Lunch at the Bradbury Science Museum in Los Alamos with community leaders and the GACC’s New Mexico Roadrunner ambassadors.
On Sept. 18-20, the New Mexico Roadrunners set off for a three-day trip to the Enchanted Circle.
The annual trip is sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce to showcase different areas and industries around the state, build relationships with fellow New Mexicans and discuss how we can work together to make New Mexico a great place to live, work, build a business and raise a family.
This year’s New Mexico Roadrunners’ group was led by Kevin Eades, chairman of the Roadrunners and president and CEO of Molzen Corbin & Associates. Joining him were Del Esparza, GACC chairman and founder/CEO of Esparza Digital + Advertising, and Terri Cole, GACC president and CEO.
As Roadrunners’ chair, Eades explained the group’s mission at each stop and shared with Roadrunners and guests at each location that “together we can help address the big challenges facing our communities and our state. That’s what these trips are all about: forming relationships and finding common ground where we can join forces and speak with one voice to improve things.”
Other Roadrunners included:
- Michael Bickel – Bank of Albuquerque
- Jeff Buell – PNM
- Richard Deutch – Hartman + Majewski Design
- Liz Earls – Capra Bank
- Justina Grant – Holmans
- Max Gruner – City of Albuquerque
- Genevieve “Gen” Lawson – Sutin, Thayer and Brown
- Philip Le – Citizens Bank
- Nick Maestas – Sandia National Laboratories
- Jeremiah Ritchie – New Mexico Mutual
- Roman Sandoval – REDW
- Frank Santiago – Waste Management
- Mark Thompson – Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
- D’Val Westphal – Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
- Erica Weingartner – Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
The trip’s first stop was at Bandelier National Monument, where Park Superintendent Patrick Suddath spoke to the group about the economic impact of the NPS and Bandelier.
The Roadrunners then traveled to Los Alamos, where local leaders shared that the biggest challenges in the area are housing, workforce availability and retention, and transportation for workforce and said they are looking forward to working with the Chamber on these in the upcoming Legislative session. The Roadrunners wrapped up the visit with a tour of the Bradbury Science Museum, where the Atomic Age journey is housed.
The group then headed north to Taos and ended the day with a dinner with area leaders at Doc Martin’s in the Old Taos Inn — again the overarching concerns expressed by city, county and business officials were housing and workforce, with public safety (specifically drugs and guns) also raised as an issue.
After an overnight stay at El Monte Sagrado, Day Two took the Roadrunners to the state fish hatchery in Questa, where Leon Krabbe shared his knowledge on everything about New Mexico trout. (His team stocks Tingley Beach, FYI!) The group then headed to Red River and lunched with area officials and business leaders at Vine restaurant, again hearing that housing, workforce, transportation and public safety were top concerns.
Those same themes dominated dinner with Las Vegas-area leaders at Trackside Dining in the Castaneda Hotel. Roadrunners overnighted in the historic Plaza Hotel.
Before heading back to Albuquerque, the group toured the Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas, where Tim Shields, executive director/hospital administrator, shared some insight into what services the hospital offers as the state’s only mental health hospital. The group also took a trolley tour around Las Vegas before heading to Santa Fe for lunch and home to Albuquerque.
The Chamber would like to thank the following partners for making the 2024 NM Roadrunners trip a success:
- Sandy Jones, director, Los Alamos Chamber
- Lauren McDaniel, executive director, Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
- Kathy Keith, director, Community Partnership Office at Los Alamos National Labs
- Sen. Bobby Gonzales
- Tammy Jaramillo Abeita
- Taos County Manager Brent Jaramillo
- Lindsey Pfaff Bain, executive director, Taos Chamber of Commerce
- Karina Armijo, executive director, N.M. Outdoor Recreation Division
- Mercedes Rodriguez, executive director, Taos County Economic Development Corporation
- Naoma Staley, director, Red River Chamber of Commerce
- Max Khudiakov, director, Tourism and Economic Development, Town of Red River
- Terrie Bowen, treasurer, Red River Chamber of Commerce
- Fritz Davis and Kerry Shepherd, writers and publishers of the seasonal Red River Magazine
- Elmo Baca, executive director, Las Vegas Community Foundation
- Rose Taylor Contreras, board member, San Miguel Chamber of Commerce
- Bill Taylor, business professor, New Mexico Highlands University
- Leota Brigida Harriman, publisher, Las Vegas Optic
- Robert Nott, New Mexico Department of Health
- Number 11 Trolley Tour
And many thanks as well to our trip sponsors who made this ambassador trip possible: PNM, New Mexico Mutual, Bernalillo County, city of Albuquerque, UNM, Esparza Digital + Advertising, United Supermarkets (Albertsons), the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Sunny 505, Waste Management, Molina Healthcare, Sutin Thayer Browne, Don Chalmers Ford and J.D. Bullington.
We hope to see more of you on the Roadrunners bus in 2025!
