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Taos pitch event adds out-of-state prize as Guide Theory, SouthLight Services win $10,000 each

Victoria Padilla
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Taos pitch event adds out-of-state prize as Guide Theory, SouthLight Services win $10,000 each

A Taos-based startup focused on workforce support in outdoor recreation and a Denver telecommunications company modernizing legacy phone infrastructure each won $10,000 at CNM Ingenuity’s annual Ski Lift Pitch, an investor-facing competition staged at Taos Ski Valley.

The event, held on Tuesday and now in its 12th year, brought together 10 startups split across two categories—New Mexico-based and out-of-state firms. Organizers added, for the first time, a second $10,000 award for non-New Mexico companies, widening the contest beyond its in-state roots.

Crucial facts

  • Winners: Guide Theory (New Mexico) and SouthLight Services (Colorado)
  • Prize: $10,000 each
  • Format: Startups spent part of the day on the mountain with investors, then pitched finalists in a “Shark Tank”-style round
  • Finalists: Guide Theory, ChainWeave, SouthLight Services, Botco.ai
  • Organizer: CNM Ingenuity’s Ski Lift Pitch at Taos Ski Valley

What the companies do, and what the money supports

Guide Theory, founded by Sasha Clonts, is working to improve how the outdoor recreation industry supports its workers. Clonts said the prize money will help pay for a rebranding effort. She also said the event’s unique setting made it easier to share her story than a typical stage presentation. “Honestly, I felt more comfortable pitching on the ski lift than on the stage,” she said.

Clonts also said the event’s format, in which founders spend time with investors and guests before pitching, helped her test ideas and refine her message.

SouthLight Services, started by Tina Telson, wants to replace old copper phone lines with new cellular-powered systems. Telson, who previously worked in communications and sales at Lumen Technologies, launched SouthLight in June 2024 after seeing an opportunity to modernize older telecom systems.

Telson said that while the $10,000 prize is helpful, the real value comes from meeting new people and finding business opportunities. “The prize money is gravy for us,” she said. She added that the money will help the company go to an upcoming trade show.

A pitch competition designed around relationship-building

Ski Lift Pitch is designed so founders spend time with investors and industry guests on the chairlift and slopes before giving their formal presentations. Organizers say this setup leads to more open conversations than a typical conference room and helps founders fit in and explain their ideas early on.

This year’s final round included two New Mexico companies, Guide Theory and ChainWeave, and two out-of-state companies, SouthLight Services and Botco.ai. The pitches took place inside the Martini Tree Bar at the resort base. Guide Theory won the in-state award, and SouthLight won the new out-of-state prize.

Signals for New Mexico’s startup pipeline

State officials and sponsors positioned the event as a sign of growth for early-stage companies in both technology and the outdoor economy. Karina Armijo, director of the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division and a judge, said the competition shows “the powerful intersection of innovation and the outdoors.” She also said the group of startups is proof of a growing business community in the state.

For founders, the competition offers a mix of small, non-dilutive funding and focused time with investors, which is especially valuable as fundraising stays competitive for many new startups. The new out-of-state prize also shows the event is trying to attract more investors and raise its profile, while still keeping New Mexico companies as the main focus.

New Mexico’s bond rating upgrade, explained: what changed, why it matters, and what could still go wrong

Victoria Padilla
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New Mexico’s bond rating upgrade, explained: what changed, why it matters, and what could still go wrong

Moody’s Ratings has raised New Mexico’s credit rating from Aa2 to Aa1. This upgrade could help the state borrow money at lower interest rates and attract more investors to buy its public debt.

The upgrade wasn’t just for one good year. In an opinion column, state Sen. George Muñoz and DFA Secretary Wayne Propst said it reflects years of work to make state finances less tied to oil and gas. They wrote that a rating upgrade means “a sustained record of fiscal discipline and structural reform,” not just a temporary improvement.

Moody’s, as quoted by the Albuquerque Journal, said the upgrade is due to better governance and less dependence on unpredictable severance taxes. In its announcement, Moody’s said the state’s “well-established and prudent governance practices” have “partially mitigated its reliance on volatile severance taxes.”

