Robert and Debbie Amezcua were both raised in El Paso, Texas and are proud alumni of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Debbie earned her degree in education; Robert earned his degree in electrical engineering and attended the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School Program for Executives.

Robert and Debbie feel extremely fortunate and support students to be successful through good health and education. All of their three children have had the opportunity of graduating from college, and they want other youth, especially their four grandchildren, to do the same. 

In 2011, they graciously established the Robert and Debbie Amezcua Scholarship through Great Minds in STEM, to provide outstanding engineering students from UTEP, with financial support for their academics. Robert joined the GMiS Board of Directors in 2004. 

Robert retired from IBM in June of 2008, where he held the position of Vice President, Power Systems Operations in the IBM Systems and Technology Group. He was responsible for business management, and customer satisfaction (product plans, revenue, supply, cost, expense & customer care) and overall operations of the IBM UNIX server business.  His 34-year IBM career included hardware and software development, product management, business development and executive management responsibilities. He joined IBM in 1973 and held a number of engineering positions in development and management of hardware and software products in IBM Office Products Division. He joined the personal computer business as a Software Development Manager for the IBM PC Convertible in 1983, and in 1986, he became Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Development in the Personal Computers Division. In 1987, Robert became Product Manager for the IBM PS/2 Model 55SX Personal Computer, and in 1988, he was named to lead the worldwide development team for IBM PS/1 Personal Computer for consumers and became Director, PS/1 System Management. In 1993, Robert  was appointed General Manager, Consumer and Personal Products. In 1995, he was General Manager, Personal Communicating Systems, with a focus on mobile handheld products. In 1996, he was named Vice President, Global Mobile Solutions for IBM GlobalTelecommunications Industry. In February 1999, he was named Vice President, Strategy and Business Operations and was responsible for developing a UNIX systems strategy for growth and sustaining a competitive advantage. In July 2001, he was asked to lead the efforts to launch the new line of series high end UNIX servers. In July 2002, he was assigned to his last position with the company. 

Robert is a Who’s Who in American Hispanics and was honored with a UTEP Golden Nugget Alumni Award by the School of Engineering in 1998 and a HENAAC Award for Executive Excellence in 1999.  He served on the Boards of YMCA Lexington, Kentucky, Kids Voting Wake County, North Carolina and El Buen Samaritano, a non-profit organization that serves the Hispanic community in Austin, Texas.

Today, this scholarship stands in loving Memoriam of Robert – a great thinker, strong student advocate, proud father and grandfather, and loving husband.