"In technology, the focus has always focused on beating the competition.  The best strategy in business is to focus on the customer.  When you treat the customer as special, they wouldn't dream of doing business with anyone else," Ruiz cited in his address as companies such as HP and Dell have fallen by the wayside due to the innovative approaches of companies such as Apple who cater directly to what the customer is requesting.  Specifically he noted that years ago, Apple realized what the people wanted was a more portable PC.

"What people were asking for was the laptop computer as well as coming up with the Smart Phone which I probably could not live without anymore because my life is on my phone."

But the most intriguing anecdotes of the evening were his stories of growing up and getting his education in Eagle Pass and his memories of coming to school here from his native Piedras Negras.

"I came to Eagle Pass with a lot of trepidation because my student advisor, Mr. Witt, gave me an exam and advised me to enroll in carpentry.  I told my father what he had said 'What do you think? Don't listen to him."

He said that this experience has gotten him to think differently about the counseling profession and he urges counselors to encourage students.

"Don't let someone tell you what you can or cannot do."

He also remembers turning in an essay to Mr. Rubio who marked his paper with a giant permanent marker with an 'F' saying it was a "Lousy" essay before going into Mr. Howard's chemistry class who asked him what was wrong.

"I'm going to flunk English," he told him.

Little did he know that Mr. Howard would get Mr. Rubio to help Hector after school every day.  Needless to say he got an 'A' in English.

"You have to surround yourself with people who want to help you," he said as he recalled his Civics and Government teacher Mr. Brown who taught him about things that are unfair and Mr. Lopez who asked him to do an experiment and to explain to him why the Pythagorean Theorem works.

"I showed him and he told me I didn't have to take any more tests in his class for the rest of the year."

"You have to appreciate what people give you and be humble about it."

I could go on and on about his most interesting stories, but then you wouldn't be compelled to go out and buy a copy of Slingshot which is available on Amazon.  We can only hope he comes back to grace us with his presence soon in order to say we have an autographed copy.