Giving Back to His Community Mark Wiggins (BBA 84) is a natural at running a thriving Albuquerque car business and finding ways to help New Mexico youth. After working as a district sales manager for the Pepsi Company in Roswell, New Mexico, Mark found his calling in auto sales. He transitioned to car sales with Gene Messer dealership in Lubbock, TX. Over the next few years, he broke sales records, which motivated him to experience other areas of dealership structure including finance and management. In 2005, Mark was promoted to COO and moved to Albuquerque to oversee four stores in New Mexico and Colorado. Then in 2008, he became partners with his two longtime associates in Mark’s Casa Auto Group selling Chevrolet, Jeep, Mitsubishi and Chrysler vehicles. Mark and his business partners own three dealerships in Albuquerque and have achieved much success and growth despite some difficult years in the auto industry. New Mexico children have been helped by Mark Wiggins and Mark’s Casa Autogroup with their ongoing program donating infant and toddler car seats to families in need and by assisting in the build of a playground for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico. Mark is a strong supporter of the Special Olympics. As a parent volunteer, he donated time, materials and labor to prepare land and build a horse arena for the New Mexico Special Olympics Equestrian program. He also volunteers for Christina Kent Early Childhood Center and helps with the organization’s annual auction.
By Noelle Bartl
“I think getting involved in the community and giving back to the community that gives to you is extremely important,” explained Mark. “Taking care of the children and promoting the importance of education are issues the dealership supports wholeheartedly.” ENMU helped to launch his career success by providing Mark a quality education. Mark isn’t the only family member to attend ENMU. His brother Mike (BBA 87) and his son Miguel (BS 13) are also Eastern graduates.
Mark Wiggins
“The marketing and finance instructors at Eastern took a genuine interest in me as a student and gave that personal one-on-one attention that helped me to succeed. For that, I am forever grateful.”
The Kindred Touch units, IV antibiotic therapy, rehabilitation and outpatient services, outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, pain management, and subacute unit care. Stephanie oversees the three transitional care hospitals in the Dallas, Texas region.
Stephanie Madrid
Stephanie Madrid (MS 02, BA 00) is the Market Chief Executive Officer for Kindred Hospitals of Dallas. Kindred Healthcare is the United States’ largest and most robust post-acute and rehabilitation care provider. Kindred Healthcare has a presence in 47 states, employs roughly 60,000 individuals and cares for about the same number of patients on a daily basis. Some of Kindred Hospitals of Dallas’ key services include pulmonary and complex wound care, dialysis, ICU or special care 8
Green & Silver | May 2015
Stephanie matriculated through ENMU’s internationally-recognized communication disorders program at the undergraduate and master’s levels; her emphasis at the master’s level was in speech pathology. She completed a medical internship at St. Johns Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma the last year of her master’s program. “I treated a patient who had a Passy-Muir speaking valve,” Stephanie says, which is a way for patients with artificial airwaves to communicate. Stephanie returned from the internship and undertook an independent study focusing on speech and swallowing disorders in tracheostomized and mechanically ventilated patients. Stephanie seamlessly transitioned from ENMU to Kindred Hospitals of Houston.
By Robert Graham
The position allowed Stephanie to put her independent study to practice. She specialized in long-term acute care where speech pathologists assists patients in the transition away from artificial breathing apparatuses. Stephanie celebrated her 12th anniversary with Kindred this January. She transitioned to her role as CEO in 2014. “My primary focus is and has always been on patient care,” Stephanie says. The kindred touch is one that Stephanie knows well. Stephanie is a third generation ENMU graduate. Her grandmother Mary Robinson (BS 85) and her mother Christy Vines (BBA 97) walked a few steps ahead of her. Stephanie’s husband, Louie Madrid (BSE 02), is also an ENMU graduate. Engaged in her community, Stephanie is the president of her neighborhood association and participates in alumnae activities through her sorority, Chi Omega. Stephanie and Louie are the proud parents of their four year-old daughter Julian.
