Butch Clark, III, donates $153,000 to new Carpentry Program

NNMC President Hector Balderas visits Clark and Western Colorado University to discuss collaboration opportunities

A new carpentry program being developed by Northern New Mexico College’s Technical Trades Program has just received a major boost from Ralph (Butch) E. Clark, III. During a recent visit to his home in Gunnison, Colo., from Northern New Mexico College President Hector Balderas, Technical Trades Chair Joe Padilla and Major Gifts Officer Judith Pepper, Clark pledged $153,000 to support the program, which is currently in development. The donation will fund a faculty position for the initial two years of the program. 

Clark is a significant donor to the NNMC Technical Trades Department and workforce education for tradespeople. This contribution brings his total donations to $308,000. To honor Clark, Balderas offered to name the Technical Trades Program the “Ralph E. Clark, III Technical Trades Center for Excellence” and Clark accepted. A grand opening of the Center for Excellence is planned for summer, 2025.

During the visit, Balderas and the team met with Western Colorado University President Brad Baca and his team to discuss a collaborative Trades Boot Camp between the two colleges, to be held in Gunnison during spring 2025.

Clark has agreed to fund the boot camp, which Gunnison Architect Cillian Barrett (center in image) will manage. Objectives include:

• • Reinforce students pursuing technical trades training and jobs
  • A fun skills-building experience with real-time construction and hands-on activities
  • Introduce our students to a new community in Gunnison and to Western Colorado University programs, students and campus student life
  • Help students gain an appreciation of the importance of networking

Northern’s new Carpentry Program is currently anticipated to launch in the Spring 2025 semester.

Read more about Northern New Mexico College’s developing Technical Trades Program and Mr. Clark’s generous support of Northern and other educational institutions at https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/northern-new-mexico-college-to-create-new-carpentry-program-with-help-of-153k-donation/article_94255288-750a-11ef-bdb4-875713835421.html.