INFORMATION FOR
Idida Rodriguez ’86, William Paterson University Board of Trustees member and managing partner of 1868 Public Affairs; Rafael Cuellar, William Paterson University Foundation Board member and owner of numerous businesses including Cuellar LLC; and Roy Garcia ’99, the University’s assistant vice president of alumni engagement and philanthropy, have been selected for BINJE’s inaugural list of New Jersey’s “Best Hispanic Business Leaders.”
Idida Rodriguez ’86, William Paterson University Board of Trustees member and Managing Partner of 1868 Public Affairs
Rodriguez, who was appointed to her alma mater’s Board of Trustees in 2021, is a founding partner of 1868 Public Affairs, a full-service government relations and public affairs consulting firm in Trenton, New Jersey. She is a renowned and respected political strategist and experienced consultant with a concentration in marketing, public relations, government relations and business development. Rodriguez is a member of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Finance Board and formerly served as president of the Passaic Valley Water Commission’s Board of Commissioners and secretary to the Board of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. She also served on the boards of the LUPE PAC, Paterson Parking Authority, New Jersey Real Estate Commission, and St. Paul’s Community Development Corporation.
Rafael Cuellar
William Paterson University Foundation Board member and Owner of Cuellar LCC and ShopRite of Passaic/Clifton
Cuellar has been a member of William Paterson University’s Foundation Board since 1998, helping to secure philanthropic support for the institution through private gifts, grants, and endowments. He is President and CEO of Cuellar LLC and owner of ShopRite of Passaic/Clifton, ShopRite Wines and Spirits of Clifton, and Crunch Fitness of Clifton, overseeing all company operations. Dubbed a “serial entrepreneur” by BINJE, he is also a managing member of branded merchandise retailer Fully Promoted in Clifton and co-founder of the vertical farm Karma Verde Fresh in Mexico. Cuellar has long been committed to supporting the Passaic and Clifton communities, including through a partnership with Catholic Charities to expand access to healthy foods for families in need. He serves on several boards, including the New Jersey Food Council, Fordham University’s President’s Council, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, and the Latino Coalition of the United States, and is a commissioner on New Jersey’s Sales and Use Tax Commission. A veteran, Cuellar served as a lieutenant in the US Navy.
Roy Garcia ’99, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Engagement and Philanthropy at William Paterson University
Garcia, who has worked in Institutional Advancement at WP for the past six years, was promoted to his current role as assistant vice president last year. Garcia works both to increase alumni involvement at his alma mater and to inspire philanthropic support that impacts current students’ academic success and career readiness. “We are the catalysts for the American Dream,” Garcia says of WP. “People see helping us and our mission as promise, hope, and progress … a beautiful opportunity to help first generation families rise up to the next level.” A passionate alumnus, Garcia was very involved on campus as a student – most notably as a student representative to the University’s Board of Trustees. He also served on the Model UN, as a resident assistant, and as founder of a business club – through which he met his wife.
All honorees were celebrated at an event hosted by BINJE, in partnership with NJ’s Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The Unanue Institute, on Thursday, November 13. See the full list of honorees and additional info in BINJE.
