Chris Hunter, MBA

Following a period of market research and business plan development, Chris launched Cornerstone Business Solutions, L.L.C. in 2001 to serve Four Corners' clients in Building Better Businesses. This followed a 20-plus year corporate career in 1981 that started with a seven-year stint in the finance and investor relations department of Public Service Company of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

While at PNM, he was involved in raising over $1 billion in capital financing for the construction of Unit 4 of the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station and the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station near Phoenix. He also was instrumental in forming PNM's investor relations department – the team responsible for building better understanding between the company and its institutional and retail debt and equity investors.

Recruited to Portland, Oregon-headquartered PacifiCorp in 1987, he worked in a number of increasingly responsible investor relations and strategic planning capacities until 1996. (PacifiCorp, a much larger utility than PNM, serves the electric energy needs of 1.5 million customers in six western states through its subsidiaries Pacific Power and Utah Power.)

Following service with Peabody Coal Company in St. Louis, Missouri and that company's corporate parent in London, England, Chris joined the Loewen Group in Vancouver, British Columbia – the world's second largest operator of funeral homes and cemeteries. He moved to Farmington in 1999.

Academic Background

Chris earned his B.S. in Business Administration in 1981 from William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri with a triple major in Management, Economics and English. Additional undergraduate studies were pursued at Harlaxton College in Grantham, Lincolnshire, England.

In 1986, he earned his M.B.A. from the Robert O. Anderson Graduate School of Management at the University of New Mexico.

Married for 26 years (and still under training), Chris and Katie returned home to Farmington in November of 1999. They have two daughters – Emily and Elizabeth. Emily is a 2010 graduate of Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas and Elizabeth is attending the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado. Chris and Katie are active members of the First Baptist Church of Kirtland, NM and are the Sunday School teachers for the Young Married class.

In addition to the demands of family and building a business, Chris serves or has served the Four Corners' community in the following capacities:

Member of the Greater Southwest Better Business Bureau Board of Directors	President of the Farmington Rotary Club 2004-2005
Parent volunteer member of the Farmington Municipal School Board Budget Subcommittee	2003 graduate of Leadership San Juan
Co-chair of the 2003 Four Corners Professional Development Conference, Board Member and member of the Marketing Committee and conference presenter in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009.	Board member of the Aztec Chamber of Commerce

For fun, Chris skis, hikes, reads and works with his digital camera which, like many of us, he is still trying to master.

Chris' combination of academic credentials, career experience and temperament ideally suit his calling as a business development advisor. Clients say he has a mind for business and a heart for service.

Academic Background