2011 Recipients

Jack and Donna Rust Award for Excellence in Ethical Business Practice by a For-Profit Business
Andy Lee General Contractor

Andy Lee General Contractor is a small general contractor located in Albuquerque. The company specializes in commercial and residential renovation and remodeling. Established in 1998, Andy Lee has developed a reputation for quality work, dependable service and efficient administration. The company employs four contractors and uses the services of numerous subcontractors.

The company’s mission: exceeding the expectations of clients, vendors, subcontractors and suppliers; performing work in the safest possible manner; doing it right the first time; and continually improving to be the best they can be. The company also has a Code of Conduct: never speak negatively about others; conduct themselves with the highest level of business ethics; tell the truth and be thoroughly honest; conduct themselves in a manner to avoid any appearance of impropriety; and treat others as they would wish to be treated.

A unique offering at Andy Lee General Contracting is their Samaritan Services program. This program provides handyman assistance at little or no cost to widows, single mothers and women whose husbands are deployed. Although anyone who lives in Albuquerque can qualify for this program, first priority is given to those who live in and near the boundaries of Louisiana to Wyoming Boulevards and Lomas to Kirtland Air Force Base. Services provided include carpentry and plumbing repairs and maintenance, accessibility improvements, and improvements to heating and electrical systems. In 2010, the company was able to assist 80 people. Andy invites his subcontractors to participate in this program if they wish and many do.

Even in difficult economic times, Andy Lee General Contractor has continued to offer his Samaritan Services program to as many people as possible.

The First Born Program is a state-wide home visitation business that provides new mothers, fathers and primary caregivers with educational services and support as they begin their journey with their firstborn child. Based in Silver City, 35 employees reach out to families with newborns in Grant, Socorro, Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Counties and just recently began serving Albuquerque.

First Born was initiated in Grant County by Vicky Johnson in 1997 and provides families with culturally competent, non-judgmental education regarding infant and toddler care, appropriate prenatal and postnatal care and how to create home environments that are safe and foster child growth and development. They provide services to everyone – not just those deemed to be high risk. Johnson states, “It makes no sense to me why you have to be labeled as dysfunctional by somebody in order to get services.”

Employees are thoroughly trained in ethics and sign ethics and confidentiality agreements. Employee training is extensive and ongoing. Each employee must pass 30 competencies within 90 days of employment. These competencies teach employees how to adapt to each family’s unique culture. Employees maintain strict client confidentiality; however, as a mandated reporter they are required to report any illegal activities they observe in the homes of their clients. Clients are informed of this when they sign up for services.

In January 2011, Ms. Johnson traveled to Guatemala to start a similar program of home visits in remote Mayan villages.

First Born is committed to staying true to its message of creating healthy families. They believe that all lives can be changed through positive parenting.

Jack and Donna Rust Award for Excellence in Ethical Business Practice by a For-Profit Business
Los Poblanos Organics

Los Poblanos Organics was founded in 2003 by Andrew Skarsgard, also known as Farmer Monte, thus realizing his long-time dream of opening an organic farming co-op in Albuquerque. Los Poblanos Organics is dedicated to sustainable and local farming and strives to educate the community about the importance of organic foods and encourages collaboration between all organic farms both locally and out of state. They employ about 30 people who work in capacities ranging from fieldwork, delivery, office work, edible landscaping and management. They deliver as far away as Los Alamos and Holloman AFB in Alamogordo. The land is utilized for nearly the entire year to cultivate more than 75 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables. To provide a wide variety of options to their customers, they buy produce from other organic farms in NM and neighboring states.

Los Poblanos Organics has two unique programs. The first is a work share program where customers work on the farm and receive 50% off the price of a food box. This program was created as a “win-win-win” situation for all stakeholders. Los Poblanos was able to reduce operating costs and dramatically increase membership in the food box program. The second is an apprenticeship program which is available to local and out-of state agricultural students. This program gives students hands-on experience and a way to integrate the theories and principles of organic farming through cooperative education and practical job experiences.

