Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010
Road to Palm Springs

Edelmiro Muñiz

MEI Technologies, Inc.
Houston, Texas

As he picked cotton in the fields of the Rio Grande Valley, Ed Muñiz was fascinated by the “shiny metal machines” that soared high above him. When an older brother offered to pay for his college education – as long as he attended Texas A&M, that is – the young man took the opportunity to study aerospace engineering.

Upon completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. Twenty years later, he retired as a lieutenant colonel.

His dynamic career in the Air Force had included assignments such as launch vehicle analyst, space shuttle integration engineer, space systems operational test manager and space operations staff officer.

His final assignment was as the commander of the First Manned Space Flight Control Squadron at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Retired at 42, Muñiz believed that his knowledge of aerospace could take him to new heights as yet unexplored. In 1992, he built on his military experience to found Muñiz Engineering, Inc. (now known as MEI Technologies, Inc.) to provide engineering services to the private sector and the United States government. His first contract was with the Air Force, a contract MEI continues to hold.

Through his leadership and guidance as president and CEO, MEI’s services have expanded to provide NASA, the Department of Defense and commercial customers with services in information technology, safety, reliability, quality assurance and aerospace engineering.

Started with only two employees, MEI now boasts a growing workforce of more than 600 employees and has offices in Texas, California, Florida, Maryland, New Mexico, Mississippi and Ohio.