José Chico Vega is a Puerto Rican

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

affiliated with the New Progressive Party (PNP). He was a member of the

Puerto Rico House of Representatives The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico ( es, Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico) is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the bicameral territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The House, together with the Senat ...

from 2000 to 2013.

Early years and studies

José Chico Vega was born in

San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to: Places Argentina * San Juan Province, Argentina * San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province * San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province * San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

but was raised in Camuy. Chico studied at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico receiving a

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in Marketing and Hotel Management. Chico also served with the National Guard of Puerto Rico and the Florida National Guard for six years.

Professional career

Chico began his professional career in the food processing business. During his career, he has received several awards and recognitions. In 1991, the Federal Administration of Small Businesses granted him the award for Distinguished Retailer of the Year. He also received the Outstanding Retailer Salesperson Award from

Shell Oil Company Shell USA, Inc. (formerly Shell Oil Company, Inc.) is the United States-based wholly owned subsidiary of Shell plc, a UK-based transnational corporation " oil major" which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 18,000 ...

. Chico was elected President of the United Center of Retailers in January 1997, and served in that position until July 1999. He had previously served as Convention President, Marketing Director, and Service Director. Chico was also member of the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the United States

Political career

In 1999, Chico was elected by the New Progressive Party to fill a vacancy in the House of Representatives. He was officially elected for the seat at the 2000 general elections. During that term, he was a member of the Committees of Treasury, Socioeconomic Development and Planning, Industry and Commerce, Federal Affairs, among others. Chico was chosen by his party at the 2003 primaries for an election spot, and he was again reelected at the 2004 general elections. During his second term, Chico presided the Committee of Socioeconomic Development and Planning, and was Vice-president of the Treasury Committee, among others. In

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

, Chico was reelected for a third term as representative.Elecciones Generales 2008: Representantes
on CEEPUR In 2012, Chico lost his candidacy for reelection at the PNP primaries held on March 18.

Personal life

Chico is married and has two daughters.

References

External links

José Chico Vega
on CamaraDeRepresentantes.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Chico Vega, Jose Living people Interamerican University of Puerto Rico alumni New Progressive Party members of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico Politicians from San Juan, Puerto Rico Puerto Rico National Guard personnel Year of birth missing (living people)