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ALUMNI NEWS: JESUS OCHOA
Mission College alum among
‘40 Under 40’ Achievers

Article reprinted courtesy of the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, special supplement honoring 40 successful business people, all of them under age 40.

– BY JEFF WEISS, SFVBJ Staff Writer

Jesus Ochoa first realized his passion for community activism when he became involved with the local Kiwanis Club as a student at Mission College.

“Joining the Kiwanis became my driving force. It was amazing to get to see accomplished professionals in their fields, giving their time out to give back to the community. They have been my inspiration and role models,” Ochoa said.

The relationships that Ochoa built in the Kiwanis helped spark Ochoa’s decision to run and win in the election to become the student body president at Mission. Nearly two decades later, Ochoa’s sense of community involvement has yet to diminish.

After graduating from Mission, the Mexico-born Ochoa joined the Navy as a way to better assimilate himself into American culture.

“I wanted to do my part for the country,” Ochoa said. “I didn’t even receive my citizenship until two years after I left the Navy. When I was in the service, I received several awards including the Navy Achievement Medal, one of the highest peacetime awards that the Navy gives out.”

After leaving the service he has thrown himself into community service in the Valley, serving as the president of Holidays in the Park, a charity organization that hands out toys to disadvantaged families during the holiday season. Ochoa remains an active member of the Kiwanis, as well as serving on the governance council for the Metropolitan Transit Authority in the Valley.

Professionally, Ochoa runs Teconectamos, a branch of San Fernando-based IT support firm, Tekwerks. As the founder of this branch of the company, Ochoa had the onerous task of organizing its basic infrastructure, establishing a client base and ensuring continued customer support.

As for the future, Ochoa plans to grow with the company and help make it a force in the Valley.

“I want to ensure that our company’s name will be recognized in the area. But I don’t want people just to know the name. I want them to know that we stand for quality.”