Northern Honors Ralph E. “Butch” Clark, III

Northern New Mexico College Honors Ralph E. “Butch” Clark, III, for His Support of Technical Trades Programs
Clark’s contributions make “a remarkable improvement in our learning environment”

ESPAÑOLA, N.M. — On Thursday, May 8, 2025, Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) honored Ralph E. “Butch” Clark, III, for his generous support of Northern’s Technical Trades programs. Despite being a resident of Gunnison, Colo., Clark has taken a keen interest in Northern’s trades programs. His donations have allowed the Department of Technical Trades to revamp classrooms and purchase electrical training equipment and a van for off-site training at regional school districts. He has recently designated money to cover faculty salary for Northern’s new Carpentry Program for two years and to purchase HVAC and plumbing training equipment.

“Today we’re gathered here to honor an individual leader who has for years seen how this private/public partnership can change the lives of our students here in Northern New Mexico,” said NNMC President Hector Balderas. “Mr. Clark is one of Northern’s most significant financial supporters. His dedication to ensuring that students in rural communities have opportunities to thrive and succeed in the trades is something unmatched in our college and in our entire region.”

The celebration included the dedication of the NNMC Technical Trades Building with its newly renovated lab space, one of the projects made possible through Clark’s generosity. Balderas described the previous state of the labs as “in no condition to even introduce students to the trades.” Balderas thanked the faculty who helped the project stay within budget by doing the renovations themselves.
“This is why I believe you are all special. You roll up your sleeves and you begin to transform the campus,” Balderas said.

Northern unveiled a plaque honoring Clark’s contributions, which will hang in the Technical Trades Building. The plaque was created by Western Colorado University’s (WCU) Engineering Department, with input from Technical Trades Chair Joe Padilla and Creative Director Sandy Krolick. Clark is also a strong supporter of WCU.

Clark’s involvement with the technical trades program began in 2021, the year voters approved a mill levy to revive technical trades programming at Northern.

El Rito resident Barbara Campbell shared plans to reintroduce the Technical Trades Program on the El Rito campus with her longtime friend Luke Danielson, who also lives in Gunnison and serves as Clark’s philanthropic advisor. Danielson knew this would interest Clark, whose passions include affordable housing and well-educated and trained tradespeople.

Clark asked to meet with Dr. Rick Baily, NNMC president at the time, to learn more about the plans. By April of 2021, Clark had included Northern New Mexico College as a beneficiary in his will. He visited the El Rito campus in June of that year and in July made his first donation toward the purchase of electrical training supplies and equipment.

The celebration included an invocation by NNMC Regent Ron Lovato and remarks by Board of Regents Chair Michael A. Martin, Alfred Herrera, board president of the Northern Foundation, Antonette Serrano, board president of the NNMC Branch Community College Board, as well as Baldera and Padilla. Luka Torrez represented the Technical Trades students.

“Northern Foundation relies heavily on donor support to fund the college’s various initiatives,” Herrera said. “Donors help to ensure the continued quality of education for the public good. Your support has done just that, ensuring that we continue the quality of education in Northern’s trades facilities.”

“Mr. Clark’s years of dedication to our program has impacted the lives of students, families and communities across New Mexico,” Serrano said. “Our ability to deliver high-quality trades education to students across our region has opened a world of opportunities for our students that we have sorely needed.”

Balderas and Clark both see this partnership in a more universal context.

“Hopefully what we’re looking at are new ways to think about trades, because we’re going to be having quite a challenge with climate change and so many things that are happening in this world that are going to affect so many people,” Clark said. “We’re going to have to learn a lot of new skills to make the future good for humanity.”

“I also want to make a bold prediction, that what is happening here isn’t just a celebration of good deeds and investment in an underserved community,” Balderas said. “I think we’re building a national model, and I think the State of New Mexico is keeping an eye on us, and a lot of other regions are really looking to us to lead this trades revolution, not because of our tremendous job but because there is an epic need for national security, where we need more welders, we need more carpenters, we need highway designers. We truly are in a critical crisis, and the more our country becomes destabilized, the more our students look like heroes and problem solvers. These are invaluable investments in the state’s and in the nation’s direction.”

Clark’s newest initiative is a partnership between Northern and Western Colorado University. WCU shut down their trades program several years ago, but they have a highly respected engineering department. Clark arranged a meeting between Balderas and Western’s President Brad Baca and asked them to find a way to collaborate. The result is a boot camp for NNMC trades students at WCU this summer, which Clark is funding. Northern students will be applying skills they have learned in the classroom and acquiring new solar energy skills to build a gazebo-style solar canopy. The structure will have USB ports and seating areas so students can work outside comfortably.

NNMC Students will get to experience another campus and stay in the dormitories. They will spend time in Western’s engineering department working with CNC machines to fabricate hardware and possibly decorative elements and spend one day collaborating with WCU students on the CNC machines to fabricate a plate. During their stay in Gunnison students will enjoy a rafting trip. Their presence on campus will reintroduce a trades perspective to Gunnison, which currently has to hire trades people from nearby communities for routine work.

Luka Torrez, who spoke on behalf of the Technical Trades students at the ceremony, really brought home the impact of Clark’s continuing support.

“Your contributions have made an incredible difference in our educational experience. Thanks to your generosity, we’ve seen a remarkable improvement in our learning environment through the remodeling of our trades buildings and equipment,” Torrez said. “These resources have not only enhanced our hands-on training but have boosted our confidence in our career goals. It is truly an honor to meet the gentleman whose kindness and belief in our future has helped so many and opened so many doors for us. We are inspired by your generosity and motivated to work so one day we can support other students the way you have supported us. We look forward to our careers and carry with us gratitude for the man who helped us get there.”