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Some great men fulfill their mission through servant leadership, Ben Mendez is one of those men. From an early age, he has served on non-profit boards. In college, when other young men were thinking about joining fraternities, Ben was thinking about serving his community. His passion for the community was fueled by his desire to render assistance to others and speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. His purpose for doing so was to have a positive impact in Houston and to help those in need. He describes himself as, “A public servant who loves helping others. I live life to the fullest.”
Ben’s reach into the community extends to organizations such as the American Red Cross, Gulf Coast Community Services, Headstart, the Mayor’s Transition Team, National Hispanic Professional Organization, Leadership Institute, Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, Tejano Center for Community Concerns, and Houston Federation of Teachers.
Ben is the founder of the National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO), a national networking organization. In addition, Mendez founded The Leadership Institute, a program designed to assist individuals in their quest to become effective board members for non-profit organizations. Ben served two terms as Chairman of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC). Ben has also served as a television host for Latino Talk TV, a community based live television show that covers hot topics of the day.
He is also the founder and president of PMG Project Management Group, LLC. PMG provides energy management, design/construction management, and construction services. He has more than 17 years of experience in the energy, architectural, engineering, and construction industries, with special expertise in managing, budgeting, and program/policy development. Mendez began his professional career as an aide to former Houston City Councilman, Ben T. Reyes. He then taught Math at Austin High School, Houston Community College, and the University of Houston. Prior to starting PMG, Mendez managed the Design and Construction Division of the Houston Police Department, where he managed the City’s highest profile construction projects. This included the renovation of the Crime Lab and Evidence Room.
As a consultant, Mendez served as the Data Manager for Houston’s Joint Hurricane Housing Task Force, which was responsible for housing 34,000 Katrina evacuee families from New Orleans, LA after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. This housing program was the largest in the country. Mendez was best known as the City of Houston’s CIP Manager. Mendez developed and managed the City of Houston’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan and served as the point of contact in the Building Services Department in regards to the $1.4 billion spent on new construction and renovation of City facilities. Recently, Mendez was hired by the Houston Independent School District to develop the district’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan and Master Schedule for the Bond Program.
Ben’s personal credo extends to family, servant leadership, and his business. His prevailing philosophy is:
“As a family man…Be a great husband and father. Lead by example.
As a public servant…Give back to the community and surround yourself with like-minded individuals.
As a businessman…Be loyal to your staff, because they are the ones that make you or break you. Give your staff opportunities to own their own businesses.”
Ben states, “I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon, so my perspective may be totally different than someone else’s. I know what it is like to be part of a huge family, to live in the Barrio, to work in low-paying jobs and save money for college, to raise kids with little or no money, to be discriminated against due to my race, to work in a professional setting, and to be a successful businessman. I am forever grateful for my parents, who instilled in me the value of integrity, dedication, compassion, fairness, and respect. As a whole, this has shaped who I am.”
Thank you Sharon. I am honored to be your friend.