Benjamin Flores

I came in the U.S. in 1996 after studying geography for about six months at UNAM in Mexico City. I arrived with two bags of clothes, a strong work ethic and a dream. I washed cars, fried chicken at KFC, and repaired hotel computers at a Marriott in California before getting deep into computer networking. This led to my 30‑year career in cybersecurity protecting banks, fintech firms and county government from fraud and systemic errors. At my core, I am a do-it-yourselfer, an innovator and a stickler for compliance.

I live by the values of service and loyalty. In 2016, my wife Ann, our daughter Nadia and I moved from Austin to Bay City, Texas. We started a ten-acre family business raising heritage-breed pigs. Wrestling with the red tape common to small producers pushed me toward public service. Wanting to see that our local laws were fair and transparent, I ran for and was elected to Bay City’s city council. I currently serve on our city council, on the Bay City Development Corporation and represent Bay City on the Houston‑Galveston Area Council.

Drawing on my CERT training I promote emergency preparedness in Bay City and elsewhere.