IAEOZ Summit 2025 Puerto Rico

Orestes Hubbard is a nationally recognized economic development executive with over 25 years of

leadership in federal grant management, minority business enterprise growth, and strategic program

development. Based in San Antonio, he is the only executive in the United States to have

successfully launched and directed four distinct MBDA (Minority Business Development Agency)

programs-spanning business, export, manufacturing, and rural sectors-earning consistent top-tier

performance awards for nearly two decades.

As Executive Director of Underserved Business Services at the University of Texas at San Antonio,

Orestes has built one of the country's most expansive portfolios of business service centers,

significantly increasing access to capital, contracts, and international markets for minority-owned

firms. His work has enabled client businesses to secure over $1 billion in combined contracts and

capital, while scaling national impact through public-private partnerships and innovative funding

models.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Orestes is a dynamic spokesperson and policy advocate, engaging

with elected officials, federal agencies, and community stakeholders. His leadership of San

Antonio's MED Week has transformed it into a marquee regional event, growing annual attendance

from 150 in 2006 to over 700 in 2024.

Orestes previously held leadership roles in banking and small business development, including as

Vice President of Lending at Intercontinental National Bank, Business Banker at Bank of America,

and Director of the SBDC at San Juan College. His early career includes directing regional

operations for Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico, where he achieved 320% sales growth.

He holds an MBA from Texas A&M International University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Management from Tecnológico de Monterrey. He is certified as an Economic Development Finance

Professional and has completed executive programs at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.