E. Javier Loya

E. Javier Loya
NationalityMexican-American
Other namesJavier Loya
Alma materColumbia University[1]
Occupation(s)Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of OTC Global Holdings, Chairman of GETCHOICE!, Minority Owner of the Houston Texans, Former College Football Player
Years active2007–present
Known forCEO of OTC Global Holdings, Minority Owner of Houston Texans
SpouseLucinda Vincent-Loya
Children2

Enrique Javier Loya[2] (born February 2, 1969) is a Mexican-American business entrepreneur, and former college football player. He is a minority owner of the NFL's Houston Texans.[3] Loya was also the co-founder of independent commodity broker OTC Global Holdings, which was acquired by BGC Group in April of 2025, and is the current Chairman of GETCHOICE!, a technology company serving the utilities industry.[4]

Education and family

Loya was born to Ana and Miguel Loya in El Paso, Texas. He was the second-youngest of seven children.[5][6] After the war, his father worked at a Farah Manufacturing Co. plant and taught his children to prioritize education.[5] Loya graduated from New York City's Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1991.[7]

Javier Loya is married to Lucinda Vincent-Loya, a prominent interior designer in Houston whom he met just as the energy executive was starting his own company.[8] The couple has 2 children.[7][9]

Football career

Loya played for the Columbia Lions as a linebacker and a defensive end.[10][11][12] On October 10, 1988, a five-year losing streak was broken against Princeton. Loya, as the Spectator reported the next day, contributed two sacks and eight tackles.[7] He was a varsity letterman in all three of his varsity seasons[11] and was named an Honorable Mention All-Ivy League Selection in 1990.[13] He is tied with several other players for the fourth-most career fumble recoveries while playing for the Columbia Lions.[13]

In 2002, Loya became the first Hispanic owner in the NFL after he purchased a minority stake in the Houston Texans.[3][14][15][16] Loya also served as a member of the NFL’s diversity committee. As a proponent of the Rooney Rule he was involved in developing and recommending DEI policies to increase minority representation.[17]

Professional career

In 1994, Loya co-founded Choice! Energy LP Choice, an energy brokerage firm specializing in natural gas.[18][19] He later acquired full control of the company in 2000.[7] After Texas deregulated the power market in 2002, Loya launched a new company, Choice Energy Services.[20][21]

In 2015, Choice Energy, filed a lawsuit against nine of their brokers for breach of contract. The nine brokers filed a countersuit claiming they were forced to resign due to unpaid commissions and hostile work environment. All but one broker settled out of court.[22]

During the Choice Energy lawsuit, Javier was accused of being a high-stakes gambler along with other Choice Energy employees and clients, which sparked an investigation from the NFL due to Javier's ownership of the Houston Texans. According to the NFL Ownership Guidelines, it is a violation for owners or employees of any NFL team to take part in any gambling.[23][24]

In 2007, Loya co-founded OTC Global Holdings as a commodity brokerage. The company acquired Choice Natural Gas, Choice Power, and Choice Energy.[25][26][27][28][29][30]

In 2015 he founded GETCHOICE!, a nationwide energy, telecom, and utility management company.[31][32] GETCHOICE! offers technology-based solutions to help companies become "smarter and greener" by driving cost-efficiency and sustainability. Their services include strategic procurement, utility bill payment, risk management, budgeting, telecom & IT solutions, tax studies, and sustainability initiatives. They leverage proprietary technology to provide insights into infrastructure, consumption, usage patterns, pricing trends, and sustainability progress.[33]

In September 2019, Loya, his wife Lucinda, and other Houston entrepreneurs launched a tequila brand called Veneno Tequila.[34][35]

Loya has served on the Board of Regents for Texas Southern University as well as other charitable foundations across Houston.[36][37]

Philanthropy

Loya is a sponsor and member of the board of directors for the Greater Houston Senior Football Showcase, a charitable organization that organizes high school football scouting events.[11]

In 2011, Loya founded the Greater El Paso Football Showcase Combine, which provided over $9 million in scholarships to over 100 high school senior athletes.[3][11]

Loya has a personal connection to League of United Latin American Citizens; the organization helped his father regain a job after an unjust firing. His story embodies LULAC’s mission to fight for equity and justice.[38][39]