Crucial facts

  • Rating action: Moody’s upgraded New Mexico’s issuer rating to Aa1 from Aa2.
  • Why it matters: Higher ratings can help reduce interest costs on future infrastructure and other project borrowing.
  • Core driver: Policymakers have directed more surplus energy revenue into permanent and trust funds to smooth boom-bust budgeting.
  • Related upgrades: The DFA says Moody’s also raised ratings on GO bonds, transportation tax bonds, severance tax bonds, and the school district intercept program.
  • Key risk to watch: State officials cautioned that rating agencies will track New Mexico’s ability to handle potential federal funding reductions, including Medicaid-related pressure.

What Moody’s is rewarding: a shift from volatile revenue to recurring income

New Mexico’s finances have often depended on energy markets. When oil and gas prices are high, revenue rises, but it falls when prices drop. The Muñoz and Propst column says the upgrade shows the state is working to change this by turning extra revenue into long-term assets instead of spending it immediately.

One important policy is Senate Bill 26 (2023). This law limits swings in severance tax revenue and puts extra money into the Severance Tax Permanent Fund. This means some of today’s energy money is saved and invested to help future budgets.

The column provides specific numbers: about $588 million will be invested in FY2025, over $1.2 billion in FY2026, and around $1.7 billion in FY2027.

The Albuquerque Journal also reports that permanent funds and trust funds have grown during years with extra cash. The state’s permanent funds reached about $64 billion as of the summer mentioned in the article.

The practical impact: borrowing costs, infrastructure strategy, and economic messaging

A state’s credit rating affects how investors judge risk. Higher ratings usually mean lower interest rates when the state borrows money, which can make building things like roads and schools cheaper in the long run. The Journal says the upgrade “could lead to lower borrowing costs for infrastructure projects” and might also boost the state’s “economic appeal.”

According to the Journal, New Mexico has used more cash for big projects in recent years instead of taking on more debt. This helps the state keep its borrowing power and lowers future interest costs.

The DFA press release says Moody’s praised both the state’s careful management and its work to depend less on oil and gas revenue. The state has also grown its permanent funds, which now bring in investment income.

What could challenge the upgrade: energy dependence and federal policy pressure

Even though the state is trying to diversify, energy still accounts for a large share of New Mexico’s income. The Journal says recent revenue growth came from more oil production in the Permian Basin, and New Mexico is now the second-largest oil producer in the country after Texas.

Moody’s and state officials also warned about risks from federal policy. The Journal mentions “looming federal funding reductions” that could impact rural hospitals and Medicaid. The DFA press release also points to outside pressures from federal policy changes and cuts to Medicaid eligibility starting in 2027.

In short, the upgrade shows New Mexico’s finances are stronger now. But keeping this rating will depend on how the state handles slower revenue growth, changes in energy markets, and possible cuts in federal funding.

School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) Help More New Mexico Students, NMDOH Reports

Grace Tackman
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School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) Help More New Mexico Students, NMDOH Reports

The New Mexico Department of Health announced that its school-based health centers (SBHCs) served more students over the past year. 

NMDOH reported this development as it observes the National School-Based Health Center Awareness Month this February. The observance aims to increase awareness about how SBHCs transform children’s access to and delivery of comprehensive health services.

The agency said NMDOH-funded centers served nearly 20,000 school-age children in the 2024-2025 school year. The figure exceeds the 16,400 students served the previous year. 

In a news release, NMDOH said this only indicates that access to health care for children and adolescents is improving.

SBHCs serve students from kindergarten through 12th grade statewide regardless of their ability to pay. Services include primary health care, preventive health care, mental health care, and referrals for further treatment.

In 2025, NMDOH’s Office of School and Adolescent Health increased funding for three additional brick-and-mortar school-based centers. The total number of centers rose from 59 to 62. 

NMDOH also increased telehealth and mobile health services from 41 to 52 schools. The agency now has 114 initiatives helping kids stay healthy and in school.

“School-based health centers remove barriers and increase equitable access to health care and resources for children and youth,” said Kristin Oreskovich, clinical operations manager of NMDOH’s School-Based Health Center Program. “They are often the only place students receive health care, especially in communities without many healthcare options.”

SBHCs have supported New Mexico students for more than 25 years.

Goals of SBHCs

SBHCs aim to improve access to affordable quality primary care and mental health services for school-aged children and families. 

The program also seeks to provide patient-centered care for all students, regardless of insurance status. Additionally, it is dedicated to improving educational outcomes by keeping students healthy and in class.

SBHCs operate while students are in school. As a result, students return to class faster than if they had sought health care in a non-SBHC setting. Further, SBHCs allow parents to avoid taking time off work to bring their child to the doctor.

