Valencia County Chamber Gala Honors Business Leaders and Longstanding Enterprises

The Greater Valencia County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the county’s business community on Saturday evening, January 8, 2026, honoring companies and individuals whose enterprises have shaped local commerce and civic life. The gala at Isleta Casino and Resort capped a night of awards that reflected both decades of continuity and signs of future growth for Valencia County.

The chamber’s highest honor, Citizen of the Year, was awarded not to an individual but to the family of the late Dr. Roland K. Sanchez. The family was recognized for sustained community involvement and contributions to both business and agriculture. Dr. Roland K. Sanchez, who died in 2020, established a medical practice in Belen decades ago and later founded Red Doc Farm, a nationally known operation that breeds Santa Gertrudis cattle. His sons continue that multifaceted local footprint: Dr. Adolfo Sanchez runs the family medical practice, Dr. Roland Sanchez II operates Conquistador Dental in Belen, and Dr. Florian Sanchez owns Yucca Veterinary Medical Center. The family is also investing in a planned 300-unit apartment complex with commercial and community space on a 15-acre mixed-use development in the Hub City, a project that equates to about 20 units per acre and signals potential new housing supply and commercial activity downtown.

Longstanding small businesses were prominent among the other awards. Sandra Baca, owner of Wright Choice Learning Center in Belen, received the Infinity Award after 40 years of running her day care. As part of the center’s 40th anniversary, Baca is offering $500 scholarships to 2026 graduates of Belen and Infinity high schools who attended the day care, a targeted investment in local education and workforce pipelines through early childhood support. The Heritage Award, presented only intermittently, went to Teofilo’s Restaurante in Los Lunas for 40 years of service and preserving New Mexico’s culinary culture.

The chamber also recognized the Better Business Bureau of the Southwest with the Amigo Award and named Kirtland Credit Union in Los Lunas Corporation of the Year. Other honors included Member of the Year for Andrew Spears and Nonprofit of the Year for The New Mexico Boys & Girls Ranch, along with additional awards for long-serving enterprises and community contributors.

For residents and local officials, these recognitions matter beyond celebration. Awards highlighting multigenerational medical, dental, veterinary and agricultural enterprises point to an economic base that combines essential services with export-oriented agriculture. The planned 300-unit development could ease housing pressure, expand the tax base and create construction and property-management work, while expanded childcare scholarships and long-lived small businesses support workforce stability. Together, the night’s honorees map Valencia County’s current strengths and the local investments shaping its short- and medium-term economic trajectory.