This Year's Distinguished Alumni Recipient Knows the True Value of a College Education

CNM entered Adrian Chavez’s life at the exact right moment. 

After graduating high school he wasn’t sure what to do, but enrolled at CNM to start a Business degree. At the same time he started driving a delivery truck for Pepsi. The company immediately saw his smarts and his dedication and promoted him to a manager position while he finished his degree. From there he went on to get his bachelor’s in Business as well, all while maintaining his job with the company. 

"The upper management at Pepsi talked to me one day and said 'We see a lot of potential in you and we would love to help you finish your degree,’" Adrian says. "So I finished up at CNM and then started on my bachelor’s. It was intense at times, but it was absolutely worth it."

Now, Adrian is a Food Services Senior Sales Manager at Pepsi, where he oversees the food service business in New Mexico and West Texas. Alongside his work, he remains a strong advocate for higher education and is eager to mentor and inspire young individuals on their educational journey.

This dedication to his community and passion for higher education is why the CNM Foundation recently named Adrian as the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Recipient and asked him to speak at Donor Dinner. 

"We are so proud to have Adrian as the 2023 Distinguished Alumni,'" says Clint Wells, Executive Director of The CNM Foundation. "Adrian has been an amazing champion for the Foundation and the college, but more than that he is a champion for education throughout the state of New Mexico."

Going forward, Adrian says he looks forward to continued growth in his own career, and to finding new and innovative ways to support students who also want to attend college and find successful career paths. 

"Pursuing my education was such an important stepping stone in my career and plays an important role in creating a robust community, and I want to help in any way I can," he says. "Whether it's having meaningful conversations with my daughters and their friends or continuing my work with the CNM Foundation, every effort is important to me. There is still so much I want to give back."