Former Ready Roast plant manager hired on by non-profit

PORTALES — A door closed on Portales’ Jim Lucero late in February. Less than a month later, a new door opened on the square.

Lucero, recently laid off as plant manager for Ready Roast following its acquisition by Hampton Farms, is staying in Portales as executive director of the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation. He replaces Bill Hendrickson, who is returning to his former residence in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

“It just happened to be good timing on my part, I guess lucky timing when Ready Roast sold,” Lucero said. “I’ve always lived in Portales and thought this is a good chance.”

Lucero said he had some interest the last time the position was available, but decided against it for many reasons. Most notably, he would have replaced Orlando Ortega, who left to become administrator for the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, and Lucero was a member of the ENMWUA board that decides on the administrator’s employment and terms.

This time around, he applied and RCCDC Board President Randy Knudson said as sad as the board was to see Hendrickson leave it was happy to have somebody with Lucero’s background apply in what quickly and unexpectedly became a challenging situation.

“We believe that Jim and his wife Christi are a perfect fit for our community as they are well known and very well liked,” Knudson said in a news release. “Jim brings years of business experience to our organization and we are very excited to have him on board.”

Knudson said the search for Hendrickson’s successor began before COVID-19 challenges were known, but he believes Lucero will be able to help the region identify available grants and economic assistance going forward.

“Part of our mission is to retain and grow businesses in Roosevelt County,” Lucero said. “Helping to retain our businesses that are here now is going to be my primary focus, and a lot of businesses are shut down right now. With COVID-19, there’s not going to be a lot of expansion. The focus is going to be on surviving and retaining.”

Lucero, re-elected last month to the Portales City Council after running unopposed, plans to retain his Ward D seat “unless my board feels otherwise.” Should a matter come before the city involving the RCCDC, he plans to abstain from the vote.

Knudson, who is also Portales’ city attorney, said the RCCDC does provide annual reports to the city council but rarely comes before the council otherwise. Lucero’s duties include vetting applications for the city’s Local Economic Development Tax Board, which then makes recommendations to the city council.

“While it is true that the city provides some funding to the RCCDC under the Local Economic Tax Act, to provide (and) administer economic activities within the Community, this is allowed by statute,” Knudson said in a Tuesday email. “Mr. Lucero can avoid any appearance of conflict in serving on the City Council by disclosing on the record that he is the director of the RCCDC, in regard to any vote involving payment of city funds to the RCCDC under LETA.”

An inquiry about Lucero’s salary was not immediately returned, but Hendrickson disclosed a base salary of $52,000 during an interview when he was hired in 2018.