How Did Tejas Corner Come to Be?
Tejas Corner is a quick-serve restaurant franchise established in Victoria, Texas since September of 2016. Tejas Corner was founded by seven creative and dynamic collegiate entrepreneurs from Texas, with the idea to create a restaurant that would rejuvenate the Texas and Mexico culture. Through different backgrounds in business and the love for their community, the founders sought to bring their uniqueness and knowledge to the restaurant industry. Tejas Corner realized a need to blend the demanding flavors of the Texan and Mexican foods in South Texas.
In Texas, we are proud of our authentic culture and history, which is captured and created in our delightful menu. Despite the fact that this combination of Tex-Mex is an old concept, the goal is simple but challenging; which is to provide excellent service and traditional food favorites with a cultural environment that brings that undeniable combination of Texan and Mexican culture through seven college scholars.
Meet the Team
Leighanne Mattox: Chief Executive Officer
Leighanne Mattox is the Chief Executive Officer of Tejas Corner. Her job is to develop a business plan for Tejas Corner that will be the most profitable for the community and company. Other responsibilities are to build the culture of the company, making sure that public relations are improving with the customers, as well as build up a team for the company who are highly motivated and friendly.
Leighane has experience as a retail banker who assists the branch manager with consumer and commercial accounts. She has experience with the inner workings of the business process from finances to working as a team, as well as handling different customer situations. Tejas Corner is geared to create a unique experience for each guest and gives them a chance to enjoy two cultures coming together in presentation and food.
Leighanne will have a Bachelor’s degree in Management from University of Houston-Victoria in 2017.
Sandy Ordonez: Chief Financial Officer
Sandy Ordonez is the Chief Financial Officer of the Tejas Corner. Her daily tasks include overlooking the financial organizational strategies of the restaurant. It is imperative for her to continuously look for ways to improve the finances by researching revenue opportunities, finding an action plan, and reduce costs as much as possible. Sandy is very active in the community and maintains personal networks to keep up with the new regulations, economic trends, and participates in important business/professional gatherings.
Sandy has had many years of experience in retail banking working side by side with the Vice President and Assistant Vice President of her branch, assisting them with the banks’ daily operations. This includes completing and filing reports, doing daily audits, handling incoming and outgoing cash shipments to and from the federal reserve, and most importantly building relationships with people that may have been in need of different banking services. She was also in charge of communicating to fellow employees about new policies and procedures as well as trainings that they would need to take part in.
Sandy is currently a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, holds two Associate degrees, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting, and is currently working on obtaining her CPA license.
Thanh Mai: Chief Personal Officer
Thanh Mai is the Human Resources Director at Tejas Corner that serves Texas-Mexican style food in Houston Southwest area. Her job is to oversee the organization’s recruitment, interview, selection, and hiring processes to help company maximize profits while ensuring to attract, motivate, and keep qualified employees.
As a college student, Thanh met up with her other classmates Perla Beltran, Mohammed Malik, Leighanne Mattox, Tom Okono, Ajoy Matthew, and Sandy Ordonez. As they share the same passion to start up a quick-serve restaurant, Tejas Corner was founded.
Thanh has had five years as human resources manager at Chick-fil-a. She has had experiences in handling staffing issues, such as mediating disputes, firing employees, and directing disciplinary procedure; and also advising manager on organizational policies. She is also a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success at University of Houston-Victoria. She is excited to bring her knowledge in human resources and leadership skill to fulfill the needs of organization today, and into the future.
Thanh holds her Bachelor’s degree with double-major in Accounting and Human Resource from University of Houston-Victoria and is working toward her CPA.
Perla M. Beltran is a young entrepreneur with innovative ideas that seeks to develop, execute, and manage a tactical marketing strategy for Tejas Corner Restaurants. Her goal is to embrace the company’s mission to build a strong brand that will maximize the company’s growth in the region and create lifelong community connections.
Working directly with the company’s CEO and the management team, Beltran is responsible for all aspects of the company’s marketing activity comprising advertising, original content development, strategic branding, public relations, and digital/social strategies. In this role, Beltran oversees the overall management of Tejas Corner’s brand, including marketing effectiveness, consumer insights, social responsibility, media and employee communications.
Beltran is one of the Tejas Corner’s co-founders, taking the challenging chief marketing role. She previously developed and managed the marketing department for two years at a real estate company in Victoria, Texas. As an innovative and energetic entrepreneur, her experience and love for marketing will drive Tejas Corner to its best in Southwest Texas.
Perla Beltran holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from the University of Houston-Victoria in Texas. She is a member of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Mohammed Malik: Chief Operations Officer
Tom Okono: Chief Communication Officer
Tom Okono is the Chief Compliance Officer of Tejas Corner. Mr Okono has over five years in bookkeeping and payroll, working for a transportation company and healthcare agency. He has worked in retail for multiple companies for over ten years.
Ajoy Mathew: Chief Information Officer
Mr. Mathew possess up to 10 years of experience in various fields of the IT industry. His job is to provide advice and assistance to senior managers on IT acquisition and management. Develop, maintain, and facilitate implementation of a sound and integrated IT architecture. Promote effective and efficient design and operation of all major IRM processes for the agency, including improvements to work processes. Assess requirements for personnel regarding knowledge and skills needed to achieve performance goals that have been established for IRM. Assess extent to which all managers at the agency meet those requirements. Develop strategies and specific plans for hiring and training. Report to the Division head on progress made in improving IRM capability. The competencies of CIO include strategic planning, performance & results-based management, process involvement, capital planning & investment, leadership management, technology assessment, security, architectures, acquisition, policy.
Mr. Mathew graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Houston-Victoria. He is currently working towards his CPA License.