UNM Press Release

October 9, 2003

UNM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION HONORS ZIA AWARD RECIPIENTS

The University of New Mexico Alumni Association honored the 2003 Zia Award recipients at the all-University Breakfast held in conjunction with UNM's Homecoming festivities recently.

Recipients of the Zia Awards include Gary Golden, Yolanda King, James B. Lewis, Petra Jimenez Maes, Mary T. Torres and Robert Wertheim.

The Zia Awards are given to alumni living in New Mexico who have distinguished themselves in philanthropic endeavors, public office, service to the University, community and volunteer activities, business or professional fields, or who have made a contribution to education.

Gary Golden

Golden Golden is the Vice President for Student Services at San Juan College in Farmington, New Mexico. Prior to that, he was the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Student Activities and Development at UNM from 1987-91. He also served as the assistant dean of students, also at UNM, from 1978-87. Golden has served on numerous associations over his distinguished career including the National Council of Student Development; American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers; American College Testing Association; American Association of Community and Junior Colleges; National Association of Campus Activities; Rutgers Alumni Association; the UNM Alumni Association; the UNM Lobo Club; and the Scarlet "R" Club, the Rutgers Athletic Foundation.

Golden earned his Ed.S., Administration of Higher education from UNM (1981); M.S. in education/health science from State University College of Brockport (Brockport, NY); and his B.S. in Health and Physical Education from Rutgers University.

Yolanda King

KIng A Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, King is the technical advisor for the Spacecraft Technology Division, and from 2001-02, she was the technical advisor for the Space Infrared Technologies Center of Excellence in the Space Vehicles Directorate of the United States Air Force Research Laboratory. She is active in the Junior League of Albuquerque; Mortar Board; Town Club Sorority Alumnae, the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, the New Mexico Space Commission and the New Mexico Network for Women in Science and Engineering.

King is a graduate of UNM earning a B.S. in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry. Her service to UNM includes the Graduate Student Association; Alumni Association Board & Chair of Publications; Conflict of Interest Committee; Dean of Arts & Sciences Advisory Council; and has served two terms on the UNM Foundation Board.

James B. Lewis

Lewis Lewis has served in many capacities in both the public and private sector in public service and is currently chief of operations for the City of Albuquerque overseeing 11 departments. He is one of three deputies reporting to the chief administrative office (CAO). Additionally, he advises the mayor and CAO on land use matters and downtown redevelopment t issues. Prior to this position, former President Bill Clinton nominated Lewis to be director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Lewis is also a member of many civic, fraternal, business and community organizations.

Lewis earned a M.S. in Public Administration from UNM, a B.S./A.S. business degree from the National College of Business (Albuquerque) and a B.S. in Education from Bishop College (Texas).

Petra Jimenez Maes

Maes Maes was elected to the State's highest court, the Supreme Court, in Nov. 1998 and was retained in Nov. 2002 for an eight-year term. Last January she was designated by unanimous vote of her colleagues to serve as Chief Justice, becoming New Mexico's top judicial officer. She is the first Latina/Hispanic Woman Chief Justice of the New Mexico State Supreme Court.

In 1981, Gov. Bruce King appointed her to the First Judicial District Court. During her 17 years as a district judge, Maes was innovative, implementing procedures and programs needed to improve the quality of justice for the litigants, attorneys and the public in her district. In 1984, she established the Family Court. She has received numerous awards recognizing her work in the legal field including Latina Lawyer of the Year award, Henrietta Pettijohn award and Outstanding Hispanic Attorney award.

A native of New Mexico, Maes earned her undergraduate and Law degrees from UNM. In 1973, she was one of the first two Hispanic women to graduate from the UNM Law School.

Mary T. Torres

Torres Torres is an attorney and shareholder in the firm Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris and Sisk in Las Cruces, NM. Prior to joining the firm in 1996, she was an attorney in the office of T.A. Sandenaw, also in Las Cruces. She has received numerous honors and awards including nominations to the New Mexico Ethics in Business award; YWCA Woman on the Move award; Outstanding contribution to the Bar, State Bar of New Mexico; Outstanding Young Lawyer, New Mexico Bar Foundation; ASH. McLeod Prize for Excellency in Advocacy; and both the Deans; and Faculty awards, UNM.

Torres is a member of several professional and community membership including the U.S. District Court Magistrate Selection Panel; State Bar of New Mexico; Memorial Medical Center Board of Directors; New Mexico Women;'s Bar Association; National Hispanic Bar Association and the New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association.

She earned her J.D. from UNM in 1992, a bachelor of General Studies, New Mexico Tech, 1983 and associate of Business administration from New Mexico State in 1980.

Robert Wertheim

A native New Mexican, Wertheim was raised in Fort Sumner. He's a graduate of UNM (1956) earning a B.B.A. He was also a member of the NJROTC and spent two years as a naval officer following graduation. A certified mortgage banker, he also attended the Graduate School of Mortgage Bankers, Northwestern University; and the Executive Management Series, Harvard University. Currently he is the chairman of Charter Bank·Mortgage·Insurance, a company that employs more than 250 people. In addition to h is banking activities, eh is also active in the cattle business in the Fort Sumner and Santa Rosa areas.

He belongs to numerous associations and boards and currently serves on the UNM Anderson Schools of Management National Advisory Board and was also past chairman of the Advisory Council. He's the past chairman of the UNM Presidential Scholarship Fund and Board of Trustees at the UNM Foundation. He's a current board member of Albuquerque Economic Forum; Albuquerque Economic Development, Inc.; ACCION new Mexico; Kirtland Partnership Committee; Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas; Mortgage Bankers Association of America; and is the current chairman of the Capital Campaign, Samaritan Counseling Center.

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