Ron Gonzales is the President and CEO of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Silicon Valley Latinos.
Gonzales has over 50 years of technology and public policy experience. Prior to leading the Hispanic Foundation, Gonzales was the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Presencia, LLC, which provided marketing and sales consulting services.
He also served as Mayor of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley and the nation’s 10th-largest city from 1999-2006. His achievements included nationally recognized initiatives for strong neighborhoods, improved public education, and effective solutions to affordable housing and regional transportation projects. Mayor Gonzales may be best known for championing the extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to San Jose and Silicon Valley. So much so that former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown nicknamed him “Mayor BART.”
Before he was elected Mayor, Gonzales worked as an executive with the Hewlett-Packard Company in marketing, human resources, and corporate philanthropy.
Gonzales served for eight years (1989-1996) on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. As a two-time mayor and member of the Sunnyvale City Council (1979-87).
Gonzales has received many honors, including Silicon Valley’s Top 100 Top Influencers (Silicon Valley Business Journal), Wall of Fame (Silicon Valley Capital Club), and Character Award (Boy Scout Council of Santa Clara County).
He currently serves as former Chair and Member of the Silicon Valley Capital Club Board of Governors and Board Member of KIPP Northern California Public Charter Schools.