Mr. Paternoster, originally from El Paso, TX, was a Third Class NMMI graduate in 1979 from the high school division. He graduated and received his BBA in Business with an accounting emphasis from the University of Texas in 1998. He achieved his MBA in 2007.

Mr. Paternoster was a training executive with Texas Air in Houston, affiliated with Continental Airlines, upon leaving El Paso in 1982. He remained with Texas Air until 1991 when Texas Air went bankrupt. Mr. Paternoster then worked for the El Paso Times as a District Manager based in Carlsbad. He later went to work for Jack White Jr. (a NMMI Alumnus) at Whites City Inc. where he became the food and Beverage Director and really honed his skills in the food and beverage arena. He left White City to become the General Manager of Scalo working for Il Vicino Holding Company. He was soon promoted to Vice-President in Operation and became the Managing partner of Scalo Northern Italian Grill, an upscale Albuquerque Italian restaurant. He sold out his share of Scalo and moved to Orlando Florida where he joined the "New Business Division" of Darden Restaurant Company and worked on a team to conceive the "Bahama Breeze" concept of restaurants. He worked on a close knit team of professionals to develop the first ten units and then moved back to New Mexico to assume operational control of K-BOBS Steakhouses, first as Senior Vice President for Operations and later as Vice-President of Training and Development. .He purchased a division from K-BOBS (Sun Country Chile and Honey) and began to manufacture food products in a plant in Albuquerque, NM. Mr. Paternoster held the post of Vice-President of Excel New Mexican Foods until 2005 when he purchased Scalo from his former partners. He also developed and operated Chilaca's Mexican Grill, Bacar in Santa Fe, and Brasserie la Provence in Albuquerque.

Mr. Paternoster's passions are charity, his family, and involvement in his community. He currently sits on the following boards: NMMI Board of Regents; NMMI Foundation; NMSU HRTM School Board of Advisors; New Mexico Restaurant Association Board; Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dismas House of New Mexico Board of Directors; Member of the New Mexico Amigo's; Club 779; Media Arts Collaborative Charter School Foundation Board; Founder, Special Programs Youth Assistance Foundation.

Mr. Paternoster's wife, the former Miss Jane Fertig, and their two children, Jackson and Jameson reside in Albuquerque NM. Mr. Paternoster has two older children Rodrick and Haley.

Mr. Jesse F. Eckel graduated from NMMI in 1967 from the High School division and in 1969 from the Junior College division. Mr Eckel went on to get his BS in Education and graduate from North Texas State University in 1971. Mr. Eckel also attended the New Mexico School of Banking graduating in 1978 and and the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking graduating in 1991. Mr. Eckel is currently employed with James Polk Stone Community Bank as a Commercial Loan Officer and Credit Analysis Dept Head where he oversees Accounts Payable for the Roswell Office and Bank Budgeting.

Mr. Eckel served on the New Mexico Military Institute Foundation as Trustee, Treasurer, Executive Committee Member and Investment Committee Member. He served on the New Mexico Military Institute Alumni Association as President from 1990-1992. Mr. Eckel has served as the Treasurer and Finance Committee Member for First United Methodist Church in Roswell N.M. Mr. Eckel was the Chaves Community Foundation Director in 1991 and a member of the Advisory Board for ENMU-Roswell.

Mr. Eckel and his wife Sherry Eckel reside in Roswell, N.M.. They have two children, Brent Eckel and Megan Eckel.

Dr. Randal Brown entered New Mexico Military Institute as a 5th classman in 1972. He was a new cadet in A troop and spent his second year in A troop. His senior year in High School, he was promoted to cadet First Sergeant and was assigned to M Troop.

Dr. Brown was the first of his family to attend the Institute. He was followed by his brother Robert K. Brown, 1979 HSG, his niece Alicia Brown, and his daughter Sara Brown HS'12 now currently a JC cadet at the Institute.

After leaving the Institute, Dr. Brown briefly attended the University of New Mexico before joining the family insurance business. In 1986, Dr. Brown returned to the University of New Mexico to complete his degree and subsequently attended the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, graduating in 1992. After his residency, Dr. Brown returned to his home town of Santa Rosa, N.M.

Dr. Brown is president of Santa Rosa Medical Clinic, PC which has offices in Santa Rosa and Tucumcari, N.M. The practice has 7 full time providers and logs over 20,000 patient visits per year. In addition, Dr. Brown provides emergency room coverage in Santa Rosa.

Dr. Brown is currently director of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Santa Rosa, a member of the Guadalupe County Health Counsel, and serves as Chief of Staff of Guadalupe County Hospital.

Dr. Brown has 5 children, Sam, Sally, Stacy, Sara and Scott and is married to Antje Postl.

Col. Fermin A. Rubio was born and raised in Roswell, N.M. In 1978, Col. Rubio graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and 1986 he was granted his Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico.

Col. Rubio is a U.S. Navy veteran and a Colonel in the N.M. Air National Guard. He currently serves on the state headquarters staff as the N.M. Air national Guard State Judge Advocate and a NM National Guard Joint Force Headquarters Judge Advocate. Col. Rubio's military awards include the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, multiple awards of the Navy Achievement Medal, multiple awards of Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Overseas Service Ribbon. He has completed the USAF Air Command & Staff College and the USAF Air War College.

As a civilian and military attorney Col. Rubio has a broad career path. He is the former City Attorney for the City of Las Cruces, holding that position from 1997 to 2010. Prior to that post, he served as assistant general counsel for the New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration and as a private attorney with the Roswell law firm of Hunt & Currier. As a military lawyer, Col. Rubio is certified to practice in all areas of military law. He served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney while stationed overseas and as a civilian attorney with the U.S. Army, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Col. Rubio is employed by New Mexico State University in the Office of Institutional Equity.

Col. Rubio resides in Las Cruces, N.M. He and his wife, Peggy have three daughters, Jari, Jillian, and Camille.