Board of Directors

  • Jayne O’Brien, Board chair

  • Rosalva Portillo, Board Vice chair

  • Brietta Collier, Treasurer

  • Maria Ontiveros, Secretary

  • JERRY JONES

  • Juanita zertuche

  • Maria contreras huerta

  • Dora Villareal

Virginia Castro is the owner of Restaurante El Mariachi, a longstanding Mexican restaurant in Moline, Illinois known for its authentic cuisine and deep community ties. She and her husband began in the food industry with a mobile food truck in 1991 and went on to open El Mariachi in 2002, growing it into a beloved local dining destination over the past two decades. Virginia is recognized for her leadership in the Quad Cities business community and her commitment to mentoring other entrepreneurs. She has been deeply involved in the Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was honored as the first Latina-Owned Businesswoman of the Year by the Chamber — a recognition of her entrepreneurial success and community influence.

Introducing Felicia Knary as a Mercado on Fifth board member. A lifelong resident of the

Silvis-East Moline IL Quad Cities region, Felicia is the eldest and only daughter of

Robert and Joyce (Ruge) Martel. She takes pride in her Mexican heritage, with family

origins tracing from Durango, Mexico to Galva, Kansas, and eventually to Silvis, Illinois,

where her family contributed to railroad development and settled in the La Yarda

neighborhood near Hero Street Silvis IL USA. The Martel family has deep roots in the

area, cherishing traditions such as regular family gatherings featuring their authentic

Mexican cuisine.

Felicia and her husband, Kraigg, also lifelong Quad Cities natives, have raised three

daughters locally and are proud grandparents to four grandchildren. As lifelong

residents, their high school and college education roots are firmly established in the

Quad Cities (UTHS East Moline, Moline High School, Rock Island High School, Black

Hawk College Moline IL, St. Ambrose College).

Professionally, Felicia brings extensive experience from two prominent Quad Cities

employers. She spent twelve years at MidAmerican Energy Company (formerly Iowa-

Illinois Gas & Electric), and for the past twenty-seven years, she has worked with John

Deere in product management, collaborating closely with the dealer network. Alongside

her main duties, Felicia has led initiatives at John Deere, including chairing the Hispanic

Latino Business Resource Group, leading Ridgewood Elementary East Moline John

Deere partnership, and serving as a Quad City corporate social responsibility

ambassador. Her community involvement includes volunteering with youth at her

church, leading a youth STEM team, mentoring high school students through iJag at

UTHS, participating on the MHS Booster and Junior Board of Rock Island, and

contributing to Short Hills Country Club committees.

Felicia is dedicated to living in and strengthening the Quad Cities community through

fostering connections, promoting youth education, supporting local businesses, and

contributing to the Quad Cities regional growth. She believes that Mercado on Fifth

embodies this mission, and she is enthusiastic about joining as a Mercado on Fifth

board member to serve, support, grow, and help shape its strategic vision.