Eduardo M Garza Jr

After serving for 17 years in the U.S. Navy, Eduardo M. Garza worked in the admissions department at Concordia University. While there, he developed the first veterans program for the school and also helped establish Concordia’s first American Legion post. This caught the attention of a recruiter looking to hire an executive director for the Center for Veterans Issues, and Garza was hired as president and CEO in May 2019.

CVI is a nonprofit organization providing housing and supplemental services to help improve quality of life for veterans and their families. CVI serves 55 of the 70 counties in Wisconsin and has offices in Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Waukesha, Green Bay, Racine, Eau Claire and La Crosse.

CVI’s primary mission is to ensure that no veteran is homeless by providing housing programs as well as temporary financial and food assistance. Designed to offer a hand-up, CVI helps veterans and their families with financial assistance for rent, security or utility deposits, childcare costs, vehicle repair, short-term storage and emergency supplies.

Garza knew CVI had done strong work for veterans since its inception in 1989, but he saw the potential for more. He directed a revamp of the nonprofit’s website, the first update since 2008. When the pandemic hit, Garza shifted plans to maintain services to veterans while keeping a staff of 80 people in seven cities safe and healthy. Garza and his team partnered with Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars to create an app called CVI Help. The app offers a centralized source for veteran benefits and service information. Garza has also ramped up CVIs fundraising efforts and helped a new program to address veteran food insecurity.

“The greatest lesson in leadership I learned was to set the standard with those I lead by following through with what I say I am going to do,” Garza said. “Being consistent and matching my words with my actions will allow others to see that I am committed and consistent in doing what is in the best interest for the organization, all staff members and the clients we serve.”

CVI aims to finish multiple construction projects in the months ahead. These projects include a renovation and adding a new building to the organization’s transitional housing facility, Vets Place Central. The expansion and renovation will include 60 new individual rooms for homeless veterans. This project also includes renovating the organization’s former administration building for use as a Mental Wellness Center. The addition of the Mental Wellness Center will expand CVI’s staff by five.

Garza was named the Milwaukee BizTimes Nonprofit Executive of the Year in November 2021, and he was also recognized in Milwaukee Business Journal’s Veterans in Business. He was named one of Si Se Puede’s 36 most influential Latino leaders in Wisconsin in 2021.