Johnny E. Villena FOUNDATION
Giving Hope to Move Forward
Our Beginning…
My father immigrated to the United States from Peru when he was 20 years old. He could speak little to no English but he was determined to build a good life for his family. He knew that in the United States a man was what he made of himself. He learned English and took the Armed Services Vocational Apptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and then enlisted in the US Air Force. He became a proud citizen of his adopted country and served faithfully in the Vietnam War. My father was taken from us in 1984 in a tragic car accident. He was struck by a drunk driver while he was driving to the USAF base where he was stationed. He was only 40 years old when he lost his life but his influence can still be felt. He was a man of small stature but whose presence could fill a room. He was a flawed man who understood the power of redemption. He did not let his mistakes hold him back or define him. He chose to change and be a better man for his family. He is a man who believed in the power of family and its ability to support and love without measure. He was taken from us when we were still very young, before he could realize his dreams, but we know he is looking down on his family. We created this foundation to further advance what he taught us to believe. His name is Johnny E. Villena.
My mother, Elsa Marina Villena, was only 18 when she came to the United States with her husband from Peru. She is proud of her heritage but fully adopted her American citizenship. She never forgot her culture or her country. She has had many jobs since immigrating to the United States. She has never had a job she felt was beneath her. She would tell us stories of being a fruit picker of apples in California, a check out girl at the military Base Exchange, and a supervisor at the company she retired from. She was widowed at 38 and had to face her life in her adopted country. She is strength and power defined. She never remarried and fought for her name and her children. She raised five children on the strength of her work ethic and courage. She took the ideals established by my father and lived the reality of them for me and my siblings daily. She taught us the power of family and helped us understand that family is so much more than just blood relation. Family are the people who choose to stand by you no matter what, that don’t just say they love you but instead show their love through their actions. She has so many surrogate children, I do not think she will ever understand the impact she has made. She believed and taught everyone that hard work and education are the only keys to success that we have.
From the lives of both my parents we learned the principles of faith, diligence, honor, integrity and love. It is on these pillars we have built our lives and this foundation.
Through their sacrifice we learned and believed we could do anything if we worked hard enough and educated ourselves. It is this goal that is our ambition to share with others.
If you want to learn more about Johnny or Elsa Villena, have questions about the JEV Foundation or there are any other requests we may assist with, please visit the Contact Us page.
Meet Our Leaders
Jose L. Villena, President
I was six when my father passed away. As a result, I have only a few memories of him but because of my family, specifically my mother I learned what kind of man he was. I learned what he stood for. I saw his legacy in my older brother and sisters. Johnny E. Villena was a man of diligence, integrity, faith, honor and love. I learned of his mistakes and failures, I was taught how he faced his demons and chose family over self. I was not able to witness this from my dad for long enough, but his impact on my family and my extended family is still felt with his guiding presence. I witnessed the strength of my mother who always shared his beliefs with us and ensured that she guided our families on the principles they shared.
I am honored to have a younger brother. My mother had him several years after my father passed away. He and I grew up watching and learning from our mom. She worked 12 hour days, sometimes six days a week, and still had time to make sure we were taken care of. We learned we are NOT victims, that circumstances and failures do not define us. If we wanted to take advantage of the opportunity offered in this great country we must have two basic skills. We must seek out knowledge and be able to educate ourselves by learning from everything. We also needed to have a strong, diligent work ethic. The quality of our work and effort defined our character.
The memory of my father and the actions of my mother are the foundations that built the Johnny E. Villena Foundation.
Marco A.Villena, Secretary
Education has always been important to my mother. As her youngest child this is something I worked hard to obtain. She stressed that in order to make a quality life for myself that I must be educated but also a hard, diligent worker. That’s why entrepreneurship is important to me and an effective way to achieve one’s goals.
To accomplish this I attended Morehouse college and currently operate the HVAC company my father started. I am in the process of pursuing my private HVAC license to branch off and establish my HVAC company. I have learned that a person can be just as successful as someone with a PHD if you have a trade license in something you are passionate about. This all starts with education and hard work.
This foundation is about helping people the way my mother helped me. To be a part of honoring her and helping people move forward is truly a joy for me.
