
The University of New Mexico
NEWS RELEASE
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth (505) 277-5627
kwent2@unm.edu
August 6, 2007
Bob Hoffman Endowment Will Examine NM Economic Development History
Long-time champion of business in New Mexico Bob Hoffman is being honored with the establishment of an endowment at the University of New Mexico Libraries. The Bob Hoffman Legacy Endowment will provide funds for the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections to collect, process and preserve papers and photographs that document the economic history of the state.
Hoffman has been called the “Dean” of New Mexico economic developers. He has worked in the field since 1950 when he moved to Alamogordo as an Armed Forces Radio broadcaster with a knack for building businesses. He became director of the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, going on to lead chambers in Portales, Roswell and Albuquerque.
In the late 1960’s when Roswell was rocked by the closure of Walker Air Force Base, Hoffman became a legend as he established the Roswell Industrial Development Corporation and convinced a fireworks company to locate at the old munitions dump. Then he persuaded Pan American Airlines to use the runways at the base to train pilots, and Boeing to test its fledgling 747 aircraft at the former base. He got other airlines to train pilots on the 747 at Roswell, and convinced Eastern New Mexico University to use the buildings on the base for a Roswell branch campus.
Hoffman served as New Mexico economic development secretary and tourism director under former governor Jack Campbell, recruiting dozens of companies to the state and raising thousands of dollars for economic development efforts. Hoffman started the Albuquerque Economic Development Forum, a group of more than 100 key business leaders, and has led it for the past 25 years.
Contact University Libraries Development Director Patricia Brkich to contribute to the endowment. She can be reached at (505) 277-1267 or (505) 991-4258. The papers held in the Bob Hoffman Legacy Endowment will be housed in the Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections located in Zimmerman Library.
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