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May 1, 2014

Renee Scott Colon ’07 (Management)

Life can change in the blink of an eye. One minute you are enjoying a leisurely car ride on Thanksgiving Day with your husband of five months, and the next moment you wake up from a coma in a hospital bed weeks later. Renee Scott Colon’s life has not gone exactly how she would have anticipated, but she has been blessed, regardless of her circumstances.

Renee ’07 (Management) and her husband, Tony, own Fuego Coffee Roasters on Liberty Pole Way in Rochester. Business has been a success. After years working for other local coffee shops, they decided to start their own business. One of the things they love the most is traveling to meet the farmers who grow the coffee beans they use for roasting.

Renee and Tony recently returned from Puerto Rico where they toured the coffee supplier’s farm and chose the beans to be purchased. The quality of the bean is the most critical part of the coffee-making process. They participate in direct trade with farmers from Puerto Rico, Indonesia, S. America, Africa, and Nicaragua. Stop in at Fuego and Renee will be excited to show you the roaster and explain the intricate details of the roasting process. It’s clear that she loves her work.

As you listen to her talk, you would never know that she spent two months in the hospital (and many months in rehab) after being hit by another driver doing 65 mph in a 35 mph zone while passing in a no-passing zone. Renee has recovered from multiple broken bones, including two shattered knees, and she had severe head trauma resulting in memory loss and extreme pain. You couldn’t tell that she has bolts and plates in her head, thigh, and knees, especially given her level of excitement and energy (she has finished two Iron Girl Triathlons since the accident).

So much has changed in Renee’s life since she was a shy, quiet student at Roberts (yes, the car crash even altered her personality). Renee (originally from De Kalb Junction, NY) is the fourth of four sisters to attend RWC. Her experiences at Roberts prepared her for a career in business. Professors like Erv and Carrie Starr, Marcia O’Brien, and Bill Todd helped to shape her as a person and professional, but nothing could have prepared her for what she would have to endure.

However, through that tragedy, God has been faithful to bless their lives in unexpected ways. Fuego was made possible through the settlement she received after the accident. She and Tony are working with Roberts Enactus students to grow the business, and they are looking forward to what comes next.

Renee and Tony live in Rochester, NY and attend The Father’s House in Chili. Fuego is located on 167 Liberty Pole Way in the City of Rochester. For more information, check out their website at www.fuegocoffee.com.