Childcare Advocates Press New Mexico Senate to Protect Wage Hikes Amid Budget Standoff

Juan Oliveros
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Childcare Advocates Press New Mexico Senate to Protect Wage Hikes Amid Budget Standoff

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — Childcare workers and advocates asked New Mexico senators on Thursday to keep proposed wage hikes for early childhood educators in the final state budget. They warned that failure to do so could deepen workforce shortages and undermine the state’s push for universal childcare.

At a news conference, advocates said low wages and job insecurity are driving an exodus of educators from the profession, threatening stability for families who depend on childcare services.

Childcare advocates to Senate: Support $60-million funding

“The turnover is costly, not just in the resources needed to recruit and train new staff, but in the disruption it causes for families who need our support,” said Alei Maxson, director of the home-visiting startup La Luz Family.

Education advocates sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. They urged lawmakers to support a proposed $60 million allocation in House Bill 2 for the New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department. The proposed funding would finance a wage-increase program for educators with higher qualifications.

Magnolia Chavez lamented that childcare workers have been for a long time are “poorly paid and poorly valued.” She operates a home-licensed childcare center in Albuquerque, serving about 15 children of varying ages

“Universal childcare will only work if educators are willing and able to remain in this field,” Chavez said in Spanish. Educators and their families don’t have stability, she added.

Key priority

Childcare is a key priority in the final legislative session of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. The $11-billion state budget approved by the House this week, however, does not fully fund the governor’s proposal for free universal childcare.

Lawmakers included instead co-payments for higher-income families in the state’s childcare program. The governor opposes this provision.

Lujan Grisham said universal childcare is “not really universally applied” when there is a co-pay. The governor said negotiations with lawmakers remain ongoing as the budget moves through the Senate.

On the Heel on Infant’s Death Due to Listeria Infection, FDA Will Test Infant Formula After Botulism Outbreak Sickens Dozens of Babies

Juan Oliveros
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On the Heel on Infant’s Death Due to Listeria Infection, FDA Will Test Infant Formula After Botulism Outbreak Sickens Dozens of Babies

After the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) officials confirmed an infant’s death due to Listeria infection, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to begin testing infant formula amid growing concern that contamination could be putting babies at risk of botulism.

The move came after a ByHeart infant formula outbreak involving the hospitalization of at least 51 infants. No deaths were reported. But babies who consumed the formula suffered alarming symptoms, which included difficulty feeding, extreme lethargy, and loss of head control.

Kyle Diamantas, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods, told Bloomberg that the regulatory body will test products such as milk powder, whey protein concentrate, and finished infant formula. The tests will establish whether botulism-related contamination is “a foreseeable hazard that companies could test for.”

Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness.

Central to the test, Diamantas said, is whether the health risk could have been detected earlier.

Health officials say the planned testing will try to close gaps in infant formula safety and prevent similar outbreaks.

Warnings over unpasteurized dairy resurface

The agency’s action followed state health officials’ renewed warnings about the risks of unpasteurized dairy products, particularly for pregnant individuals and newborns.

“Individuals who are pregnant should only consume pasteurized milk products to help prevent illnesses and deaths in newborns,” Dr. Chad Smelser, deputy state epidemiologist at the New Mexico Department of Health, said in a statement.

Raw milk, if not heat-treated to kill harmful bacteria, could carry pathogens such as Listeria, Brucella, Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, tuberculosis-causing bacteria, Cryptosporidium, and even avian influenza viruses.

New Mexico Agriculture Secretary Jeff M. Witte said pasteurization is “a vital part” of dairy safety. He urged the public to avoid unpasteurized products.

Food safety experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) repeatedly warned against consuming unpasteurized milk. But Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to promote its purported health benefits, heightening concerns among public health officials as infant food safety comes under renewed scrutiny.

Clear Horizons Act: How New Mexico’s net-zero bill might affect you and your household budget

Victoria Padilla
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Clear Horizons Act: How New Mexico’s net-zero bill might affect you and your household budget

New Mexico lawmakers are preparing to introduce the “Clear Horizons Act.” This bill would make the state’s greenhouse gas targets official and give state agencies greater authority to plan, track, and enforce emissions reductions over time. The New Mexico Sentinel has raised concerns that the bill could lead to higher utility and fuel costs for families and create uncertainty for investments in the state’s oil and gas industry.

