Dominic Bernardi, Jr.
Director of Development Ministry
I have been a member of the Aquinas Newman Center since 1996. In the past I served the parish as a member and then chairman of both the Parish Pastoral Council and the Finance Council.
My professional background spans careers in the military, mass communications, marketing, and independent consulting in finance and business ethics.
I attended Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH on a music scholarship and graduated with a B.S in Mass Communications. Later I did graduate studies in Finance at the University of Texas- El Paso. While attending Xavier, I worked for WKRC-Television as a director-producer in news and special events as well as an assistant programming director. Upon graduation I went on active military duty in the U.S. Army where I served in various assignments with surface- to-air missile units. These assignments included a specialized NATO tour with the Belgian Air Force in Europe. I then served in the 9th Infantry Division and 199th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam; and finally, as a staff officer on the Commanding Generl Special Staff as Chief of Public Affairs for Fort Bliss and the Army Air Defense School at El Paso, TX.
After leaving military service I began my banking career in El Paso and worked there for over 26 years. The main focus of my work was in marketing, managing a unit that conducted strategic planning, marketing research, advertising, public relations, and sales management for a banking company with banks in El Paso, Dallas, Austin and Waco, Texas. In 1995, I relocated to Albuquerque and worked for First Security Bank and later Wells Fargo after that company purchased First Security. In 2001 I was invited to become the Executive Director of the Western States School of Banking at the Anderson Schools of Management at UNM and in 2004 was asked to independently manage the school.
Throughout my career in banking I was involved in one form or another of marketing and fund-raising: first as President of the Southwest International Livestock Show and Rodeo in El Paso; Chairman, El Paso Chapter, National Conference of Christians and Jews; Chairman, Greater El Paso County/City Tourism Board; and, Chairman, Texas Tourist Development Board. Upon relocating to Albuquerque, I first managed the four-day-long New Mexico Symphony Orchestraâ Fine Wine and Art Auction, then chaired the NMSO Board of Trustees and, later, acted as a consultant to the staff and board on matters relating to marketing and development.
I am very happy that I can apply my business and civic experiences in assisting the Aquinas Newman Center in increasing the spiritual and physical accessibility of its ministries and other parochial activities.