Meet JD

I was born in Oluta, Veracruz, Mexico. When we arrived in Minnesota, we started with very little. I worked hard, stretched every paycheck, and did everything I could to build something steady.

THE TURNING POINT

Early on, a supervisor saw something in me that I did not yet see in myself. He challenged me to earn my GED. I did. Then he encouraged me to go to college. With his belief and support, I earned my business degree.

That experience shaped me. Someone believed in me. Someone challenged me to grow. I carried that forward.

COACHING AND COMMUNITY

In my community, I helped start the first local youth soccer team. Over the last 25 years, people began to know me as “Coach JD.” Coaching was never just about the game. It was about discipline, belief, and accountability. It was about helping young people see strengths they did not yet see in themselves.

EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP

Later, I worked in public education as a Migrant Liaison, Interpreter, Cultural Liaison, and an EL math instructor. I worked directly with students navigating real challenges and watched them succeed.

I also spent time in the private sector and served as Director of Operations at Taylor Corporation. I led teams and helped manage decisions that impacted hundreds of families. Leadership at that level requires clarity, responsibility, and steadiness.

Today, my wife and I own Alberta’s Restaurant in Elko New Market. As small business owners, we understand payroll, healthcare costs, supply pressures, and what it means to create jobs in our community.

When you start with little, you learn two things.

Hard work matters. Opportunity matters.