Supporters, including Senate Democrats, say the bill would lock in current state goals, give regulators better tools for long-term planning, and focus new rules on the largest industrial polluters. The bill would also require more monitoring, reporting, and public transparency.

Key facts you should know

  • Targets: Reduce emissions by at least 45% below 2005 levels by 2030, 75% by 2040, and reach net-zero by 2050 (as described in bill summaries).
  • Mechanics: The bill directs the Environmental Improvement Board and state agencies to create plans and rules, with annual emissions reporting and compliance checks.
  • Scope: The bill mainly targets large, fixed sources of emissions. It also creates a process to certify offset or credit projects (per summaries).
  • Process: Lawmakers plan to introduce the bill in the 2026 session, and it will first go to committees for review (per legislative and press reports).

How this policy could impact your budget: key questions

Most households will probably notice changes first in utility rates, fuel prices, and any rebates or fees on their bills, rather than in the target year itself. The Sentinel’s main concern is that moving away from natural gas quickly and adding stricter emissions rules could feel like a “regulatory tax.” They also point to examples from other states as warnings.

If you want to set aside the politics and focus on your budget, the main question is whether policymakers can clearly show:

  1. The total cost of the system (including generation, transmission, and reliability upgrades),
  2. Who pays and when, whether it’s ratepayers, taxpayers, or industries that must comply, and
  3. How many bills might change, either from swings in gas prices or from the costs of building out the grid?

Home efficiency: how to prioritize upgrades if prices get unpredictable

If you want to prepare for uncertainty, start by reducing your energy use before you think about replacing equipment:

  • Air sealing and insulation usually offer the best return because they lower heating and cooling needs right away.
  • For HVAC systems, replace them when they break or when incentives are especially good. Otherwise, focus on regular tuning and maintenance.
  • For solar, calculate the payback period using your post-incentive price, your utility’s rate structure, and realistic expectations for how much energy you’ll produce.

Budgeting for change: a straightforward approach

  • Test your monthly budget by raising the amount you set aside for utilities and fuel for a few months, even if you expect costs to drop.
  • Treat rebates and financing offers like any loan. Compare the APR, fees, required contractors, and whether the savings are guaranteed or just estimated.
  • If you rent, focus on savings you can take with you, like weatherstripping, smart thermostats (if allowed), and changing your usage habits, since you can’t benefit from building upgrades.

The real impact on consumers will depend on the rules that follow the bill’s passage. This includes how emissions limits become requirements, what counts for certified projects or credits, and how grid reliability and affordability are handled in rate cases. These details, more than the net-zero goal itself, will determine if “affordable energy” is a real outcome or just a slogan.

What New Mexico’s SIC says its venture program is delivering

Victoria Padilla
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What New Mexico’s SIC says its venture program is delivering

A new State Investment Council (SIC) report spotlights the early results of the agency’s Strategic Venture Capital Program, a redesigned approach meant to pair financial returns with measurable economic activity inside New Mexico. The SIC says the program has created more economic impact in the past year than in any prior year since the earlier initiative began.

At the center of the report is scale: more than $1.8 billion in commitments to venture funds, which the SIC says has helped drive more than $2 billion in economic impact tied to companies expanding into New Mexico, including Pacific Fusion, XGS Energy, and Castelion Corp.

SIC officials frame the pivot as a response to shortcomings in the state’s older, statute-based private equity program, which was originally oriented around New Mexico–headquartered companies. SIC private equity and venture capital director Chris Cassidy said the prior structure became difficult to sustain, both in investment performance and in meeting broader funding goals for public services.

The new model leans on partnerships with established venture firms that can source deals and encourage portfolio companies to build a footprint in the state—what the SIC describes as a “double-bottom line” of returns and local growth.

SIC leaders also connect the program to a broader transparency push around New Mexico’s sovereign wealth assets. The agency manages a fund it says has grown to $71 billion, and it reported sending $2.6 billion to the state operating budget in 2025. The SIC projects the fund could reach $100 billion by 2032 and return $38 billion to the operating budget over the next decade, according to the report.

Company examples in the story include XGS Energy—cited as a venture-backed firm partnering with Meta Platforms on a geothermal power plant in northwestern New Mexico—and defense manufacturer Castelion, which recently broke ground on a large Sandoval County site after a funding round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, a fund that received an SIC commitment.

One line that captures the SIC’s pitch: Cassidy pointed to out-of-state firms building in New Mexico, saying, “I think that’s what everybody actually wants to achieve.”

