Mauricio, Martin.

Born on Dec. 18, 1971 in Paracho, in the state of Michoacan in Mexico. He finished 8 years of schooling in Mexico, but due to the weak local economy, he went to Texas in 1989 on his uncle's advice, but against his father's desire. He obtained work harvesting Christmas trees. In Dec. 1990 he began working for Eckert's Orchards in Belleville, Ill., trimming peach trees. He returned to Mexico each year for the next several years, spending 7 months in the U.S., and 5 in Mexico. He started the citizenship naturalization process in 1999, and also was married that year. It was at that time that the Eckert family asked him to manage their migrant workers. It was then that he also became involved with recruiting the farm's labor force. Martin became a U.S. citizen in 2004, and at the same time opened his own business in Belleville, starting with a grocery story, and a Mexican restaurant that caters to American customers. Martin now lives in Mascoutah, Ill. with his wife and children, who attend local schools. His parents live close by.