Benjamin Fernandez (February 24, 1925 – April 25, 2000) was an American politician, financial consultant and special ambassador. He was a member of the Republican Party. He ran for President of the United States three times, seriously in 1980 and with more perfunctory campaigns in 1984 and 1988, making him America's first major-party presidential contender of Hispanic origin. Fernandez was born in Kansas to Mexican parents who were illegal immigrants. He served in World War II, then began a successful business career. He began to get involved with politics in the late 1960s, co-founding the Republican National Hispanic Council and serving as a fundraiser for Republican candidates starting with President Richard Nixon in 1972. In 1973, Nixon appointed him U.S. Special Envoy to Paraguay. Early life Benjamin Fernandez was born in the railroad yards of Kansas City, Kansas, in a converted railroad boxcar. Fernandez was one of seven brothers and sisters. His parents were illiterate Mexican migrants who were in the U.S. illegally seeking work. The entire family worked as farm workers in Michigan and Indiana, refusing government assistance. During his political career he was fondly nicknamed "Boxcar Ben". Fernandez enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II and served in the military for three years. After his tour of duty, he landed in California with only $20 and his G.I. benefits. Fernandez enrolled at the University of Redlands in Redlands, California, and found a job as a waiter and "supervisor of youngsters" at the local YMCA, paying his own way through college. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. Career Upon graduating from Redlands, Fernandez moved to New York City. He worked at General Electric during the day and attended night school at the Graduate School of Business of New York University. He received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Foreign Trade and Marketing. In addition, he completed all of the course work for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Economics, Marketing, Corporate Finance, Foreign Trade and Financial History. Fernandez completed the four-year course work in two years. General Electric recruited him for its financial management training program. Following his employment and training with General Electric, he was appointed Director of Marketing Research at the O. A. Sutton Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. After three years at the post, he moved to Los Angeles, California, and became a consulting economist, specializing