Why We Are Here

The Mary Helen Lozano Female Entrepreneur Endowment

Based on the 2018 report “Female Entrepreneurs: How And Why They Are Different?” we learned that there are very specific drives and obstacles women encounter when starting a business. However, when presented with the right resources and support, female entrepreneurs can achieve great success, financially and that positively affects their communities at large.

The namesake of this endowment is the perfect representation of a female entrepreneur that achieved success in so many ways, only one of them being in business. She started not one, but four successful businesses that she was able to keep thriving.

The Margarita Gutierrez Infante Annual “Comida” Drive

Working in the service industry for more than 40 years, while single-handedly raising six children, what people remember the most was her “salty” no-nonsense personality and her delicious food. She was the unsung cook behind the wall, in the kitchen making internationally known diner food favorites that locals and celebrities alike would make sure to stop by and have while in Texas at The Ize Box.

We honor this strong female by getting behind the love language she knew…food. An annual food drive will provide a resource for families with children who will benefit from this endeavor.

The Olympia P. and Joe D. Hernandez Children’s Fund

Education in all forms whether by trade or traditional means, raises the level of community success by providing the next generation of Thought Leaders and Change Agents to positively see the deficiencies in a community and help correct them. 

The two individuals this fund honors were embedded in the educational system for more than 40 years. The one takeaway that was so strong with both of them was the hope that all knew how important an education was for their future success. For this reason, the purpose of this fund will be an educational resource for children that may not otherwise be able to afford it.