Del Esparza, the CEO of Esparza Digital + Advertising and chair of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, has been appointed as the chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch for 2025. This appointment was made official on January 22.

The Denver branch covers Wyoming, Colorado, and northern New Mexico and is part of the larger 10th Federal Reserve Bank District headquartered in Kansas City. As a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, Esparza will be involved in setting rates that affect borrowing costs for banks and ultimately influence consumer interest rates on real estate and car purchases.

Esparza highlighted to the Journal that New Mexico's economy stands out within the 10th District due to its significant number of government-employed workers and prevalence of small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. "They tend to be a little bit more sensitive to any discussion on tariffs or taxes," he noted. "A small business is going to feel the impact far quicker than a larger business."

His experience with the Albuquerque Chamber is expected to benefit his role at the Fed. "You try to surround yourself with talented individuals. And I’ve been able to do that, I have a great team that does a lot helping manage as far as digital advertising," Esparza stated. "So … I’m able to spend time on some of these boards, giving back."