In order to be assured they were receiving water free from pesticides, fertilizers or other harmful chemicals, Los Poblanos drilled their own self-contained well. Despite the cost, they wanted to ensure the integrity of their organic products.

Paul and LaDonna Hopkins Award for Excellence in Ethical Practice by a Non-Profit Organization
Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, dba WESST

The Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team (WESST) was founded in 1988 and is driven by its belief that expanding entrepreneurship is the most effective way to yield the greatest economic impact. Providing entrepreneurs with the resources, skills, technical assistance and capital to succeed is central to their philosophy. Their primary focus is to assist low-income women and minorities to become financially self-sufficient by way of self-employment.

WESST’s mission is to be a home to entrepreneurs. They accomplish this in a unique way – by actually providing a home (WESST calls it an incubator) to allow their entrepreneurial clients to strive for superior performance in communications, standards, processes, leadership, planning, programming and execution. WESST keeps in close contact with its clients, holding them accountable and providing a support system so they can successfully grow their business through market penetration, job creation and capital accumulation.

The incubator facility (the WESST Enterprise Center) received a silver rating as a LEED-certified building by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the only building in New Mexico to receive this rating. One of the unique aspects of this center is the Living Wall, a 24’ x 17’ wall that naturally filters air and improves indoor air quality at a fraction of the energy costs of a traditional air conditioning system.

WESST’S record speaks for itself with 2,150 business starts, 3,200 jobs created, over 25,000 New Mexicans trained, and $5 million in small business loans.

PNM Award for Individual Excellence in Ethical Business Practice, in honor of John Ackerman
Barbara Allender

Barbara Allender, volunteer extraordinaire, has been a fixture in the Albuquerque non-profit community for approximately 40 years. During those years, she has had quite an impact on many non-profit organizations. She brings to the table the unique ability to move an organization forward.

She worked at the United Way of Central New Mexico (UWCNM) for sixteen years and implemented some of their enduring policies and procedures, such as the volunteer citizen review panels and the site visits to organizations applying for Community Fund grants. United Way organizations across the country try to hold themselves to UWCNM standards.
Barbara was involved in the mid-90’s with the disbursement of the Wilhelmina Coe estate as a co-receiver. The process lasted seven years and the end result was a $7.2 million benefit to our community.

She also was involved with the birth of Saranam, a non-profit forged out of the estate instructions of a fellow church parishioner. Barbara led a group of eight who worked tirelessly for two years to honor the parishioner’s wishes, which was to combat family homelessness. Saranam’s mission is to empower families to end their homelessness and poverty through housing, education and supportive communities. Saranam accomplishes this by providing a two-year housing and education program for families in Albuquerque.

Barbara asks all the right questions, puts others above herself and takes action only after considering the impact it will have upon others. She has a lifelong commitment to human services and to creating a community that provides services to all in need. She is the one who makes sure everyone stays true to the non-profit’s mission.

Bill Daniels Award for Ethical Entrepreneurship
Betty Chao, PhD

Dr. Chao is the founder of a successful, New Mexico-based company, Westech International. Westech primarily performs contract work for the Departments of Defense and Energy. Her company, which she founded in 1995, employs over 300.
Dr. Chao has two core philosophies that she follows when deciding whether or not to accept a contract: “win-win-win” (customer, employees, company) and “stay out of gray areas” (avoiding potential conflicts of interest). Dr. Chao leads by example and sets the standards legally, professionally and morally. Westech’s mission statement is as follows:

• Meet the needs of each client by providing high-quality services that meet or exceed the client’s expectations.
• Build trust into client relationships.
• Understand the client’s specific business needs and apply solutions using the company’s areas of expertise.
• Help clients meet their needs through the timely, cost-effective use of technology.

She is also passionate about providing educational opportunities and offers full tuition and book reimbursement to her employees in order to further their education and their careers. Dr. Chao believes that reputation is everything and strives to maintain that reputation each and every day.