In 2025, Javier Loya served as advisor for the Hosting Committee of the Official Hispanic Inaugural Ball for President Trump, held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. The event, hosted by Bienvenido US, celebrated the significant contributions of Hispanic voters to President Trump's re-election and highlighted the growing influence of the Hispanic community in American politics, alongside the presence of Donald Trump Jr., Senator Ted Cruz and Argentina's President Javier Milei among many others.[40]

In late December 2019, John Klosek, one of the founding members of OTC Global Holdings, filed a lawsuit against the CEO Javier Loya, COO Joseph Kelly, and several employees. The lawsuit was over extravagant personal spending decreasing the company's value to a negative net worth.[41] Loya and the other accusees denied the allegations.[41] The lawsuit was dismissed in May 2021.[42][43][44]

In August 2023, it was revealed to major media outlets that Loya was charged with multiple counts of sexual misconduct and abuse. According to the Texans and the National Football League, Loya was suspended from team activities since May 2023.[45][46]

In April 2024, the court issued a resolution where the prosecution dismissed all seven counts. Loya did agree to an Alford plea charging him with 'harassment with intent to annoy', a class B misdemeanor, and paid a $100 fine. To date, Loya maintains his innocence.[47][48]

Awards

  • In 2002, Loya received the “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award from the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.[49][50]
  • In 2004, Javier was given the John Jay Award for distinguished professional achievement by his former university, Columbia University.[51][52]
  • In 2007, Javier received the “Emerging Leader” Award from the Greater Houston Partnership.[53]
  • In 2017, Loya was honored as a distinguished graduate by the Ivy Football Association at its bi-annual dinner at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel.[11][54]

