With this issue of The Borderline, I finish my stint as Executive Director of BCA and transition to the role of Senior Advisor, working on special projects and donor relations. These past almost five years have been amazing and I’m very appreciative of the many people who made it possible for BCA to enjoy the success it’s had. Marty Bronstein and I became co-chairs in September of 2015 and his gentle spirit, humor and concern for others calmed me down many times. Pat Trulock and Diane Brooks were workhorses on the Board at the time and Bob Phillips continued to help out, coming in from San Francisco. Alma Cota de Yanez was and continues to be an absolute inspiration; she has always been there to help us through. Tony Sedgwick and Bob Reid gave good guidance in those early years; encouragement came from Peg Bowden and Nancy Bennett . Everything changed when Alex La Pierre came on staff. His passion, vision and delight in all things related to the Borderlands continue to influence us all. We’re now in a new chapter as Alex and Jose Delgado (see article below) take over as the Leadership Team for BCA. With Magda Mankel and Suzy Webber , they will lead us to new heights. This is a creative team and BCA’s Board of Directors is working with them to shape new strategies for fulling our mission “Bridging the Border and fostering community through education, collaboration and cultural exchange.” In this COVID 19 crisis, we’re creating digital offerings with video and Zoom to compliment tours and classes. We’ll be developing new resources for other audiences such as K-12 students and people who live far from the border. The “new organization” we talked about in our Foresight 2020 presentations is becoming a reality. I’m grateful to Board President, Cecilia Quade , and the rest of the Board of Directors for their hard work to go from dream to plan and from plan to reality. Meanwhile and when the timing is right, I’m hoping to have a big Transition Party to celebrate my transition and everything else that’s happening at BCA. It’ll be a party for Alex who completed his studies at the U of A and for Jose as he joins our team. It will be a party for everybody I named in this article and everybody who has been a part of BCA’s success that I’ve failed to mention. It’ll be a party for our donors whose support is especially needed during this pause in our tour activity; a party for our members and for our friends and especially for everyone who is willing to help us shape the future. In a very real way, we can make a difference in US-Mexico relations and in the Borderlands culture to be vital and engaging for many years to come. So, raise your glasses, make a toast to us and then write a check and send it in!

Advance Notice – An Exciting Announcement!

The Board of Directors of nonprofit Border Community Alliance, INC, is pleased to announce the selection of Jose Delgado as the new Director of Operations (part-time) , effective immediately.

Jose comes to BCA with more than twenty-two years of experience in the world of business development and international operations. A knowledgeable leader and mentor with a successful track record of building and managing high-performance teams, he has worked in a variety of sectors (high tech, automotive and manufacturing) in more than 15 countries for a span of 24 years. In the last 17 years he was in charge of Global Accounts for two of the largest supply chain and logistics companies in the world. More recently, Jose became a Director and Partner at Anequim, a property management rm with a large international pool of employees.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in various cities in Mexico, Jose moved to Nogales with his parents to finish high school. There he met his future wife, Melissa. After completing his Bachelor’s in Business Administration at the University of Arizona, Jose worked with Amphenol in Nogales before returning to school for an MBA in Global Leadership at Thunderbird International School of Management in Phoenix. Meanwhile, Melissa completed her doctorate at ASU and together the couple negotiated child-rearing and careers for several years before returning to Tucson two years ago when Melissa accepted a faculty position in Faculty Studies and Human Development at the University of Arizona. The couple has two sons. Other family close by includes Melissa’s parents in Mesa and Jose’s parents in Nogales.

In his cover letter applying for the position with BCA, Jose indicated that “...after moving away for a few years...[I] have great appreciation for the challenges and opportunities of this rich area [e.g. the Borderlands].” When BCA’s Board of Directors reviewed his application, Jose’s education, accomplishments and skills were immediately obvious. During subsequent interviews, his fit with BCA’s mission and values became equally compelling. The Board was deeply impressed by Jose’s thoughtfulness, personal warmth and desire to help build BCA’s team.

In response to the question as to why he wanted to work with BCA, Jose shared these thoughts:

The moment I read about BCA was the moment I realized BCA is the perfect conduit to be part of an organization that supports and fosters the richness of our border community. I am joining BCA to support these efforts but also to find ways to share them with those who have not had the opportunity to experience such a rich culture.

As Director of Operations, Jose will serve as part of the Leadership Team with Alex La Pierre, Director of Programs. Jose’s responsibilities include overseeing the internal operations of BCA to ensure organizational effectiveness and efficiency. He and Alex will be interacting directly with BCA’s Board of Directors through the Executive Committee.