John Garcia, Secretary

Veteran Services

Secretary Garcia brings with him a background in strategic planning, business development and community relations. He is well known to the veterans community and was a Commissioner on the predecessor state veterans body, the New Mexico Veterans Service Commission.

Secretary Garcia served in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam in 1969-1970 as a member of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division. He is a founding member of the Vietnam Veterans of New Mexico and served as the National Deputy Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program in Washington, DC.

During the period immediately preceding his appointment as Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Veterans Services, Garcia was the president of Garcia and Associates, a consulting company providing governmental affairs, business development, marketing and public relations services.

Secretary Garcia formerly served in the administration of New Mexico Governor Bruce King as Deputy Chief of Staff and Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Economic Development Department. Prior to his service in state government, Mr. Garcia was the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce.

Secretary Garcia is the current president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs ("NASDVA"), an association consisting of the top veterans affairs official in each of the 50 states. The U.S. Small Business Administration recognized Secretary Garcia as the 2006 New Mexico “Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year”.

Secretary Garcia has been a member of numerous boards, committees and tasks forces including the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque Explora Museum, Governors Business Advisory Council, Shared Vision of Albuquerque, International Trade Council of New Mexico, Albuquerque Little Theater and the Inter American Bank of New Mexico. He is a founding member of the New Mexico Hispanic Genealogy Research Center. Secretary Garcia is the recipient of the De Colores New Mexico Hispanic Business Leadership Award, Mexican American Foundation's National Hispanic Leadership Award, American Center's International Leadership Award, and Washington DC's Action Agency ACTION Award. The U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recognized him as Advocate of the Year for Minority Business and he received the Profile of Courage Award from the Vietnam Veterans of New Mexico.