by several government and business officials, including Ortega, Leuver, and Amon, in 1985. Ortega was not implicated in any wrongdoing and Leuver was also exonerated from any impropriety during the course of the investigation. The Department of Justice declined to investigate the matter due to insufficient evidence supporting the claims. In 2002, Ortega's achievements from humble beginnings were recognized by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans when she received the organization's Horatio Alger Award. Family life Ortega has cited her family upbringing as her chief inspiration in life: I am the product of a heritage that teaches strong family devotion, a commitment to earning a livelihood by hard work, patience, determination and . She has often singled out her father in particular, saying that "[he] taught me we were as good as anybody else, that we could accomplish anything we wanted ..." Ortega was married briefly when she returned to New Mexico in the late 1970s. In interviews, she has declined to elaborate on that part of her life, insisting only that she be referred to as "Mrs. Ortega". In 1989, she married Lloyd J. Derrickson, a former general counsel with Merrill Lynch and currently a board member with World Cell, a wireless communications consulting firm. She has no children. Notes External links |- 1934 births American politicians of Mexican descent Eastern New Mexico University alumni Hispanic and Latino American women in politics Living people New Mexico Republicans People from Tularosa, New Mexico Reagan administration personnel Treasurers of the United States Hispanic and Latino American people in New Mexico politics