Turning Adversity into Innovation

Carlo Vazquez’s Journey with APPA

Carlo Vazquez has a career journey that sounds like it was adapted straight from a Hollywood script. Now Senior Director of Facility Services at SSC Services for Education, Carlo’s journey has taken him from managing operations at a university in Mexico to leading campus infrastructure in Texas, with many pivotal chapters powered by APPA.

A Career Changes Course

Carlo Vazquez began his career working with major companies like Cemex, the global cement giant, before finding facilities management. When the 2008 financial crisis halted construction globally and political unrest made international moves unsafe, Carlo pivoted. He accepted a position in higher education facilities management, joining the University of Monterrey in Nuevo León, Mexico, and, on the suggestion of a colleague, attended an APPA event in Vancouver. That moment, he says, changed his life.

“That conference opened doors I didn’t even know existed.” Carlo recalled.

He remembered feeling energized by the people he met and the connections he made at the conference, inspired to make an impact at his campus, almost 1,400 miles away in Mexico.

It wasn’t long after that conference that Carlo found himself wondering: Why wasn’t Mexico part of the APPA regional model? Equipped with a large paper map and colored markers, he and a small team proposed a regional framework connecting the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It worked. 

“We started with nothing but an idea and belief that our voices mattered,” Carlo said. “Today, that idea is a reality.”

The APPA board approved the plan, Mexico became part of the organization’s future, and APPA was on its way to becoming a significant influence on Carlo’s career and life journey.

A Life-Altering Move

Amid several discussions with his wife, and during a period when Monterrey was grappling with a surge in cartel-related violence and widespread insecurity, Carlo and his wife came to see the move to Texas as a necessary step for their safety and their family’s future. With hope as their compass, and the support from his wife Albeza, Carlo made the leap.

“I called the University back and said, ‘I’m all yours, baby.’ You forget about money when safety and life are on the line.”

With his wife pregnant and unable to work due to visa restrictions, Carlo started over in a tiny apartment with no credit, no car, and few belongings. “We arrived with two big bags. That was it. But we had hope.”

APPA as a Lifeline

Carlo credits APPA and a few key individuals for the career he has built in the U.S. that has taken him from Texas to Pittsburgh and back. Juan Ontiveros, whom he had first met at an APPA conference, helped open doors and provided support to him and his family as he transitioned roles, especially when they first moved to Texas in 2011.

Former APPA director Lander Medellin served as a resource and a sounding board for him throughout the years.  Over time, Carlo rose through the ranks of facilities management, first at UT and then in Pittsburgh, ultimately landing in Amarillo, where he leads a major operations team across the West Texas A&M system.

“Thanks to APPA, I have a home, a family, and a future,” he said. “It’s because of APPA that I am here.”

Driving Innovation and Paying It Forward

Beyond his inspiring story, Carlo is also driving cutting-edge solutions in facilities management. He spearheaded the implementation of one of the largest IoT systems in higher education. Today, he’s piloting an AI-based building maintenance platform he hopes will revolutionize how the Texas A&M system operates.

“There’s nothing on the market like this,” Carlo emphasized. “It’s about streamlining operations and making our campuses smarter and more sustainable.”

Carlo sees his role as bigger than just managing buildings. He’s focused on empowering others. He’s passionate about language access, leadership development, and ensuring that Latinos and immigrants see a place for themselves in the facilities profession.

“The people maintaining our campuses deserve the same respect as anyone else. If they speak Spanish, let’s give them tools in Spanish. That’s how we build excellence.”

Carlo’s journey is a reminder of what’s possible with the right support. It’s also a testament to how APPA can be a vehicle not just for education, but for empowerment.