Humberto Ponce de León

Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, Cornell University

“Multilingual engineer, leader of a family-owned company, curious individual driven by legacy within the food industry.”

Hometown: Puebla, Pue, Mexico

Fun Fact About Yourself: I am passionate about traveling and enjoy immersing myself in diverse cultures. Since my teenage years, I have had the opportunity to visit 24 different countries and have lived in Ireland, France, and Germany. During my stays in these three countries, I was able to master fluency in each respective language.

Undergraduate School and Major: ITESM, Mechatronics Engineering

Most Recent Employer and Job Title: GAPSA, Project Manager

Aside from your classmates, what was the key part of Cornell’s MBA programming that led you to choose this business school and why was it so important to you? Following its founder Ezra Cornell’s principle, ‘… any person … any study,’ Cornell not only offers a diverse culture among classmates but also a truly universal range of subjects for MBA students. Having access to courses from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, the Industrial and Labor Relations School and the Engineering School will be very helpful in pursuing my career goal of leading a company within the food industry.

What excites you the most about living in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes region? Ithaca is a vibrant small town wrapped in waterfalls, vineyards, and wilderness along with an exciting and diverse community open to explore the charms of the region.

What course, club or activity excites you the most at Cornell? One of the activities I really look forward to is the Family Business Trek in Italy Trek. Italian companies cherish a unique business culture which is key to their longevity and I’m keen on discovering what drives these organizations together with my future classmates.

What is your unique quality that will enable you to make a big contribution to the Class of 2027? Why? I am confident that I can contribute to Johnson’s community by offering a distinctive viewpoint, shaped by my experience within a well-established family business in Mexico. My five years in an upper management role within the food industry have equipped me with valuable skills for navigating intricate decision-making processes.

Describe your biggest accomplishment in your career so far: Successfully planned, procured, and installed the largest biscuit production line in GAPSA’s history. With a $6 million budget, I knew failure was not an option. I thoroughly evaluated whether a new line was truly necessary or if existing resources could be optimized to boost production. After confirming the need, I ensured all upstream and downstream equipment suppliers met the company’s high standards and prepared the site. This resulted in a durable production line designed to consistently mix, bake, and package quality products for decades. The new line has become a vital asset for GAPSA’s operations, driving record sales, supporting plant maintenance, and which I believe will leave a lasting legacy.

Looking forward to two years, what would make your MBA experience successful? I would consider my experience a success if I could effectively utilize strategic thinking, foster leadership development, and employ tools to scale my family business. I would be pleased to become a recognized contributor within Johnson’s Family Business Club, whether through leadership, co-mentoring, or the creation of case studies, positively influencing my peers and faculty members. Finally, I would be delighted to establish long-lasting partnerships that could potentially lead to collaborations in international markets.

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