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LEONARDO LOO
Preserving the past, paving the way for the future BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ
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PHOTO BY CARL SCHULTZ
t is often said that one’s past does not determine one’s future. Leonardo Loo, however, takes great pride in honoring his past as he helps shape the future of Arizona. “I was born in Venezuela, and my family roots are in China and Mexico,” says Loo, today chair of Quarles & Brady’s Business Law Practice Group. “And my wife is African American, giving our children a more diverse background than either of us.” Eager to give back to diverse causes, Loo is chair of Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC), one of the largest Hispanic community development corporations in the United States that today provides assistance to disadvantaged individuals regardless of ethnic origin. He also serves on the boards of directors for the Arizona Asian American Bar Association, Black Chamber of Arizona, and Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, where he is also general counsel. Loo was recently honored with the Black Chamber Chairperson’s Award for his dedication to the organization, and named among the “Top Minority Leaders in Arizona.”
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Does having a diverse background help in your business? Yes! English is actually my third language—being able to communicate with our international clients, and having that cultural competency, helps them to know that they are in good hands. What is one major recent accomplishment of CPLC you can share? During our April gala, where we honored Congressman Ed Pastor, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta and music legend Chapito Chavarria, APS pledged $250,000 to provide scholarships to Latino students majoring in a STEM or public policy field in Arizona. What is the key to finding success in Arizona—no matter one’s ethnicity? Education and opportunity. As a community, we need to help as many Arizonans as possible—no matter their race or sex—to gain access to education, which then creates opportunities. SO SCOTTSDALE! |
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| JULY 2015
6/20/15 1:07 PM