Born and raised in McAllen, Texas (Valleyite for five generations)
● Texas Tech business school and University of Texas–Pan American graduate (Criminal Justice Degree)
● Retired after a 35-year career at UPS
● Extensive personal experience as a real estate investor in commercial, multi-family, and residential properties
● Family background in construction (Nelson family construction company built many notable McAllen buildings, including McAllen Hospital, Moore Airbase, JC Penney, The Crow Buildings, First National Bank Building, First Christian Church)