SW New Mexico News

William "Bilo" Wallace II, an alumnus of New Mexico State University (NMSU), has transformed his family's historic Hacienda Rancho Corralitos in northern Mexico into a thriving international cattle operation. The ranch, located near Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, spans 60,000 acres and has been under the Wallace family's management for four generations.

Wallace attributes much of his success to the education he received at NMSU, particularly from professors Dan Dwyer, Jack Ruttle, and Lewis Holland. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in animal and range sciences in 1968 and soon after took over the family business. Under his leadership, the ranch now raises approximately 1,300 calves annually with the help of four full-time employees, including his two sons.

"I'm a third-generation rancher, and I've lived here on this ranch all my life," Wallace stated. "We are very lucky because we're only about 150 miles from the United States, and we raise our calves and ship them to the U.S. market."

Wallace was drawn to NMSU due to its strategic location along the U.S.-Mexico border. The university's proximity allowed him to maintain close ties with his family ranch while pursuing his studies. Although involved in Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity activities during college, Wallace focused primarily on academics before returning home to apply his newfound knowledge to improve ranch operations.

"What helped me the most was learning how to better our ranching practices and understanding the business side of things," he said.

Beyond managing his family enterprise, Wallace served as president of the Chihuahua Cattleman's Association where he advocated for livestock producers across Chihuahua. He also led the Chihuahua Animal Health Committee in aligning local producers with USDA regulations for cattle entering the U.S., contributing to binational efforts against tuberculosis and brucellosis in livestock.