responsible for overseeing the company’s financial and administrative functions and was instrumental in leading its successful sale in 2007.

A dedicated advocate for regional growth, Mr. Escudero has served on numerous corporate and nonprofit boards. He is currently Chairman of the Board of El Paso Electric Company and serves on the boards of Hunt Companies Inc., Transtelco Holdings, Inc., TECMA, Medical Center of the Americas Foundation, The Hospitals of Providence Memorial & Sierra Campuses, Texas 2036, Trellis Company (formerly Texas Guaranteed Student Loans), and the Texas Business Leadership Council. He also contributes to the University of Texas at El Paso through its Business Advisory Council and Development Board and serves on the UT Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee.

Escudero’s honors include the UTEP Distinguished Alumni Award (2023), Lucy G. Acosta Humanitarian Award (2020), Community Spirit Award (2015), El Paso Business Hall of Fame (2014), Hispanos Triunfadores (2013), and the UTEP Gold Nugget Award (2012).

Miguel Fernandez is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Flō Networks, a multinational telecommunications infrastructure company he co-founded in 2001. The company provides digital infrastructure services to Fortune 1000 companies, including telecommunications and cable operators, over a fiber-optic network that spans more than 32,000 route miles. In his role as CEO, Mr. Fernandez oversees the execution and implementation of Flō’s strategic goals and objectives, including budgets, mergers, and acquisitions. He also serves as Advisory Director on the Board of WestStar Bank.

A native of the Paso del Norte Borderplex, Mr. Fernandez is active in numerous civic and charitable organizations on both sides of the U.S. and Mexico border. He serves on the board of University Medical Center and has been active in the La Rodadora Interactive Museum in Juarez, Mexico. He has also served on the Board of the Medical Center of the Americas, El Paso Children’s Hospital and La Nube, El Paso Children’s Museum Foundation.

Mr. Fernandez earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Texas at El Paso.

John T. Hjalmquist is a native El Pasoan and a 1978 honors graduate with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso. He is a certified public accountant.

Hjalmquist is President/Chief Executive Officer of Pizza Properties, Inc., which owns and operates 52 franchised Peter Piper Pizza restaurants in Texas and Southern New Mexico. John also serves as President/Chief Executive Officer of Lone Star Apple, LLC which consists of 12 Applebee’s restaurants in El Paso and Las Cruces, New Mexico. Together, both companies employ approximately 3,000 employees with corporate headquarters in El Paso, Texas.

Hjalmquist has been and continues to be active in numerous civic and charitable organizations. He is currently a member of the University of Texas at El Paso Hunt Business Leadership Council, the Board of Directors of the Borderplex Alliance and the Board of Directors of the University Medical Center/El Paso Children’s Hospital Foundations. He is a member of the El Paso/Juarez Chapter of the Young President’s Organization.

He is married to Susan with three sons aged 37, 34 and 30.

Josh Hunt is the Executive Vice President of Hunt Companies, Inc., and serves on its Board of Directors, as well as the Investment and Executive Committees. He is Chairman of Hunt Communities, the largest master-planned community developer in El Paso, and President of the Woody and Gayle Hunt Family Foundation.

Beyond his professional roles, Mr. Hunt is actively engaged in civic and nonprofit initiatives, serving on boards including the Texas State History Museum Foundation, Trellis Foundation, Texas Tribune, Borderplex Alliance, and Paso Del Norte Foundation. He is the founding chairman of La Nube (El Paso Children’s & Science Museum) and a member of the Texas Business Leadership Council and Young Presidents Organization (YPO) El Paso/Juarez Chapter.

Mr. Hunt is also Chairman of MountainStar Sports Group, which owns the El Paso Chihuahuas (Triple-A Baseball) and El Paso Locomotive FC (USL), and he serves on the USL Board of Governors. He has been recognized as El Pasoan of the Year (2014, 2024) and inducted into the El Paso Business Hall of Fame (2019).

Mr. Hunt graduated from The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University with a bachelor’s degree in Real Estate/Finance. He also earned an MS degree with honors in Real Estate and Construction Management from the Daniels School of Business at the University of Denver.

William Kell is the Chief Operating Officer of Franklin Mountain Investments, LLC. Previously, William served in various executive leadership roles at Hunt Companies, Inc., Security Capital Group, and Bohannon Development Corporation. He currently serves as a board member of Jordan Foster Construction.

