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Full-Text Articles in Oral History
Interview No. 1508, Hector Holguin
Interview No. 1508, Hector Holguin
Combined Interviews
Hector Holguin is the president and founder of Secure Origins in El Paso, TX; he was born in El Paso, his parents from the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. He attended El Paso High, received a Bachelor of Science from UTEP in Civil Engineering; Masters from UT in Structural Engineering; worked in aerospace engineering with Boeing Space System Center in Hunting Beach, CA for Apollo space missions. Mr. Holguin explains his work in engineering for the space program during the 1960s; recounts his family and decision to move back to El Paso; explains how work experience helped him secure a job …
Interview No. 1507, Fermin Dorado
Interview No. 1507, Fermin Dorado
Combined Interviews
Fermin Dorado is the president of Dorado Engineering in El Paso, Texas, started in June 1996; before he was El Paso city engineer for 28 years; explains how he created a professional selection process that helped shift work from all anglo firms to more hispanic firms for the city of El Paso; Mr. Dorado recounts the pressure he experienced from Mayor Francis over his retirement and accusations of bribery; covers his role in getting El Paso districts restructured for more accurate community representation, his role in LULAC and legal battles with the city government. Mr. Dorado recalls growing up in …
Interview No. 1521, Arnold B. Peinado
Interview No. 1521, Arnold B. Peinado
Combined Interviews
Arnold B. Peinado, owner of Wildwood Developers, LLC and Franklin Self Storage, LLC, describes his upbringing in El Paso as well as his various projects throughout the city. His parents, who were both Mexican immigrants came to El Paso under various circumstances to flee the violence that ensued during the Mexican Revolution. Peinado, a valedictorian of El Paso High School, received his Bachelors Degree of Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and later attained his Masters degree in the same field at MIT. His brothers also attained civil engineering degrees at Levigh University as well as Cal Tech. After …
Interview No. 1540, Fred Loya
Interview No. 1540, Fred Loya
Combined Interviews
Fred Loya was born to immigrant parents in Santa, California. His mother had a well-established family and his father worked different jobs through his life until he financed his own grocery store. Loya worked on his family ranch right out of college, he was able to do book keeping and started buying cattle for the ranch. Through buying cattle, he met Bill Bur who became Loya’s employer. Bur later lost his business and became an insurance agent with Farmers Insurance. He influenced Loya to become an agent as well, despite objection from his wife. Loya became one of the most …
Interview No. 1526, Richard Najera
Interview No. 1526, Richard Najera
Combined Interviews
Richard Najera, president of El Paso Lone Star Homes, Inc., speaks here about his rise to success as an electrician, home builder, banker, and communications entrepreneur. In addition, he shares his memories of his youth and his experiences as a public servant. Born in 1937, Najera attended El Paso High School, graduating in 1955. After studying electrical engineering at Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso), Najera attended apprenticeship school, finishing the four-year program in just two years. But obstructions arose when he sat for his contractor’s license due to the board’s corruption and racial discrimination. …