Johnny E. Villena Jr., Treasurer
My father served in the USAF as an Enlisted maintenance member, faithfully serving for 20 years, he is a veteran of the Vietnam conflict and a Master Sergent (Msgt) before he passed away. Despite English being his second language, he was able to progress in his career. Education and family were constant themes my father bestowed on me. Regardless of who you are, education is a path to a better life with no limits and family is the strength and drive behind ones success.
My mother was the glue that kept us together after my father passed. She worked 12 hour shifts to provide for us and continued to persuade us to finish school. She is a survivor of cancer, has 13 grandkids and the devotion of her family. She continues to help those in need and is a beacon of hope, perseverance and love.
My motivation in this foundation is to help others reach their potential, regardless of who they are and using the same guiding principles bestowed to me by my father and reinforced after his death by my mother. Currently I have two Master’s degree, Business and Aviation, a Lieutenant Colonel in the USAFR and a Sr, Manager in an aviation company. I have been happily married for over 20 years with two beautiful children, a daughter attending University of Oklahoma studying Occupational Therapy and a son who is a junior in high school, a member of the National Honor Society and an advent soccer player.
Pedro Cardenas, Board Member
I am a product of Elsa Villena’s generosity and it changed my life early on. Thirty-two years ago, I was a foreign exchange student from Colombia going to school in Athens, GA. Without knowing who I was, Johnny Elias’ wife took me into her house and made me a member of her family. Her children accepted me as one of the family and we have helped each other through some difficult times. Through her example and support, I went from a spoiled teenager to a responsible college student with an MBA degree. As I look now into the past, my education truly gave me more choices, opening doors and that allowed me to become the CEO of several multinational corporations and lived successfully in many countries around the world. It is my dream to follow Mrs. Villena’s example and help making someone’s life better by providing an opportunity to seek an education and equip themselves for success.
Brandon Smith, Board Member
Mrs. Elsa Villen is a perfect example of hard work, value of education, acceptance and love. I was accepted in her family as she had done for so many others. Throughout my years in middle school through becoming a college graduate she always influenced me, stressing that education is the key to one’s success. Without an education one cannot make it far and limits the opportunities that may be offered. Her influence has taught me that hard work, patience, and passion are the ingredients needed to achieve real impact and success. It was during my educational journey I learned to push myself harder.
In my collegiate years I was categorized with a Mild Intellectual Disability. I remembered the lessons taught to me by Mrs. Villena and her family, I worked harder and made no excuses. I recalled that education is a necessity for life purposes. From learning how to properly tie a necktie to opening a business, diligence, education and hard work are needed for success. Education has influenced me to give a voice to the voiceless and to teach students how to use their voice to uplift peers. My education has improved my life because it has taught me different techniques of learning and how I view an obstacle so I can overcome it. Education has also given me a voice so I can articulate and communicate effectively during job interviews. Mrs. Villena took me under her wing as an extended son and with her guidance, I am able to be an example of perseverance to my peers.
Chris Adams, Board Member
I became involved with this Foundation because of the impact that the Villena Family had on me. I was taught the importance of family and friends as they took me into their family and supported me initially through soccer and life. I learned about passion and how to embrace the similarities between different ethnicities who share the same common goals. The Villena’s treated me like family from the beginning and for that I am ever grateful. It was an honor to be asked to be a member of this Foundation and I look forward to contributing to such a meaningful cause.
LaMario T. Howard, Board Member
I have been a part of the Villena Family for several years. Mrs. Elsa “Mami” Villena has been a wonderful influence in my life and has accepted me as a “son” since befriending her son, Jose Villena.
Family, education, and discipline have been platforms that she not only stressed but demonstrated, through her care and concern for myself and others that she unselfishly accepted into her life. She loved her “extra” children, just as she did her birth children. Education and hard work were other tenets that she believed in strongly. She was a stickler for making sure that the school books came before sports, football in particular. I can still remember a lecture or two, growing up, in the Villena kitchen.
Through the platforms of family, discipline, and education, I learned early on that all types of education, entrepreneurship and ownership, are important foundations to succeed in this world. Business, money, and finance have always captured my interest and attention. I have obtained an MBA in Business, various insurance licenses, and have had professional journeys in the private and public sector.
My heart and passion has been to help people help themselves. Regardless of your circumstances, you have to participate in your own rescue, whatever life’s challenges may be. Partnering with the Villena Foundation allows me to accomplish this passion.
