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Shawn Perry-Turner, Director of Marketing and Communications Office: 505-867-7640; Cell: 505-382-2753

 

 

For Immediate Release

Date: April 28, 2023

 

 

SANDOVAL COUNTY REMEMBERS GOVERNOR JERRY APODACA

Bernalillo, NM, April 28—Sandoval County leadership offered condolences and tributes today for former Governor Jerry Apodaca who died on Wednesday, April 26 at the age of 88. “Governor Apodaca served the people of New Mexico for decades,” Commission Chair David J. Heil, District 4, said, “and he did so with passion, commitment, and foresight for what was possible for New Mexico and New Mexicans. He championed education, public service, and the rights of women and Latinos. He leaves a significant legacy, and we offer our sincerest sympathies to his family.”

County Manager Wayne Johnson shared that Governor Apodaca also had keen insight into creating and establishing a well-organized government infrastructure that is still applied today at the State. “Leadership succeeds when its ideas can be carried out effectively and efficiently by government staff. Governor Apodaca knew this and designed a system that made it possible. He made change happen through his words, his ideas, and his management skills, and this is how he moved New Mexico forward. Our condolences to the Apodaca family.”

John Garcia, Deputy County Manager, has both personal and professional ties with the Apodaca family. “I knew the Governor as the Governor and also as the father of my friends. In addition, as a young Hispanic man, he was an icon. As the first Hispanic governor in New Mexico (1975), this achievement represented a transformational moment for so many of us with business and political aspirations. He opened that door and that door has stayed open. I consider myself fortunate to have many memories of Governor Jerry Apodaca in so many roles. My very best to his family during this difficult time.”

Sandoval County, the fastest-growing county in New Mexico, encompasses 3,714 square miles of diverse geography and has a population of approximately 151,000 people. It includes the incorporated municipalities of Bernalillo, Cuba, Corrales, Jemez Springs, Rio Rancho, San Ysidro, and the Town of Cochiti Lake as well as numerous unincorporated communities, and all or portions of 12 Indian Pueblos and Tribal Nations. For more information, visit www.sandovalcountynm.gov.

 

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