SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Mexican Museum , a Smithsonian affiliate, announces its slate of new officers for 2015. Andrew "Andy" Kluger, current Chairman of The Mexican Museum's Board of Trustees, has been re-elected as Chair for the coming year. He is joined by Alejandro Vallejo as Vice-Chair, Miguel Bustos as Secretary, and Dr. Edgar De Sola as Treasurer. The Mexican Museum is the premier West Coast museum of Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano, Latin American and Latino art, culture and heritage.
"I am deeply honored to be re-elected as Chairman of The Mexican Museum Board of Trustees," said Kluger, who has served as Chair since 2013. "My vision going forward is to continue the tremendous local, national, and international momentum we have generated over the past two years. This includes the immense public recognition and financial support surrounding the groundbreaking of the new Museum home in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Garden Arts District next summer, as well as securing additional funding and endorsements for the future galleries to be housed there."
About the New Officers:
Andy Kluger, Chairman of the Board: As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Mexican Museum, Kluger has been instrumental in advancing the new building project in downtown San Francisco's Yerba Buena Garden Arts District. In June 2014, he met with Mexican government dignitaries and civic leaders to promote the building project and to invite them to the groundbreaking ceremony, which is slated for summer 2015. During his trip, Kluger also launched a unique, collaborative partnership between the Museum and Mexico's largest public university, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (National Autonomous University of Mexico).
Under Kluger's leadership, the Museum also secured the support of Guadalupe Rivera Marin, daughter of renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera, who joined Mexican-American film actor, director and producer Edward James Olmos as Honorary co-Chair of the Museum's prestigious Arts and Letters Council. Ann Rockefeller Roberts, daughter of Nelson A. Rockefeller, devoted art collector and patron of the arts, former Governor of New York and Vice President of the United States, also became a member of the Museum's Board of Trustees. In October of this year, Rivera Marin and Rockefeller Roberts agreed to endorse respective $3 million capital campaigns for new galleries to be named in honor of their fathers.
"Many hopes and dreams have gone into the making of The Mexican Museum and now, under Andy's leadership and the guidance of the Board of Trustees, those hopes will be realized beyond what we once dreamed with the establishment of the new facility," said Rivera Marin. "Future generations will enter its halls with wonder, and marvel at the Museum's presence as a celebration of community."
A Mexico-born entrepreneur, venture capitalist and philanthropist, Kluger is the founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Early Bird Alert, a medical technology company, a managing partner of Bluegrass Assisted Living LLC, and the CEO of Medical Business Systems, a medical billing company. He is also the former chairman of the board and CEO of Hawaii Air Ambulance, Inc. (1996-2011). In 2014, Kluger was honored by the Foreign Ministry of Mexico for his seven years of diplomatic service as Honorary Consul to the State of Hawaii for the Republic of Mexico, a capacity in which he continues to serve. Presently, he is also a trustee of St. Andrews Priory, Honolulu, and president of the non-profit, Book Bank USA. Kluger was a faculty member at the School of Engineering at City University of Hong Kong, and continues to serve as a Research Scientist at the Center for Advanced Life Cycle Engineering (CALCE) Institute at the University of Maryland in College Park. Kluger received a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Economics from the University of California, Davis, a Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and did his post graduate work at Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
Alejandro Vallejo, Vice-Chair: Vallejo is Director and Lead Counsel for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in San Francisco. As an active member of the Company's Law Department Diversity Committee, he has spearheaded major diversity initiatives including professional development events in conjunction with the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), which PG&E hosted and garnered the participation of over 20 Fortune 500 and leading technology companies and more than 120 minority outside counsel. He is also involved in the Minority Corporate Counsel Association, the California Minority Counsel Program, and HNBA, where he served as Regional Deputy President (2011-2102). Prior to joining PG&E, Vallejo was a commercial litigator at the internal law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where he held leadership positions in several of the firm's diversity and inclusion committees and programs. Vallejo was born in Bogotá, Colombia, received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside, summa cum laude , and a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, MA, where he was also an associate editor of the Harvard International Law Journal.
Miguel Bustos, Secretary: A seasoned civic leader with extensive international reach, Bustos brings over 20 years of experience in strategizing and leveraging philanthropic resources across local, regional and national sectors. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and Community Relations and Outreach Regional Servicing Director for Wells Fargo. His territories include Northern and Central California, Montana, and Alaska. Bustos is a member of the Board of Directors of Hispanics in Philanthropy, Glide Memorial Foundation, and a former Next Generation Leadership Fellow for The Rockefeller Foundation. In addition, Bustos is a Commissioner for the San Francisco Commission of Community Investment and Infrastructure, formally the Redevelopment Agency. Bustos received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, International Relations from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA, a Master of Arts in Political Science, International Affairs from the School of International Service of The American University in Washington, DC, and a Master of Business Administration in International Business, Corporate Social Responsibility from the Graduate Business School of St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA.
Edgar De Sola, M.D., Treasurer: Dr. De Sola is the Venezuelan-born president and chief executive officer of De Sola Capital Partners, Inc., a San Francisco-based firm that focuses in proprietary trading, investment coaching and instruction. He is a well-respected Adjunct Professor of Investing and Personal Finance courses at Heald College and Bryman College in San Francisco, and a former Adjunct Professor at Valencia Community College's Finance Department in Orlando, FL. Dr. De Sola earned his Doctor of Medicine from the Central University School of Medicine in Caracas, Venezuela, and a Master of Public Health in Health Administration from the University of South Florida in Tampa.
"In 1975, Peter Rodriguez realized his vision by founding The Mexican Museum so that the art and culture of the Mexican, Mexican American and Chicano people would be exhibited for all to enjoy," said Nora E. Wagner, outgoing Vice Chair of The Mexican Museum Board of Trustees and longstanding member of the museum. "Now, 40 years later, the leadership team of The Mexican Museum is ensuring that the Museum evolves into a renowned facility where the spirit of Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano, Latin American and Latino art, culture and heritage can be experienced and celebrated by the world."
About The Mexican Museum: Founded by the well-known San Francisco artist Peter Rodriguez in 1975 in the heart of the Mission District, The Mexican Museum is located at Fort Mason Center. It is the realization of his vision to present the aesthetic expression of the Mexican and Mexican American people. Today, the museum's vision has expanded to include the full scope of the Mexican, Chicano and Latino experience – including the arts, history and heritage of their respective cultures.
In 2012, The Mexican Museum became an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the nation's largest museum network. The museum currently has a permanent collection of more than 16,000 objects reflecting Pre-Hispanic, Colonial, Popular, Modern and Contemporary Mexican, Mexican-American, Latin American, Latino, and Chicano art.
The Mexican Museum is open Wednesday - Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., located at Fort Mason Center, Building D, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, in San Francisco. FREE Admission. The Museum offers a wide variety of programs, including Family Sundays, exhibitions, special events, lectures and public programming throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, please visit: http://www.mexicanmuseum.org or call (415) 202-9700.
The Mexican Museum is currently preparing for the construction of its permanent home, which is expected to open in 2018. People are encouraged to support The Mexican Museum by becoming new members, or by joining the Builder's Society online or by mailing a check to: The Mexican Museum, Fort Mason Center, 2 Marina Boulevard, Building D, San Francisco, CA 94123. For more information on the Builder's Society, please contact Adriana Lopez at (415)-684-9803.
Media Contact: Victoria Sanchez De Alba, De Alba Communications, (650) 270-7810 /
