A Clear Future for All

Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.

These three principles are the core values of the U.S. Air Force — but they are more than a motto to Joe Aldaz. Integrity, service and excellence are Joe’s compass, guiding every path he has walked throughout his career and life. Now, the road ahead is clearer than ever, as Joe sits at the center of a growing movement: to expand opportunity and inclusive representation across the Pikes Peak region.

President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Education Foundation, Joe has spearheaded Hispanic advocacy efforts in the city since he took on the role in 2018. Over the past several years, Joe has led the Chamber to immense growth, earning multiple statewide and national awards for membership growth, innovation and leadership excellence, including being named the Small Chamber of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

The values guiding Joe’s leadership today were forged long before boardrooms and national recognition — rooted instead in a small New Mexico town, a family of educators and generations defined by grit.

Born and raised in Raton, New Mexico, Joe grew up knowing that hard work was not only expected, but it was in his blood. His family’s story traces back to Slavic-Irish coal miners in northern New Mexico — people who built their lives through resilience and determination. That legacy carried through his grandfather, Epifanio, who worked on the family ranch, Rancho de Torres, repairing fence lines for the Bureau of Land Management on horseback well into his 70s.

“He embodied grit, resilience and a commitment to the job didn’t depend on recognition — just doing the work because it needed to be done,” Joe said. “That example has stayed with me throughout my life and continues to influence how I lead today.”

His parents, both longtime educators, reinforced that foundation — instilling discipline, accountability and a mindset of serving others. When Joe got his first job as a teen — selling pari-mutuel tickets at La Mesa Park, a racetrack that hosted thoroughbred and quarter horse racing from 1946 to 1992 — he finally got a taste of earning his own way in the world.

That early sense of responsibility began to take clearer shape when Joe was appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy at 17.

“Attending the Air Force Academy was a pivotal milestone in my life,” Joe said. “It not only brought me to Colorado Springs, but it shaped my leadership philosophy and reinforced the values that still guide me today: integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do.”

After graduating and commissioning into the Air Force, Joe built a career in space operations, working in high-stakes environments that demanded precision and strategic thinking.

When he retired from the military in 2004, that same sense of purpose carried into a new season of service. Across roles in education, nonprofit leadership and athletics — from directing a K-12 charter school in Pueblo to serving as the Rocky Mountains regional director for the USO to leading as director of athletics and women’s basketball coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School — a clear pattern emerged.

“At every stage of my life, the common thread has been service — service to my country, service to my community and service to others,” Joe said. “Each experience, from my upbringing to my military career to education, nonprofit leadership and now chamber leadership, has shaped how I lead today: with humility, purpose and a commitment to creating opportunities for others to succeed.”

All of those experiences now converge in his work today. Under Joe’s leadership, the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Education Foundation has expanded from 22 members to more than 320, while launching initiatives designed to address long-standing gaps for Latino entrepreneurs and emerging leaders.

The Avanzar Business Accelerator Program provides training, mentorship and resources for Hispanic, veteran- and woman-owned small businesses. The Adelante Leadership Institute, a 10-month fellowship program, is equipping the next generation of Hispanic business leaders. Since launching in 2023, the program has graduated 54 fellows — 50% of whom are now serving on nonprofit boards and commissions across Colorado Springs.

“If more young people believe they belong in spaces of influence — then that’s impact,” Joe said. “If the next generation doesn’t have to fight the same battles for access and recognition, then we’ve done something meaningful.”

Joe views his own role as a bridge-builder, forging relationships across business, government and nonprofit sectors to create opportunities for members and the broader community. He sees the areas in the city where there is a lack of Hispanic presence at the table — spaces that have been historically exclusive — and seeks to empower and create pathways of access for more leaders to be present and have a voice.

“I want to help shape a Colorado Springs where opportunity is truly accessible, where leadership reflects the diversity of the community, and people — regardless of background — can see a path forward,” Joe said. “A city where we’ve moved beyond conversations about inclusion and have built systems that actually create it.”

For Joe, Colorado Springs isn’t just a mission field for advocacy — it’s his home. It’s where he built a life with his wife of 42 years and they raised two children, Alyssa and Steven. And he has a vision for what his home can become: a space of unity and robust community.

“For me, home is where you invest, where you serve and where you fight for something bigger than yourself,” Joe said. “Colorado Springs is home because it’s where my life, my family and my purpose all come together. And quite simply — I’m not done yet.”

The same values that guided Joe through each season of his life — from small town in New Mexico to military service to leading the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — continue to determine every step he takes today. Only now, the path is wider. What once served as his personal compass has become a map for others, helping a new generation navigate their space in the community. And as long as there are more doors to open, Joe will keep moving forward.

“In the end, it’s not what you build for yourself — it’s what you build for others,” Joe said. “If I can help create a community where more people can succeed, lead and thrive, then that’s the impact that matters most.”