Filled with colorful local artwork, luminous fish tanks, a flock of tropical birds and glittering gems inside Matteo’s glass jewelry cases, the bustling lobby of La Posta is familiar to those who have lived in Las Cruces for any length of time.
Chances are you’ve been a customer at La Posta, one of the most famous restaurants in the southwest, a favorite destination of both locals and out-of-towners. NMSU Regent Jerean Camúñez Hutchinson, owner and manager of La Posta, will speak at the third Entrepreneur Encounters event, hosted by Arrowhead Center and sponsored by Seidel Technologies. The event will be from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, April 11 in the Hardman and Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center, Room 125.
Hutchinson, who earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at New Mexico State University and her Master of Science in Information Management from George Washington University, was appointed in 2015 by Governor Susana Martinez to the NMSU Board of Regents. She will speak on her experience as a successful restaurateur, including expansion of her family business and commitment to sourcing local products.
Located on the plaza in historic Old Mesilla, La Posta is known for its decor, New Mexican fare, steaks, inventive margaritas and tequileria. The location, built in the 1850s, was used for several purposes pre- and post- Civil War era. The original La Posta was established in 1939 by Katy Griggs Camúñez. Hutchinson and her husband Tom Hutchinson have owned and managed the restaurant since 1996.
The entrepreneurial couple, who have been recognized by the city and state, initiate ties to local farms and producers through partnerships with Chavez Farms, Young Guns Produce Inc., The Truck Farm, Roberto’s, and B’s New Mexico Honey Farm. They also source their pecans locally from the Mesilla Valley. This farm-to-table approach helps La Posta support and grow other local business and industry.
The Hutchinsons’ accolades also include the 2013 Restaurateur of the Year Award from the New Mexico Restaurant Association and the Governor’s New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award in 2014, along with the Las Cruces Sun-News 2014 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Margarita and the Rotary of LC 2014 Paul Harris Fellow Award, among others.
Entrepreneur Encounters is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Arrowhead Center encourages attendance from departments across the university and communities throughout the city of Las Cruces.
Information from NMSU