Graduates of CNM: Jose Garcia
Jose Garcia manages both the Albuquerque Convention Center and Civic Plaza. That means he gets to see all kinds of creative and important events, but there’s one that’s always his favorite.
“The naturalization ceremonies where people become citizens is definitely what I enjoy most,” he says. “I just love what those ceremonies stand for and what they mean.”
Facilitating these ceremonies, as well as many events that are important to the city, is something Jose has worked hard to earn. After serving in the Navy, he started working on a new career back in 1998 when he enrolled at TVI to study management. He would eventually go on to get an associate and then a bachelor’s.
Almost immediately after school, Jose was hired at the Albuquerque Convention Center as an Event Coordinator. Soon he was Director of Operations, and eventually General Manager. Today his title is General Manager for ASM, a private company that works with the city, and he oversees not only the Convention Center and Civic Plaza, but also the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness Sports Complex on Albuquerque’s West Side.
It would be easy for Jose to just concentrate on managing these properties, but he says he sees his job as something larger. All three properties attract tourism and events, and by running them efficiently he knows he can boost other parts of the city.
“If we do our jobs right, then we can have a positive impact on everything from the hotel industry to restaurants to our local Uber drivers,” he says.
This dedication to his job, and to the city, is why Jose was recently nominated for CNM’s Distinguished Alumni award by Victoria Martinez, Academic Affairs Director for Culinary Arts and Hospitality & Tourism. He received the award during the annual CNM Foundation Donor Dinner.
“I was honored to receive the award, but the best part for me has always been my association with TVI and now CNM. I’m proud to be part of a community of incredible human beings that had the fortitude to accomplish important goals and go on to serve our community,” he says.
Going forward, Jose says he’s looking forward to even more growth and creativity both at his own job and across the city.
“Coming out of the pandemic there is a lot of positivity and I’m looking forward to all our new ideas coming to fruition,” he says. “This is an exciting time to be in Albuquerque and I’m excited to be a contributor to how we move forward.”