Lupe Martinez, President And CEO At UMOS Inc. Transitioning To New Role In January 2024

Martinez will continue to be actively employed with UMOS and will transition into a new role, as President Emeritus in January 2024.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

December 5, 2023

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, Lupe Martinez, 78, the current President and CEO of the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) Inc., a non-profit advocacy organization announced that he is transitioning into a new role after 54 years of service and has been named the new President Emeritus effective January 1, 2024. Martinez will continue to be actively employed at UMOS and will closely work with Board of Directors and the interim CEO and next permanent CEO when hired.

Martinez will step back from his daily management of UMOS operations in January.

“We are delighted that Lupe will remain a member of the UMOS family and continue in his new role to help UMOS grow and prosper,” says Ben Obregon, Chair, UMOS Board of Directors. The UMOS Board Personnel Committee, in conjunction with an executive search firm, will begin an internal and external search for a successor CEO to lead UMOS into the future. “Jose Martinez (no relation to Lupe Martinez) has been appointed interim CEO, effective January 1, 2024, to provide day-to-day leadership until a permanent CEO is selected,” stated board chair Obregon.

Martinez stated, "When I first joined UMOS in 1969, my goal was to remain for 2 years. It has been 54 years, 49 as president and Chief Executive Officer. I am honored to have played a role in this growth and success and I look forward to continuing this effort by working closely with the UMOS board and the new CEO, as well as with our strategic partners, funding sources, elected officials, and leaders in the communities where UMOS serves. I also look forward to continuing working and collaborating with all of you."

UMOS was formed in 1965 and in 1969 UMOS began to provide farm worker migrant services and relocation to urban areas, and later added child development, workforce development, health, educational programs, housing opportunities for the under-serve populations and social program services to families in Wisconsin, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Florida and Minnesota for more than 56 years.

UMOS under the leadership of Martinez has also been instrumental in providing the annual UMOS Hispanic Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Youth of the Year and Family of the Year annual Awards Banquet and other cultural celebrations that include the 5 de Mayo and the September 16, Mexican Independence Day Parade and annual festival at the UMOS corporate grounds.

UMOS has an annual operating budget of more than $77M. According to the UMOS annual fiscal report for Fiscal year 2022-2023, UMOS Grant revenues from secured contracts grew by 14 % in 2022 to a projected 2023 revenues of $77 million.

The current UMOS Board of Directors are Don Cohen, Juilo Guix, Joe Villmow, Kevin Magee, and Jose Ruano. Officers of the Board are Ben Obregon, Chair; Maria Watts, Vice Chair; Nedda Avila, Secretary; Julio Guix, Treasurer and Marisela Galaviz, parliamentarian, and Silvia Perez and Joe Villmow are currently at large members of the executive committee, according to UMOS.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA)

HNNUSA: Donations accepted/se aceptan donaciones: https://tinyurl.com/3y8ej92t