William commenced his career as an audit and tax staff member with the international accounting firm KPMG. William is a native El Pasoan and received a BBA from Texas Tech University and held a Certified Public Accountant license for approximately 35 years.

Hazel Kennedy is the Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer at GECU, where she champions innovation, operational excellence and meaningful community impact across the region and beyond.

A proud alumna of UTEP, Hazel earned her Executive MBA from the university and remains closely connected with the institution that helped shape her leadership journey. Today, she gives back to her alma mater by supporting mentorship, internships, and professional development opportunities for students.

Hazel’s career has been defined by transformative leadership in lending, strategic planning, and operations. She played a pivotal role in launching GECU’s Title Agency, a one-stop, full-service mortgage experience. Under her leadership, GECU continues to grow as El Paso’s largest independently owned financial institution, serving as a beacon of opportunity and trust for the community. Driven by a passion for financial inclusion, Hazel has dedicated her career to expanding access to credit and housing for historically underserved populations.

A dedicated mentor to emerging leaders—including fellow UTEP alumni—Hazel fosters a culture of service and community impact. Her civic engagement includes board roles with the El Paso Chamber, United Way of El Paso, Better Business Bureau, and the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions. She also supports family-friendly initiatives with partners like the El Paso Chihuahuas, El Paso Locomotive FC, and UTEP.

Kathryn Marsman is an executive with deep expertise in global vendor alliances, cloud marketplace strategy, enterprise software sales, and partner ecosystem growth. She leads hyperscaler engagement and AI commerce innovation.

Kathryn has a proven track record of building scalable GTM frameworks, accelerating revenue, and driving cross-functional alignment across global markets.

Paul Porras is President and CEO of the Garick Group, Inc., one of the largest mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractors in the southwest. Born and raised in El Paso, Paul has used his talents to support the El Paso region via participation in local boards, as well as in being a benefactor to many public and private causes. He currently serves on the Texas Tech President’s Development Council, WestStar Insurance Board, the El Paso Community Foundation Board of Directors, and the Coronado Country Club Board of Directors. Paul is also a former member of the Board of Directors of Candlelighters of El Paso, as well as many other construction industry and Church boards and committees.

Mr. Porras received his Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.

Margie Salazar is the President and CEO of FirstLight Federal Credit Union. Margie has worked at the credit union for 28 years, starting her career as a part time teller while attending college. A first-generation college graduate, Margie earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Management from UTEP.

She rose through the operational and executive ranks to become the first woman President/CEO of FirstLight FCU in 2023 and is among one of the first Latinas to lead a billion-dollar credit union. Margie has been active in the credit union industry for many years, having served on the Board of the El Paso Chapter of Credit Unions and Armed Services YMCA.

She currently serves as Chair Emeritus of the Board for the YMCA of El Paso, board member for Inclusiv (an organization dedicated to help low and moderate income communities achieve financial independence), advisory board member for the UTEP Banking Academy and patient advisory committee member for the TTUHSC Cancer Center. She is also a member of NLCUP (National Latino Credit Union Professionals) and CEA (Community en Accion). Recognized as a compassionate leader, the FirstLight team is committed to improving lives so community members can achieve their dreams.

Her leadership focuses on inclusion and financial wellness, with a dedication to providing financial access to the communities she serves in El Paso, Fort Bliss, and Las Cruces communities.

Linda serves as district engineer to several municipal utility districts in west Texas and provides her oversight and expertise to numerous land development projects in Texas and New Mexico.

Bob Wingo joined Sanders\Wingo in 1984 and has been instrumental in expanding the agency’s reach from El Paso to major markets including Austin, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Known for his commitment to authenticity and excellence, Bob has earned the trust of major clients such as AT&T, Burger King, Chevrolet, KFC, State Farm, USPS, and Shell Oil through his deep understanding of client needs and strategic leadership.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Bob has demonstrated outstanding civic and public service. He has served on several state boards by appointment of Governors George W. Bush and Rick Perry, including the Texas Finance Commission, Texas Economic Development Corporation (as Chairman), and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Nationally, he has served on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Foundation Board.

Currently, Bob serves on the boards of Las Palmas Del Sol Medical Center, Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine (as Chairman), the UTEP Hunt College of Business, and the El Paso Community Foundation.

Bob’s leadership and community impact have earned him numerous recognitions, including Black Enterprise’s 2009 Advertising Agency of the Year for Sanders\Wingo and being named a Distinguished Alumnus by UTEP in 2013.