Governor nominates El Paso Electric executive to NMSU Board of Regents

Organ Mountain News report

SANTA FE - Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has nominated Ricardo Gonzales, regional vice president for El Paso Electric, to serve a four-year term on New Mexico State University’s Board of Regents.

The five-member board oversees the governance of NMSU, including its policies, operations, and degree approvals. The board also supervises the university president's office and oversees the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, which operates under the university as a land-grant institution.

Gonzales expressed enthusiasm for the appointment in a LinkedIn post.

“As an Aggie, I’m incredibly proud to have been nominated to the New Mexico State University Board of Regents,” he wrote. “As a kid, I remember cruising campus and cheering on the Aggie basketball teams; I could never have imagined an opportunity like this.”

Gonzales manages EPE’s operations and strategy in New Mexico and oversees the utility’s government relations and lobbying efforts in the state. El Paso Electric provides power to much of southern New Mexico.

A former legislative affairs director for NMSU and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Gonzales holds a bachelor’s degree in history from NMSU, according to his LinkedIn profile.

In a statement, Gonzales said he looks forward to contributing to the university’s mission.

“I look forward to working with our new president and the university community as we extend our engagement and impact across the Mesilla Valley, urban and rural New Mexico. Go Aggies.”

Regent nominations in New Mexico require confirmation by the state Senate, a process that will likely take place during the upcoming legislative session. Regents serve staggered six-year terms on the board.