Tony Garza was the United States ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009. He is a businessman and attorney who is considered an expert on US-Mexico relations, as well as the business and legislative conditions in both countries, particularly in Mexico’s energy sector. Garza is a director of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and he is the creator of the Aztec Eagle, the Mexican government’s highest award for a foreigner.
Prior to becoming ambassador, he was the director of the Texas Railroad Commission. He also served as Texas secretary of state, senior policy advisor to the Texas governor, and county judge. He currently works as an attorney for White & Case LLP in Mexico City and is the chair of Vianovo Ventures, a control consultancy firm that focuses on the cross-border business community.
He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA and the Southern Methodist University School of Law with a JD. He serves on the boards of trustees of SMU and the development board of UT Austin.
He has served on the boards of several corporations and is currently a director of Kansas City Southern as well as the chairman of its subsidiary, Kansas City Southern de Mexico, and MoneyGram. He also serves as an objective director to Grupo ODH, which focuses on the deepwater drilling industry in Mexico, and is a Governance and Board Leadership Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
Quick Facts
Real Name | Tony Garza |
Nickname | Tony |
Profession | Lawyer |
N/A | |
Who is it? | Actor |
President | George W. Bush |
Spouse(s) | María Asunción Aramburuzabala (m. 2005; div. 2010) Liz Beightler (m. 2012) |
Age | 64 Years |
Height | In centimeters- 160 cm In meters- 1.60 m In Feet Inches-5’6” |
Weight | In Kilograms- 60 kg In Pounds- 120 lbs |
Eye Colour | Brown |
Hair Colour | Black |
Shoe Size | 8 US |
Date of Birth | July 07, 1959 |
Birth Place | American |
Nationality | American |
School Name | N/A |
College Name | N/A |
Qualifications | N/A |
Tony Garza Childhood
Tony Garza is the grandson of Mexican immigrants to the United States and the son of a gas station owner. Garza earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980 and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1983.
Career
Tony Garza became a Cameron County judge in 1988 after working as an attorney. He was the Texas Secretary of State from January 1995 to November 1997 before being elected to the Texas Railroad Commission’s three-member board, where he served as chairman.
He was appointed US Ambassador to Mexico in 2002, a position he held until 2009. Garza received the guila Azteca from Mexico in 2009, the year he retired from office, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen ties between Mexico and the United States. This is Mexico’s highest honor bestowed on foreigners. Following that, he worked as a counsel with White & Case LLP and as the chairman of management consulting firm Vianovo Ventures.
Tony Garza Wife, Marriage
According to one source, Tony Garza married Mara Asunción Aramburuzabala, the president of Tresalia Capital, who had a personal fortune worth $1.8 billion. In May of 2010, the couple divorced. He later married Dr. Liz Beightler.