FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 10, 2025

HACU appoints director of Midwestern Regional Office

SAN ANTONIO – The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities has announced the appointment of Gilberto Ruiz as director of state government relations of its Midwestern Regional Office in Chicago. Ruiz will oversee HACU’s legislative agenda on state government issues, primarily in Illinois and extending to the midwestern states of Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota.

“HACU’s regional offices are increasingly important to our advocacy efforts in promoting state policy and legislation to increase the support and funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, especially in this region, which is seeing more of these colleges and universities enrolling greater numbers of all types of students,” said HACU President and CEO Antonio R. Flores. “Ruiz’ appointment to our Chicago office will bolster our efforts in the Midwest, which now has 34 HSIs and 26 Emerging HSIs in Illinois alone."

Ruiz brings several years of legislative and policy experience to HACU’s Midwestern Regional Office, most recently serving as the Cook County State Attorney’s Office legislative coordinator. Prior to that, he worked for the Illinois Senate Democrats and the Illinois Governor’s Office. His experience as a licensed attorney includes real estate, civil litigation, and trust and estates. Ruiz earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Northwest and a juris doctorate degree from Northern Illinois University. 

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