Del Norte High School Class of ’92 graduate Adrian Chavez has been named the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Recipient by the CNM Foundation.
After graduating from Del Norte, Adrian enrolled at CNM to start a Business degree. At the same time he started driving a delivery truck for Pepsi. The company promoted him to a manager position while he finished his degree. From there he went on to get his bachelor’s in Business as well, all while maintaining his job with the company.
“The upper management at Pepsi talked to me one day and said ‘We see a lot of potential in you and we would love to help you finish your degree,’” Adrian says. “So I finished up at CNM and then started on my bachelor’s. It was intense at times, but it was absolutely worth it.”
Now, Adrian is a Senior Sales Manager at Pepsi, where he oversees the food service business in New Mexico and West Texas. Alongside his work, he remains a strong advocate for higher education and is eager to mentor and inspire young individuals on their educational journey. Adrian says he looks forward to continued growth in his own career, and to finding new and innovative ways to support students who also want to attend college and find successful career paths.
“Pursuing my education was such an important stepping stone in my career and plays an important role in creating a robust community, and I want to help in any way I can,” he says. “Whether it’s having meaningful conversations with my daughters and their friends or continuing my work with the CNM Foundation, every effort is important to me. There is still so much I want to give back.”
Adrian Chavez addresses the Youth and Young Adults Awards Ceremony
94th LULAC National Convetion & Exposition
Albuquerque, NM on August 3, 2023.