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Vanderbilt Students Meet Inventor

Three students from Vanderbilt Academy learned all about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos – from the inventor of the spicy snack.

Richard Montanez, a former janitor at Frito-Lay who pitched his invention to company executives, shared his life story to a group of business owners at the Holland Civic Center in September.

The students were invited by Scott Patchin, a Vanderbilt board member, to the exclusive event.

“I've been building a relationship with three students that need some extra support, so I asked them to come along with me,” said Josh Rhoad, dean of middle school at Vanderbilt. “The more that we can expose our students to these stories, the more they'll be able to believe in themselves.”

The students were able to take photos with Montanez and ask questions.

“Overall, it was a great time and a great chance to meet with the inventor as well as other people from the business communities of West Michigan,” said Rhoad.