QUICK LINKS

Mayor Ken Miyagishima
Term 2007 to 2011

Kenneth Daniel Gallegos Miyagishima was born in Biloxi, Mississippi in 1963. He is of both Japanese and Mexican descent. He has lived in Las Cruces since 1971. He attended public schools and in 1985 graduated from New Mexico State University with degrees in finance and real estate. In 1984 – while still attending NMSU – Ken began his insurance and financial services business, which he still owns today.
Ken has achieved many milestones in his distinguished career in public service:

• 1992 – Became New Mexico’s first American of Japanese descent to be elected to public office.
• 1998, 1999 & 2000 – Voted “Best County Commissioner” in readers’ poll.
• 2001- Following his election to City Council, Ken became one of only a handful of officials ever elected to both the Las Cruces City Council and Doña Ana Board of County Commissioners.
• 2002 – Ken’s accomplishments were included in the book, Distinguished Asian-American Political and Governmental Leaders, printed by Greenwood Press.
• 2002 – Recipient: Commander’s Award for Public Service, Department of the Army, 1 March, 2002.
• 2005 - Ken has won two different general elections while running “unopposed,” with the other election being November 1992.
• 2007 – Graduated: FBI Citizen’s Academy, Las Cruces Resident Agency.
• 2007 – Became Las Cruces' first American of Japanese and Mexican descent to be elected Mayor of Las Cruces.
• 2007 – Following his election as Mayor, Ken became only the second person in Dõna Ana County's history to have been elected both: Chairman of the Dõna Ana County Commission and the Mayor of Las Cruces.

Ken is married to former judge Susana Chaparro – between them they have two children. Michael attends NMSU pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Danielle attends Oñate High School and was recently named an All-American Scholar At-Large Award Winner.
Experience

You may contact Mayor Ken Miyagishima by email at: mayor@las-cruces.org