Albert C. Zapanta

Albert C. Zapanta (born March 8, 1941) is an American businessman who currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Early life
He received an Associate of Arts from East Los Angeles College, a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Psychology, a Master of Arts in Public Administration from the University of Southern California. He graduated from the Harvard Graduate School of Business and the Inter-American Defense College, the National War College, in Washington, D.C..

Military career
Mr. Zapanta was a member of the Department of State's Advisory Committee on International Trade, Technology and Development, and was appointed the first U.S. senior officer to lead a peacekeeping mission to the United Nations Referendum on the Western Sahara to serve with USSR, People's Republic of China, French and British military officers as the Chief of Staff. General Zapanta's military record includes the award of the Silver Star, five Bronze Stars for Valor, the Purple Heart and thirty other awards during the Vietnam War. He was also recently awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Restore Hope in Somalia and Restore Democracy in Haiti.

Career
He started his career at Bethlehem Steel. He was a White House Fellow from 1973 to 1974. He also served as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Management and Administration from 1976 to 1977. From 1978 to 1993, he worked as a senior executive for ARCO. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the United States State Department Advisory Committee on International Trade Technology and Development from 1981 to 1987, and by President George W. Bush as a private sector delegate to the U.S. - Mexico Partnership for Prosperity since 2001. He was appointed by United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board from 2002 to 2004.

He currently serves as President and CEO of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce and previously sat on the Board of Directors of Tyson Foods (nyse: TSN).