|
Award Winning Firm
Patricia is
founder and CEO of Facilities Connection, Inc. The company originally known as
PZH Contract Design, Inc. was founded in 1987 as a commercial interior design
within the El Paso, Texas and Cd. Juarez, Mexico region. Born in Chihuahua,
Chihuahua Mexico, Patricia is a naturalized citizen of the U.S.A. She is a
professional member of International Interior Design Association (IIDA) and
is licensed through the Texas State
Board of Architectural Examiners as an Interior Designer.
Facilities
Connection, Inc., a modular solutions integrator with a highly diversified
service and product offering, has grown significantly in the past five years
from a regional customer base to a national presence on multiple military
bases. In addition to their
international commercial work in Mexico, their growth is now global with Federal
projects in Asia and later this year in Europe. Though work is heavily focused on
Federal customers, the company is also focused regionally on Commercial,
Healthcare, and Higher Education.
Patricia, or
Patty as she is known by her family and friends, believes in progressive change
management, building strategic alliances with large and small businesses to help
everyone’s mutual growth, and in continually reinventing oneself. Along with her
husband, Dave Branch, the President and Federal Program Director, they continue
to build and grow their team members by hiring talented and motivated people,
teaching them to think strategically, but deliver tactically. They invest
heavily in training, utilization of Best Practices and the latest technology.
Through Patty’s leadership, Facilities Connection has received annual sales
awards from their manufacturers such as Haworth and National including Haworth’s
most prestigious award, President’s Club, awarded in 2008 and 2010 for sales
achievement, quality and best practices. As one to the region’s fastest growing
companies, her company was recognized by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with
the 2008 Future 15 Award. In 2009 she received an award from the Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce and the SBA as the Service Company of the Year.
Patty has
received numerous, regional, professional, and civic awards throughout her
career. In 1993 she was the recipient of the YWCA Reach Award for
Entrepreneurship and the Rio Grande Purchasing Council 1993 Woman-Owned Business
of the Year. She was the SBA 1994 Minority Women-Owned Business Advocate of the
Year followed by an award in 1995 from The El Paso Times as one of “El Paso’s
Most Influential Women.”
During the
mid 1990’s she was the first woman (and only one thus far) Chairman of the Board
for the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. She served as a director for ten
years. During this same period, she served a six year term as a Director of the
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas/El Paso Branch and was the Chairman of the Board
in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
In 2008 she
was awarded the Hispana Triufadora Award, a prestigious recognition sponsored by
local McDonald’s Owner/Operators to highlight the achievements and contributions
of civic-minded individuals who exemplify excellence, leadership and service.
Community
leadership has always been a priority for Patty, as she believes it is essential
to contribute to both the local and state-wide economic development initiatives
as well as continuously improve quality of life. As a Governor Bush appointee, she served a
4-year term on the Governing Board of the Texas Department of Economic
Development. She was the chairman of the Texas Border Trade Committee and Vice
Chairman of the Small Business Advisory Committee. The BTC traveled throughout
the Texas Mexico border communities identifying needs unique to border
communities and developed formal sister city relationships with each major
Mexican border cities.
Currently,
Patty is completing a six year term as a director for the El Paso Regional
Economic Development Corporation (REDCO). She serves as Secretary of the Board
and is on the Executive Committee. She is in her twelfth year as a Director for
the El Paso Electric Company (EE), a publically traded company on the NYSE. El
Paso Electric generates & distributes electricity through an interconnected
system to approximately 361,000 customers in the Rio Grande Valley in west Texas
and southern New Mexico.
For the past
five years, Patty has been active on the Hispanic Chamber Foundation as Chairman
of the Step Up Aim High committee. Through the dedicated work of this committee
as well as the entire board of directors, thousands of dollars for scholarships
are offered each spring to local students in need of financial assistance to
attend college.
Other past
community work included service on the Hospice of El Paso Foundation Board.
Through Patty's industry connections, she facilitated the donation of over
$250,000 in furniture to Hospice and provided design and coordination for their
relocation. She has also been an Advisory Board Member to the El Paso Community
College Interior Design Technology degree program for over fifteen years. And as
one who believes in a continued development of bi-national relationships, she
was a founding member of the World Trade Center El Paso/Juarez where she served
for many years on its Board of Directors. She also served on the founding board
of directors for the Paso Del Norte Health Foundation.
Patricia and
her husband, Dave, are the proud parents of five children and nine grandchildren
with one more on the way. Four of their five children own their own companies
and are successful entrepreneurs. One son is a medical doctor specializing in
Family Practice.
|
