Ben Torres

Although Ben Torres was born in Manilla, Philippines, his professional life has taken him all over the world. He worked 12 years as accountant for J.A. Jones Construction in North Carolina where his projects were in the Middle East. For five years he handled United States embassy projects in Somalia and Egypt. Currently, he is a controller at Wesley Corporation.

Ben brought his family to Las Vegas at the invitation of his brother to "see the place." His wife Anna liked what she saw and was impressed with the dynamic pace and progress of Las Vegas.

Ben remembers that he wasn't too impressed with Las Vegas. "As an artist by avocation, I was not convinced that the art movement here would be at the same level as Los Angeles where we'd lived for many years," Ben said. "But I've since changed my perspective."

Ben Torres sees the Centennial celebration as a vehicle for the city's ethnic populations to showcase their respective cultures. "My vision is to mobilize the community to participate in this auspicious event, making it possible for the various ethnic groups to become part of the legacy of the community."

Ben is a board member on the Centennial Celebration Committee and belongs to the Community Organization Working Group. He is married to Anna Fox and has three children: Luisito, Nana, and Terry Torres.