Albany Housing Authority CEO Roman Velasquez passes away

ALBANY — The Albany Housing Authority announced Tuesday the passing of its CEO, Roman Velasquez. He died Monday at age 48.

The announcement was made on behalf of the AHA, Lee County Housing Authority and Innovative Housing Initiatives by AHA Board Chair W. Frank Wilson. Velasquez assumed the position in April, replacing Dan McCarthy, who retired earlier this year after 33 years with the organization.

The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Kimbrell-Stern in Albany, and the family will receive friends at the funeral home before the service. His burial will take place later in El Paso, Texas.

Wilson said Velasquez had surgery roughly a week earlier, and suffered from complications. The board chair added that his leadership style and outgoing personality likely will be what is missed the most about him.

“It was very shocking,” he said. “Totally unexpected. He came to us back in April and, in a short time, he showed great vision for the community. This leaves a tremendous void.”

Wilson said the current staff at AHA will pitch in to lead the organization until a new CEO is named. He said a search committee likely will be formed after the the first of the year.

“I am very comfortable and have the utmost confidence of the staff in place,” he said. “All of us have to regain our composure and band together and move the Albany Housing Authority forward.”

Velasquez came to AHA from El Paso to become the new executive director. He was serving as the compliance director for the Housing Authority of the city of El Paso, previously working there as the property management operations director, interim chief operating officer and public housing programs director.

He worked in El Paso for 15 years. Before that time, he worked as a property manager in Hawaii for eight years, an available biography notes.

He held a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a Master’s of Business Administration from Texas A&M University. He held certifications and designations, both in the public and private sectors, such as a public housing manager, accredited residential manager, community associations manager, association management specialist and apartment manager, his biography said.

Velasquez came to AHA already familiar with the Albany area. His father was in the military and had an assignment at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany during his pre-teen years.

He and his family also lived for a time in public housing in El Paso. He was bilingual, speaking English and Spanish.

Velasquez is survived by his wife, Annabel Velasquez of Leesburg; five daughters, Keresa Jeannette Ramirez, Jennifer Renee Velasquez and Virginia Deanna Velasquez, all of El Paso, and Erica Yvonne Velasquez and Priscilla Gabrielle Velasquez, both of Leesburg; his parents, Roman B. and Roselia M. Velasquez, of El Paso; a brother, Angel Velasquez of El Paso; a sister, Roselia Velasquez Ramirez of Yuma, Ariz., and 10 grandchildren.