Hispanic Education Project garners $50,000 surprise
By CHRIS BARBEE cbarbee@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Chris Barbee Rewarding Moment For HEP Mike Gonzales, founder and president of FAB Industries Inc. of Houston, got the attention of an El Campo Civic Center full of Hispanic Education Project supporters when he presented a $5,000 donation this year, and pledged another $50,000 to be paid to graduates over the next couple of years if they meet certain criteria. Giving him a "thank you hug" is HEP committee member Mary Arredondo.

Organizers of the Hispanic Education Project Scholarship Banquet got a big surprise last Saturday night. Actually, two surprises.

Michael Gonzales, president of FAB Industries in Houston and a man with family ties to El Campo and Danevang, was invited on stage to present a $5,000 corporate sponsor donation to the HEP. That alone was a nice surprise to the many people who have worked the past 16 years to grow the banquet to make sure every Hispanic graduating senior going to college receives some scholarship money come graduation.

But while on the Civic Center stage with HEP committee member Mary Arredondo, Gonzales announced an even bigger surprise ... a $50,000 pledge to be paid over the next couple of years if students and their families meet the following criteria: academics, parental involvement and community service.

Gonzales said he will be the judge of whether these criteria are met.

"Our children are the backbone of America. If we don't take care of them now, we'll take care of them in the future. We've got to get them to stand alone and to be independent," Gonzales said.

He also said it is important for those students who work hard to succeed to be rewarded.

"I made my mind up that day (at last Saturday's banquet) when I saw the amount of scholarships they were giving out. I said, 'You know, they can't do this. They need to give out $5,000 and $10,000 scholarships to the community.' I believe in that strongly. I won't give a handout just because somebody asks for it, but I'll give a handout if I see somebody needs it," he said.

And Gonzales said he has the means and he's willing to help.

"HEP has come a long way, but we need to give more money. The program can't give $300 scholarships and expect these children to go anywhere. These scholarships have got to start being $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000. The cost of education is expensive, and we definitely need to make sure we can take care of those who want to strive to succeed."

Gonzales may live in Houston, but his heart is in this area.

"My family was born in El Campo ... the Zepeda and Gonzales families," he said, adding he owns a house in Danevang that he bought from a Zepeda uncle.

"The kids in El Campo have good moral values and great family values. That's what you don't see in the big inner city, but you do see it there," he said.

FAB Industries Inc., according to its Web site, began operations in Texas in 1982 and has been committed to superior craftsmanship, prompt delivery and excellent customer service to companies in the oil and gas, medical and aerospace industries.

Today FAB Industries is one of Houston's leading fabricators of meter tubes, full skid production units and ASME coded vessels.

Gonzales, the founder and president of FAB Industries Inc., has been honored as "Businessman of the Year" by the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and awarded "Vendor of the Year" several times by major Fortune 100 companies.