Estella G. Lopez and Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa are the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce‘s 2022 Man and Woman of the Year. The chamber will honor both of them at its annual Installation & Awards Banquet on Nov. 16 at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance.
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and also includes recognition of Mario Lizcano as incoming chairman and Michael J. Williamson as outgoing chairman for the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce.
Man Of The Year
The chamber recognizes Hinojosa for his commitment to serving South Texas throughout his career of more than 25 years as a Texas Senator and in the House of Representatives. Hinojosa served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1968, actively serving as a squad leader during the Vietnam War. Once Hinojosa returned from his service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Pan American University, graduating with honors. He later earned a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Hinojosa has been named twice as one of Texas’s “Top 10 Legislators” by Texas Monthly magazine.
Hinojosa has received the prestigious John Henry Faulk Award, presented by the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2006, he was the recipient of the Public Servant of the Year Award from the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, and in 2007, he received the Patient Advocacy Award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians. He also received the Humane Legislator award from the Humane Society of the United States, a special recognition award from the NAACP for his work on TYC and criminal justice reform, and the “Texas Medicines Best Legislator” award from the Texas Medical Association for his work to restore Children’s Health Insurance Program funding and improve childhood immunization rates.
Woman Of The Year
Lifetime Edinburg resident Lopez receives recognition for paving the way for women in business. Throughout Lopez’s career, she has inspired women with her work ethic and commitment to serving her community.
In Sept. 1945, Lopez completed her training at the McAllen Business College. Lopez first began her career at Fidelity Abstract in Edinburg, where she started out as a typist clerk for the abstractors on a manual typewriter. She quickly moved up the ranks as a secretary, then a closer and eventually became the Fidelity Abstract Branch Manager. Lopez has been employed at Sierra Title Company for more than 76 years and is still currently employed at the age of 94.