WNMU awarded two honorary doctorates at this year’s fall Commencement, one to former NM Representative Rodolpho Martinez (BS ’78) and another to former director of the Legislative Finance Committee David Abbey.
Rodolpho Martinez
Born in Santa Rita, NM, Martinez worked in the mining industry for Kennecott Copper and Phelps Dodge, retiring as a senior planner for the electrical department in 2006. In addition to that career, Martinez has also been involved in public service for more than 27 years. He has served as a Bayard city councilor, mayor, county commission chair, and as NM 39th Legislative District Representative.
Martinez is a US Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War. He has received the “Profile of Courage” award from the Vietnam Veterans of America NM State Council, and he has continued to advocate on behalf of veterans.
Martinez said that one of the greatest challenges of his time in the Legislature was weathering the years when there was no capital outlay funding available. “It was hard at that time because you could not help meet the needs of your constituents or the state of New Mexico,” he said.
One of the highlights of serving as Representative was working with Howie Morales, then a Senator and now Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico, to widen U.S. Highway 180 south of Bayard. “It looks like it is coming to fruition this coming summer,” he said, referring to the scheduled start of construction on Phase I of the project. Martinez noted that widening the highway is not only a safety imperative. “By widening that corridor, I believe, it will open up opportunities for economic development,” he said.
Martinez said he was greatly surprised when WNMU Board of Regents Chair Dr. Mary Hotvedt and President Dr. Joseph Shepard told him they wished to award him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. “I still can’t believe it,” he said.
David Abbey
Raised in Bethesda, MD, outside of Washington, DC, Abbey graduated with a degree in economics from Brown University. He was appointed as the director of the Legislative Finance Committee in 1997 and retired in 2023, making him the longest-serving director in the committee’s history. He had previously served as the Chief Investment Officer of the New Mexico State Treasury, director of the Board of Finance, and chief economist for the Department of Finance and Administration.
Abbey said that his connection to WNMU developed during his time as director of the Legislative Finance Committee. “In the fall, the committee hears budget requests,” he said, “but in the late spring and summer, they travel around the state and have oversight hearings.” Many of those meetings were held in Silver City.
Longtime Senator Ben Altamirano, who was from Silver City, “loved bringing the committee here,” said Abbey, “He was so proud of his town, and he wanted the members of the committee to get a feel for what the needs of the community were.”
As a result of these visits, the Legislative Finance Committee was able to secure funds for WNMU, including the monies needed to restore and renovate the WNMU Museum.
“When I come here, I feel I have some stake in the place,” Abbey explained, “Coming here led to a desire to make some investments in the university.”
Asked what he was most proud of regarding his career, Abbey pointed to the expansion of Medicaid in the state. “In 2013, in the wake of passing the Affordable Care Act, Governor [Susana] Martinez announced that New Mexico would take part in expanding Medicaid coverage for the state. That was a huge milestone for our state in terms of getting healthcare for that many people.”
“Providing health insurance to a big chunk of our population that had big healthcare needs but not the wherewithal to pay—that was a big deal,” he added, “The Legislative Finance Committee did a lot of analysis pointing out that the federal money coming in would more than pay for itself.”
Abbey, who was awarded with the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, said it felt very satisfying to be honored by WNMU. He noted that Former NM Senator John Arthur Smith “got the same degree a few years ago, and so it is an honor for me to follow in his footsteps.”
