Tony Garza
{{short description|American lawyer (born 1959)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Tony Garza
|image = TonyGarza.jpg
|office = United States Ambassador to Mexico
|president = George W. Bush
|term_start = November 22, 2002
|term_end = January 20, 2009
|predecessor = Jeffrey Davidow
|successor = Carlos Pascual
|office1 = Railroad Commissioner of Texas
|governor1 = George W. Bush
Rick Perry
|term_start1 = January 4, 1999
|term_end1 = November 18, 2002{{cite web|url=https://www.rrc.texas.gov/about-us/commissioners/commissioner-list/|title=Railroad Commissioners Past through Present|access-date=April 3, 2024|website=www.rrc.texas.gov}}
|predecessor1 = Barry Williamson
|successor1 = Victor Carrillo
|office2 = 98th Secretary of State of Texas
|governor2 = George W. Bush
|term_start2 = January 17, 1995
|term_end2 = December 31, 1997
|predecessor2 = Ron Kirk
|successor2 = Alberto Gonzales
|birth_name = Antonio Oscar Garza Jr.
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|7|7}}
|birth_place = Brownsville, Texas, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = {{marriage|María Asunción Aramburuzabala|2005|2010|end=divorce}}
{{marriage|Liz Beightler|2012}}
|education = University of Texas at Austin (BA)
Southern Methodist University (JD)
}}
Antonio Oscar "Tony" Garza Jr. (born July 7, 1959)[https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V6QL-1TQ Antonio Oscar Garza Jr., Texas Birth Index] is an American lawyer and diplomat who was the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. In recognition of his work, Mexico bestowed on him the Águila Azteca, the highest award granted to foreigners, in 2009. Prior to his appointment as ambassador, Garza had served as Secretary of State of Texas from January 1995 to November 1997 and was also chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.
Early life and education
Garza was born in Brownsville, Texas,{{cite news |url=https://myrgv.com/local-news/2019/11/17/rgv-native-inducted-into-ut-hall-of-fame/ |title=RGV native inducted into UT hall of fame |first=Steve |last=Clark |date=November 17, 2019 |accessdate=2021-09-21 |work=The Brownsville Herald}} the son of a gasoline station owner and the grandson of Mexican immigrants to the United States."[http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/3149038.html Toasting the power of love]", Houston Chronicle, April 22, 2005. Garza received his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980 and received his J.D. in 1983 from Southern Methodist University School of Law.{{cite web |title=Antonio O. Garza Jr. |url=http://www.whitecase.com/angarza/ |publisher=White & Case LLP |year=2010 |accessdate=2011-04-04}}
Career
After practicing as an attorney, Garza became a judge in Cameron County in 1988. He served as the Texas Secretary of State from January 1995 to November 1997 before later being elected as one of the three member board of the Texas Railroad Commission, where he served as chairman.{{cite news |url=http://www.texastribune.org/2013/05/06/triblive-a-conversation-with-tony-garza/ |title=TribLive: A Conversation with Tony Garza |first=Rodney |last=Gibbes |date=May 6, 2013 |accessdate=2013-05-07 |work=Texas Tribune}}
In 2002, he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, a position he held until 2009.{{cite news |url=http://lubbockonline.com/stories/071702/nat_0717020037.shtml |title=Bush selects Texas ally, Garza, as U.S. ambassador to Mexico |work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | date=July 17, 2002 |accessdate=2013-04-29}} In 2009, the year he retired from the office, Garza received the Águila Azteca from Mexico in recognition of his work to strengthen the bonds between Mexico and the United States.{{cite news |url=http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/article_269f7660-822a-5335-8f86-c6cc5cd32943.html |title=Tony Garza plans for future beyond public office |first=Emma |last=Perez-Trevino |date=July 18, 2009 |accessdate=2013-05-07 |work=The Brownsville Herald}} This is the highest award that Mexico bestows on foreigners. Thereafter, he took a position as counsel with White & Case LLP and also as chairman of management consultancy firm Vianovo Ventures.
Personal life
Garza married María Asunción Aramburuzabala, the president of Tresalia Capital who had a personal fortune valued at $1.8 billion, according to one source.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_kmafp/is_200504/ai_n14746804/ Laura Bush to attend Mexican beer baroness' wedding to US diplomat: report] AFP The couple divorced in May 2010.[http://www.quien.com/espectaculos/2010/05/10/aramburuzabala-y-garza-se-divorcian Aramburuzabala y Garza se divorcian] {{in lang|es}} He subsequently married Dr Liz Beightler.{{cite web |title=About Antonio Garza |url=http://www.tonygarza.com/about-antonio-garza/ |publisher=TonyGarza.com |year=2014 |accessdate=2014-12-23}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{C-SPAN|47409}}
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{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Ron Kirk}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State of Texas|years=1995–1997}}
{{s-aft|after=Alberto Gonzales}}
|-
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=Jeffrey Davidow}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Ambassador to Mexico|years=2002–2009}}
{{s-aft|after=Carlos Pascual}}
{{s-end}}
{{Railroad Commissioners of Texas}}
{{US Ambassadors to Mexico}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garza, Tony}}
Category:Ambassadors of the United States to Mexico
Category:American politicians of Mexican descent
Category:County judges in Texas
Category:Hispanic and Latino American diplomats
Category:Members of the Railroad Commission of Texas
Category:People from Cameron, Texas
Category:Saint Joseph Academy (Brownsville, Texas) alumni
Category:Secretaries of state of Texas