Crucial facts

  • $1.8B+ committed to venture funds via the Strategic Venture Capital Program
  • $2B+ in reported New Mexico economic impact tied to supported expansions
  • $71B sovereign wealth fund managed by SIC
  • $2.6B returned to the state operating budget in 2025 (per the report)
  • 2032 outlook: SIC projects $100B fund value and $38B returned over the next decade

How the 20% qualified business income deduction works

Victoria Padilla
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How the 20% qualified business income deduction works

The qualified business income (QBI) deduction, also known as the “20% business income deduction,” allows many pass-through business owners to deduct up to 20% of their qualifying business income on their federal tax return. As Albuquerque CPA Jim Hamill explains, “The basic deduction is 20% of the income earned from the business.”

Although the main number is straightforward, the actual deduction depends heavily on taxable income and whether the business is considered a specified service trade or business (SSTB). This category can sharply limit the deduction for higher earners.

Hamill notes that recent tax law changes made the deduction permanent, even though it was originally set to end after 2025. The new rules also expanded the income range before the deduction phases out completely.

Crucial facts

  • Full deduction threshold (taxable income): $394,600 married filing jointly; $197,300 single
  • Phaseout range (example for married filers): starts at $394,600 and can reach zero at $544,600
  • SSTBs face extra limits. As income goes up through the phaseout range, an “applicable percentage” reduces eligible income, wages, and capital until it reaches zero.

The core mechanics: taxable income drives the result

One important detail is that the thresholds are based on taxable income, not adjusted gross income (AGI). Hamill points out that taxable income is calculated after subtracting deductions, such as the standard deduction or itemized deductions. This means two people with the same business profit could end up on different sides of the threshold, depending on the rest of their tax return.

If taxable income is below the threshold, the deduction is usually 20% of qualified business income, subject to certain technical exceptions. If taxable income exceeds the threshold, the deduction can be reduced, sometimes to zero.

A mid-range example: how the phaseout bites

Hamill uses a simple example to show how the rules work:

  • If qualified business income is $100,000, the “in general” deduction would be $20,000.
  • For married couples, if taxable income reaches the top of the phaseout range in his example ($544,600), the deduction can drop to zero.
  • If taxable income is halfway through the range (Hamill uses $469,600), the deduction is usually reduced by half. In his example, it drops from $20,000 to $10,000.

The wage-and-capital lever: why payroll can matter

Once income exceeds the threshold, the rules may still allow a deduction based on W-2 wages paid by the business or on depreciable assets it uses. Hamill notes that the deduction cannot go below certain limits tied to wages or capital. This means that paying W-2 wages can help keep a partial deduction, even at very high taxable income levels.

In his example, a taxpayer at the top of the phaseout range who pays $20,000 in W-2 wages could still claim a $10,000 deduction, which is 50% of those wages, even if taxable income is much higher.

SSTBs: the extra limits high earners face

For SSTBs, which Hamill says include fields like accounting, law, health care, and consulting, the phaseout is stricter. Once taxable income goes over the threshold, an “applicable percentage” reduces not only the deduction, but also the amounts of income, wages, and capital used to figure it. At the top of the phaseout range, this percentage can reach 100%, wiping out the deduction.

Hamill’s midpoint example shows the impact. An SSTB with the same $100,000 of income and $20,000 of W-2 wages, halfway through the phaseout, gets a $5,000 deduction. That is half of the non-SSTB result in his example.

A Fun Way to Learn: NMSU Unveils ‘Market Set Go!’

Grace Tackman
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A Fun Way to Learn: NMSU Unveils ‘Market Set Go!’

Discovering useful information can be simple and entertaining. A team from New Mexico State University (NMSU) brings this idea to life by introducing a new educational game. 

The NMSU Cooperative Extension Service recently launched “Market Set Go!” to share food safety best practices with farmers’ market vendors. The game provides training materials in an engaging format.

The media production team from NMSU’s Innovation Media Research and Extension and Learning Games Lab in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences designed a tycoon-style game set in a farmers’ market. Players manage the market and face various food safety challenges. 

The game was created in collaboration with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the University of Houston.

Matheus Cezarotto, Educational Technology Extension specialist with Innovative Media Research and Extension, said game development efforts began in early 2024.

“In early 2024, the Learning Games Lab team began working on the design of a game to support essential food safety learning for farmers’ market vendors. Our goal was to find the knowledge gaps, utilize science-based standards to develop the game, and evaluate the success of the game in providing food safety training,” said Cezarotto.

