ENMU Green & Silver Magazine - April 2018 issue

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RODEO QUEEN Turned Financial Trailblazer ... continued from previous page In the early 1980s and working in the male-dominated investment industry, Jane was initially one of only three females among 27 male financial advisors. Over the years, she often heard comments about “empty girdles,” who was or wasn’t attractive, “women should be at home barefoot and pregnant,” or “each woman hired is putting a man out of work and is stealing food off of his family’s dinner table.” Early in her career Jane attended “by invitation only” national financial advisor conferences. Male colleagues would approach her as if she was an employee of the hotel, and would ask her when coffee would be served, what was on the lunch menu, or could she contact their office with a message. She had to consistently stand her ground and educate many of her male colleagues that women too were registered representatives with the same certifications. After years of gender inequality at a number of firms, Jane decided she could have greater personal satisfaction and professional success by managing her own business. In 1989 Jane started her own independent investment firm, Summit Investment Group. At that time there was a significant bias against smaller independent firms as they did not have the branding or marketing budgets to capture the attention of investors that the large wire houses had cultivated for decades. Today Jane’s firm is located in Santa Fe, right off of prestigious Canyon Road. The independent firm partners with Raymond James Financial Services for technology, research, and their portfolio management platforms. Summit is a wealth management firm that provides estate and retirement planning, as well as portfolio management for high net worth clients ($500,000 minimum balance) in over 22 states. As a result of Jane’s grit, leadership and expertise, the firm has quadrupled managed assets and has been an annually recognized member of the Raymond James Executive Council for providing exemplary client service and for maintaining a high level of professional performance. Jane truly proved herself in the maledominated financial industry. Thanks to her and countless other female baby boomers and professional pioneers, women today have more career choices. This former rodeo queen has never been happier. Forensic Science Majors Attend Prestigious Internship at Carnegie Mellon By: Dr. Kay Marden ENMU Forensic Science Program Director Three talented ENMU forensic science majors were chosen to participate in the 2017 National Science Foundation “Research Experience for Undergraduates” (REU) summer internship program. Susan Hartfelder (forensic anthropology), Kristyn Frisque (forensic biology) and Trysha Parker (forensic anthropology), were all invited to attend the nationally renowned, twomonth-long residential internship program at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, with all of the students’ travel and living expenses paid by the National Center for Statistics and Applications in Forensic Evidence (CSAFE). Working under the supervision of CSAFE’s leading experts, our students contributed to a major initiative in statistical foundations in forensic science, exploring novel ways to employ statistical models to solve key challenges in forensic evidence analysis. These young scholars participated in evidence collection, data analysis, and honed their professional communication skills through regular presentations of research results. ENMU’s participation in the CSAFE REU internship program has not only increased threefold in just one year, but Eastern students comprised a large proportion of the participants. With only 16 undergraduate students from seven institutions around the country invited to attend this highly selective internship program, it is remarkable that all three Eastern students whose names we submitted were accepted. We’re very proud of each of these young scientists, and we can’t wait to watch the trajectories of their respective careers. 6 Green & Silver | April 2018
Boating, Wine and Family Time By: Rachel Forrester Boating in the middle of the desert ... a luxurious, historic hotel ... a pumpkin patch and winery combo. It’s a group of attractions you might not expect to have a common denominator, yet each one is owned and operated by the Balzano family out of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Part of a family of entrepreneurs who are constantly looking for a risk to take or a gap that needs to be filled, Dale Balzano (BS 75) started the first of their local family attractions with Carlsbad Cruises 30 years ago. The company offers guided boat tours along the beautiful Pecos River, as well as pedal boat, kayak and paddleboard rentals. He and his wife Janie (attended) also own the historic Trinity Hotel, which they bought with their son Derek (attended) in 2007 and fully renovated into what is now Carlsbad’s finest dining establishment and hotel. The couple is also responsible for Balzano Winery where, so far, four generations of Balzano family members have been seen tending to and pruning the vines. Dale and Janie’s daughter, Toni Balzano (BS 97), started her first company when she was just 6 years old, selling sheep to other 4-H kids. Toni took over managing Carlsbad Cruises seven years ago and also recently talked her parents into letting her open a pumpkin patch on the winery property. Dale and Janie Balzano with their daughter, Toni and her husband, Johnny Chandler. All four of them are ENMU alumni. The pumpkin patch has become a huge hit, complete with a petting zoo, hayride, fishing pond and more. Today, Toni spends her days juggling her responsibilities in Carlsbad with imPRonta, her PR company based out of Albuquerque. “Sometimes I’m dealing with a media crisis for an imPRonta client, and the next I’m talking to employees about boat motors or the latest drama with one of the pumpkin patch animals,” Toni explained. “I live and work in Albuquerque, but from boat season to pumpkin patch season we spend a majority of weekends in Carlsbad.” Toni Balzano most recently pursuaded her father, Dale, to let her open a pumpkin patch on the winery property. Toni’s husband, Johnny Chandler (BS 02), is also a Greyhound, along with all of Dale’s siblings, Rick Balzano (attended), Gary Balzano (BS 77) and Debbie Balzano (BBA 85). All three brothers belonged to the Sigma Chi fraternity, and Dale and Gary still get together with several of their fraternity brothers every year in Las Vegas over Super Bowl weekend. “I always tell kids to choose Eastern,” Dale said. “Some kids think they want some big, fancy, expensive school, but nothing will prepare you for life like ENMU. Eastern gives you a big education for a fraction of the cost. And being a smaller school means you can really get involved and get to know people.” To Dale and Janie, success has meant working together as a family. And with a new generation of Balzanos contributing to current projects and forming their own entrepreneurial dreams, it looks like continued success is on the horizon. Carlsbad Cruises opens each year after Easter. Balzano Winery is open daily from Memorial Day until Labor Day, when they make the switch to opening the pumpkin patch at the beginning of October. Green & Silver | April 2018 7
Page 1 and 2: & Green SilverAPRIL 2018 MAGAZINE E
Page 3 and 4: From the President Dear Greyhound N
Page 5: By: Noelle Bartl Jane Terry (BS 69)
Page 9 and 10: Mother and Daughter Catch Trail Fev
Page 11 and 12: Consuelo Ruybal: A Graphic Designer
Page 13 and 14: Remembering Portales Mayor Sharon K
Page 15 and 16: NEWS ENMU Student-Athletes Among th
Page 17 and 18: Kayne Gutierrez (BS 04) will serve
Page 19 and 20: 80s Betty Jean Polston-Payne (MED 7

ENMU Green & Silver Magazine - April 2018 issue

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