References

  1. ^ "Javier Loya interview from 2015 Connects in Houston". Columbia Alumni Association. August 3, 2016.
  2. ^ "The perfect combination". Smart Business. June 26, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "Part-owner of Houston Texans still giving back to El Paso's student-athletes". KVIA ABC-7. December 14, 2017.
  4. ^ "BGC Group". BGC Group, Inc. April 1, 2025. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  5. ^ a b Robertson, Dale (May 9, 2002). "Robertson: Energetic trader Loya personifies American dream". Houston Chronicle.
  6. ^ Cabral, Elena (January 2003). "FEATURES - Javier Loya '91". Columbia College.
  7. ^ a b c d Cabral, Elena (January 2003). "FEATURES - Javier Loya '91". Columbia College.
  8. ^ "Houston interior designer Lucinda Loya shares rags-to-riches story | ABC13 Houston | abc13.com". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  9. ^ "Center for Contemporary Craft 15th anniversary luncheon celebrates lauded designer - CultureMap Houston". houston.culturemap.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  10. ^ "College Football; Lions Edge the Tigers With a Fierce Defense". New York Times. October 28, 1990.
  11. ^ a b c d e "Ivy Football Association Honors Javier Loya". Columbia University. January 26, 2017.
  12. ^ "Ivy Football Association Honors Javier Loya". Columbia University. January 26, 2017.
  13. ^ a b "2018 Columbia Football Record Book". NCAA. 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  14. ^ Wilson, Aaron (May 19, 2020). "NFL owners table proposal to incentivize hiring minorities, expand Rooney Rule". Houston Chronicle.
  15. ^ Wilson, Aaron (June 22, 2020). "Summit seeks to widen NFL opportunities for minorities". Houston Chronicle.
  16. ^ Breer, Albert (June 18, 2020). "Quarterback Coaching Summit Aims to Create Opportunity for Black NFL Coaches".
  17. ^ Sprung, Shlomo (April 24, 2023). "Javier Loya on Building Diversity From Front Office to Fan Base". Boardroom. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  18. ^ Wollam, Allison (November 24, 2002). "Building on a choice". Houston Business Journal.
  19. ^ Goodman, Leah McGrath (July 2, 2007). "Power In Energy Trading Shifts to Smaller Brokers". Wall Street Journal.
  20. ^ Martin, Joe (October 5, 2016). "Houston power co. to go on hiring spree, move headquarters". Houston Business Journal.
  21. ^ "Moneymakers: Javier Loya". Houston Chronicle. August 11, 2004.
  22. ^ McClain, John (February 16, 2008). "NFL Probes Allegation Against Texans Partner".
  23. ^ McClain, John (February 16, 2008). "NFL probes allegation against Texans partner". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  24. ^ "NFL investigated Texans minority owner Javier Loya for gambling in 2008". NBC Sports. August 7, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  25. ^ "Broker of the year: OTC Global Holdings - Risk.net". www.risk.net. May 18, 2019. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  26. ^ "History & Timeline". OTC Global Holdings.
  27. ^ "Bloomberg: Javier Loya Business Profile". Bloomberg.
  28. ^ "Q&A: Market volatility a way of life for commodities broker". Houston Chronicle. April 26, 2017.
  29. ^ "Commodity brokerage of the year: OTC Global Holdings - Risk.net". www.risk.net. May 5, 2022. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  30. ^ Holdings, OTC Global. "OTC GLOBAL HOLDINGS RECOGNIZED AS BROKER OF THE YEAR FOR THE FIFTH TIME". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  31. ^ Bouchard, Barbara (April 8, 2025). "Major Shift in Commodity Trading: Javier Loya Eyes New Ventures After OTC Global Holdings Acquisition". Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  32. ^ "Javier Loya: A new era begins with GETCHOICE! after $325M sale of OTC Global Holdings". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  33. ^ "Public Sector". www.omniapartners.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  34. ^ de Luna, Marcy (December 2, 2019). "Texans vs. Patriots tailgate party doubles as tequila launch". Houston Chronicle.
  35. ^ "Q&A with Javier Loya, Co-Owner of Veneno Tequila". Food & Beverage Magazine. October 13, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  36. ^ Tresauge, Matthew (May 10, 2007). "Perry picks 5 appointees to reshape TSU". Houston Chronicle.
  37. ^ Kamara, Margaret (May 14, 2007). "Texas Southern Takes Step Back to Stability". Diverse.
  38. ^ Saenz, Edward (January 25, 2025). "A Journey of Football, Entrepreneurship, and Giving Back | Javier Loya Interview » ¡Que Onda Magazine!". ¡Que Onda Magazine!. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  39. ^ "Leveling the playing field: How LULAC and Javier Loya are creating opportunity for Houston's Hispanic community". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  40. ^ Empresarios, Bienvenido (May 14, 2025). "Javier Loya Joins Influential Hispanic Business Leaders for High-Impact Policy Summit at the White House". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved June 25, 2025.
  41. ^ a b "San Antonio Express News Co-Owner Sues Houston Brokerage". San Antonio Express-News. December 19, 2019.
  42. ^ Bair, Jeffrey (December 17, 2019). "CEO's $17,000 Birthday Party Spurs Commodity Brokerage Lawsuit". Bloomberg News.
  43. ^ "Partner sues commodities broker for clocking up expenses". Financial Times. December 18, 2019.
  44. ^ "Loya V Klosek Cause No 2019-88391 Signed Order Joint Nonsuit and Dismissing W Prejeudice | PDF". Scribd. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  45. ^ Breech, John (August 7, 2023). "Texans minority owner facing one rape charge and multiple sexual abuse charges following incident in Kentucky". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  46. ^ Rieken, Kristie (August 7, 2023). "Texans minority owner Javier Loya is facing rape charge in Kentucky". Associated Press. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  47. ^ Wilson, Aaron (April 8, 2024). "Texans minority owner Javier Loya agrees to misdemeanor in Kentucky, pays $100 fine, as rape charge dropped". KPRC. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  48. ^ "Rape Charges For Houston Texans Minority Owner Javier Loya Dismissed; Pleads Guilty to Misdemeanor". Texans Daily. April 8, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  49. ^ Kaplan, David (September 28, 2002). "Hispanic male entrepreneur of the year says system works". Houston Chronicle.
  50. ^ "Hispanic Chamber to host reception for CHOICE! Energy's Javier Loya". The Monitor. October 26, 2003.
  51. ^ "JOHN JAY AWARDS". Columbia University Alumni Association. December 14, 2016. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  52. ^ Palladino, Lisa. "John Jay Awards To Honor Alumni, Parent". Columbia College Today. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
  53. ^ "DeBakey honored as one of 'Houston's Greatest'". Houston Chronicle. December 12, 2007.
  54. ^ "Robert W. Pangia '73 To Be Honored By Ivy Football Association". Brown University Athletics. September 9, 2016.
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