Objective of Market Set Go!

The goal of the game is for players to:

  • Understand the risks associated with their produce and products, and learn how to reduce them through food safety practices. 
  • Understand the importance of food safety by seeing the connection between not making people sick and the quality of their products.
  • Feel confident about food safety.

Cezarotto said that vendors at farmers’ markets, regardless of whether they operate on a small, medium, or large scale, share a common enthusiasm for their products.

“In many cases, they are selling family recipes or locally produced goods. Despite their excitement, all vendors offering various products, from fresh items to ready-to-eat products, need training on food safety practices. Research has revealed that vendors claim to understand food safety, but their behavior does not always reflect that understanding, indicating a need for transformative training.”

How to Play Market Set Go!

To win, players manage a farmers’ market to ensure safety and profitability. They can create appealing stands to attract customers and offer a variety of products for sale. They also address food safety issues as they arise and use their profits to expand.

Further, players can add 10 different food stands, ranging from fresh produce to ready-to-eat products. Each stand presents specific food safety challenges, mapped out with the help of context experts. These include personal hygiene, cross-contamination, temperature abuse, and labeling and packaging. 

Social media-style posts communicate to players when a stand has a food safety issue that needs to be addressed. Players fix the issues by completing mini-games.
Visit http://marketsetgogame.org to know more or play the game when it launches.

Kevin Matthes Retires From WNMU After Years of Dedicated Service

Grace Tackman
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Kevin Matthes Retires From WNMU After Years of Dedicated Service

Western New Mexico University (WNMU) Assistant Vice President of Facilities and Operations Kevin Matthes has officially retired. 

In a news release, WNMU announced this new milestone for Matthes, an alumnus and longtime champion of the university. 

As he begins another chapter, Matthes leaves behind a transformed WNMU campus, reflecting his commitment to infrastructure, aesthetics, and an employee-centric leadership philosophy.

How Matthes’ Journey at WNMU Started

Matthes shares a deeply personal connection to WNMU and Silver City. After his father retired and relocated the family from Hawaii to Silver City, Matthes found a home in the high desert. 

He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration and MBA at WNMU. He began his professional journey at the university in 1992 as an applied technology recruiter. Before spending the bulk of his early career—34 years—working in the local mining industry.

In May 2018, Matthes returned to his alma mater to lead the Facilities and Operations department. He brought decades of industrial experience and a passion for WNMU and the Mustang community.

Matthes’ Leadership at WNMU

Under Matthes’ watch, the WNMU campus underwent a visible renaissance. He handled a team of 40 to 50 members across custodial, grounds, maintenance, and special projects. Matthes led both grand renovations and essential behind-the-scenes modernizations at WNMU.

During Matthes’ tenure, WNMU saw notable successes. This includes the renovation of College Avenue and the creation of the Mustang Fountain in Regents Square. Additionally, Matthes played a key role in developing the WNMU John Arthur and Janette Smith Educational Center. This is to expand healthcare programs in Deming, providing vital resources for first-generation students in nursing and healthcare.

On the athletics side, Matthes helped bring night games to WNMU. He installed field lights and upgraded the softball complex to a standard, drawing praise from visiting teams across the conference. Currently, his team is navigating the complex legislative and engineering phases of the Graham Gym renovation. Their next focus is the Fine Arts Center Theatre auditorium.

Despite the scale of these projects, Matthes led with empathy for the “invisible” work that sustains a university. “No one is going to thank you because their toilet flushes, but they will call you if there’s a problem,” Matthes said. “My team understands this and is diligent in servicing the campus.”

Matthes took charge during emergencies, notably during a “fire-watch” several years ago when alarms and safety systems failed. He worked 16-hour shifts alongside his crew to ensure campus safety. He eventually used the challenge as a catalyst to digitize the university’s monitoring systems with built-in redundancies.

Matthes’ Advice to His Successor

Matthes leaves a simple piece of advice for the next AVP, underscoring the trust within his team. “Get out on campus; meet people and generally get to know your team really well. Most importantly, trust your people to do the job you hired them to do.”

His successor will take over a more efficient campus, thanks to the push for standardization. This included streamlining six keying systems, implementing modern maintenance management software, and using underground “wand” technology to map century-old infrastructure.

After retiring, Matthes plans to tackle his long “to-do” list at home, including a Caribbean cruise and a Florida visit.

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