Ignacio Velázquez, 40, is one of San Benito County’s youngest and most successful business leaders.  He was born and raised in Santa Ana, California. He has been a resident of Hollister since 1994.

Ignacio began building businesses while still in high school. After several years of operating a small photography company, he developed an interest in providing electrical services to residential customers.

In 1987, he founded American Electrical Services, an electrical contracting company that boasts more than 200 employees and over $30 million in annual revenues today.

In 1998, he started “The Vault” restaurant in downtown Hollister, a popular destination for the local business community.

After establishing his career in the business world, Ignacio returned to school and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Studies from California State University, Monterey Bay in 2003 and an MBA from California State University, Hayward in 2005.

While studying at CSUMB, he traveled to Afghanistan to investigate and research the problems of creating a political democracy in that war-torn nation.

Ignacio served as President of the San Benito County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 1999 to 2001 and President of the Hollister Downtown Association in 2002.

He is the past President of the San Benito County Center for the Arts. In 1999, he was named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Hollister Downtown Association, receiving a Certificate of Recognition from then-Assemblyman Peter Frusetta.