Hola! I’m Benjamin Flores

Growing up, my mother had a serious “no nonsense” rule for me and my brother. It stuck with me and has helped make me the man I am today.

I came in the U.S. in 1996 after studying geography at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México - Facultad de Filosofía y Letras in Mexico City. I arrived with two bags of clothes, a strong work ethic and a dream. There was no room for nonsense – I washed cars, fried chicken at KFC, and repaired hotel computers at a Marriott in California before getting deep into computer networking. This led to my 30‑year career in cybersecurity and compliance – where there can be absolutely no nonsense – protecting banks, fintech firms and county government from fraud and systemic errors.

In 2016, my wife Ann, our daughter Nadia and I moved from Austin to Bay City, Texas. We started a ten-acre family business raising heritage-breed pigs. Wrestling with the red tape common to small producers pushed me toward public service. Wanting to see that our local laws were fair and transparent, I ran for and was elected to Bay City’s city council.

I currently serve on our city council, on the Bay City Development Corporation and represent Bay City on the Houston‑Galveston Area Council. Drawing on my CERT training I promote emergency preparedness in Bay City and elsewhere.

I believe that living by my mother’s no nonsense rule made me the husband, father, rancher, friend and elected official that I am today. And I promise you this: There will be no nonsense in the General Land Office when I am the Land Commissioner.