Originally from San Antonio, entrepreneur J. Javier "Jay" Uribe came to Southwestern looking to thrive in the small campus community and to take advantage of a liberal arts education. Once here, Uribe took an interest in studying physiology and body movement and obtained a B.A. in kinesiology. He notes, "I really liked Professor Jimmy Smith, and I liked that what I was learning related to my main interest, sports. At the time, I really wanted to be a coach."

Uribe also was interested in playing basketball in college and was afforded that opportunity at Southwestern. He says, "Playing basketball allowed me to meet different people and travel throughout the country to places I normally would not have visited." Uribe also was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. "Through basketball and my fraternity, I had the opportunity to meet some of my really close friends. The bonds we formed helped solidify these relationships and help us maintain our friendships today."

During his final year at Southwestern, Uribe was chosen to participate in Campaign 2000. Along with two other students, he worked to get students more involved in Southwestern, prior to graduating, so that they would be more inclined to donate to the University following their graduation. Uribe says, "Giving back to the University is important because it allows others to have a chance to succeed."

Uribe began his business career working as a reseller of enterprise class computers, which are typically refrigerator-size computer mainframes or mid-frames that large companies use to run complex software programs. Feeling stuck in the business and believing that they could serve customers better, Uribe and a co-worker decided to form their own company--Mobius Partners. Tody Mobius Partners is a reseller of large enterprise computers, primarily from HP and Sun Microsystems, for Fortune 500 companies. They implement the hardware along with software and consulting services for those companies. Mobius Partners' client list includes Shell Oil, Abbott Labs, Valero Energy Corp and Maybelline Cosmetics.

Since it was founded in 2000, Mobius Partners has gained recognition in the business world as an up-and-coming privately owned company. Uribe knew that it was a huge risk to start his own business, but he finds he would not have done otherwise. "Owning your own business is rewarding because we get to see people grow in a business sense. As an owner I believe in empowering people to succeed. Empowerment enables them to run their part of our business as if it is their own and make decisions that will affect them. This allows them to feel part of the team, which, in turn, increases production," says Uribe.

He attributes much of his success to what he learned during his time at Southwestern. "My college experience, like that of many others, had its ups and downs--both academically and personally. I felt I was able to persevere and learn from my mistakes and achievements and apply that knowledge to my business," Uribe explains. "I also believe the diversity in a liberal arts education helped me - gain a variety of knowledge that I have been able to apply to my business."

Uribe encourages Southwestern students to take risks. He states, "When we started our business, the tech industry was down and my wife just had our third child. This was not the most opportune time to start up a business, but I would not have been this successful if I had not jumped off that ledge and tried."

Away from the office, Uribe enjoys spending time with his wife, Lisa, and their three children, Gabrielle Zane, Eliana Yanez and Quinton Asher Collins. He continues to play basketball and also enjoys coaching his children's athletic teams.