Board of Directors    MEMBER

Mauricio Fernandez
Member, Promesa Systems
M & M Management, LLC

Born on November 25, 1972, in Flushing, Queens, Mauricio Fernandez, son of new American immigrants, was instilled with the values of discipline, hard work and respect for his community, which would define the elements of the American Dream as envisioned by his parents, Mateo and Marina, when they arrived from the Dominican Republic over forty years ago. After his graduation from Arch Bishop McClancy High School in 1990, Mauricio found his calling in the family business, the retail supermarket business. Today along with his brother Matthew, they own and operate M & M Enterprises, which operates the most successful group of retail supermarkets in Harlem today. Its seven supermarkets operating under the Met, Pioneer and C-Town banners, have achieved gross annual sales in excess of and, far out-distancing the competition.

Beginning in the late 1970’s major supermarket chains found the “inner city” an unprofitable place to do business and thus began a major exodus from the five boroughs of New York City. Terms like “war zone” and “urban decay” became the pretext of the abandonment by mainstream businesses. This void was filled by the emerging independent supermarket industry, Mauricio’s father, Mateo Fernandez, was a visionary who pioneered the notion that the operation of retail grocery stores in the inner city would not only be feasible but extraordinarily profitable. He fought against great odds; the inner city he was told was not worthy of his attention let alone the substantial expenditure of capital resources that were required to lay the foundation for the company that has become one of the dominant forces in a billion dollar industry.

Unfortunately, fate derailed the great American success story that was Mateo Fernandez, with his untimely passing in May of 1996. However, adversity sometimes brings with it exceptional opportunity. Mauricio along with his brother, Matthew were now called upon to accept the challenge to carry on his legacy. Conventional industry wisdom dictated that their youthful age would work against them and that they would not only be able to carry on the business. In fact the smart money was betting that they would have to liquidate their retail supermarkets, the core of M & M Enterprises, and that they would be easy pickings for the eager competition. They not only proved the nay Sayers by sustaining and preserving the business, but they have prospered beyond even their father’s wildest dreams, by diversifying into real estate and other retail ventures. To some this was surprising, but to those who knew Mateo, and the loving and nurturing attention he gave to his sons, they knew that his sons would be up to the challenge.

Mauricio has brought to his community a generosity of spirit and level of commitment to its future, which knows no bounds. He is now widely recognized as a key business leader in his own right, and he has the respect and admiration of all those he comes in contact with. There are very few charitable endeavors to which he does not lend his support when asked.

The future of Mauricio is bright. His company has expanded beyond his Manhattan roots and is continuing its meteoric rise. Mauricio Fernandez is an exceptional young man whose feet are firmly planted on the ground as he reaches for the stars.