Javier Loya
He's upbeat over energy and wild about football
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Javier Loya's immigrant parents so instilled in him and his siblings the
importance of an education that all went to college, and most attended Ivy
League universities.
Today, the 35-year-old Columbia University graduate is a minority owner of
the Houston Texans and the president of Houston-based Choice Energy, a
decade-old brokerage house for natural gas and electricity and a marketer of
wholesale power.
A few years ago, he launched Choice Energy Services Retail, which negotiates
electricity prices for such companies as Spec's and Pilgrim Cleaners. He
eventually plans to offer a similar service for residential customers.
He sat down with Chronicle reporter Jenalia Moreno in his office next to the
Choice Energy trading floor to talk about some of his most passionate
interests: energy, Hispanic affairs and football.
Q: How did you get into the trading business?
A: It wasn't anything I planned. It was the right place, right time. I got a
degree in political science from Columbia University. I thought I was going
to take a career path into law. I took an internship at a brokerage company
and the Gulf War hit. I caught the bug after that.
Q: How has deregulation changed your business?
A: It's changed it tremendously. It was the reason for us to get into the
business, when they deregulated natural gas in the early '90s. In the
mid-'90s, when wholesale power was deregulated, we also entered that market.
And most recently in 2000, when President Bush, then governor of Texas,
signed legislation to deregulate electricity in Texas, we saw that as
another natural extension for us to grow our business.
Q: How soon will you start offering residential services, and how will it
work?
A: We hope by the end of the year. Our strength is our relationships and our
expertise in the marketplace. We're not going to sell you our product. We're
going to work on your behalf to get you the most inexpensive and best
service that you demand. We represent over 30 retail energy providers in
Texas alone.
Q: Why do you think Houston doesn't have more Hispanics serving on its
boards or in top positions at its publicly traded companies?
A: I think it's just a matter of time. I think decision-makers and large
companies do business with people they know.
As the Hispanic population, or for that matter the recent immigrant
population, gets more educated, has more opportunities, there will be more
opportunities to sit on boards as well as to run companies.
Q: When will the Texans make it to the Super Bowl?
A: Soon. We have a much better team. We're excited. Fans are excited.
