Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Carlos (Charlie) Vizoso
Regional Vice President, ARAMARK Healthcare
ARAMARK HEADQUARTERS: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania WEB SITE: www.aramark.com Primary BUSINESS: Professional services. EMPLOYEES: 255,000
EDUCATION: BA in Liberal Arts, Penn State University WHAT I’M READING: Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip and Dan Heath MY PHILOSOPHY: Always do the right thing. INTERESTS: Family and Boating.
Who in your family has had the most impact on your success? One of the largest, most successful landowners in Cuba, my grandfather left the country in 1960 with nothing, but his family by his side. He did not speak English, but he started working to support his entire extended family as soon as he arrived in Miami. He worked tirelessly and held a variety of jobs just to make the ends meet. Today, he is fluent in English, an extremely successful businessman and has been married for 65 years. To me, there is no greater model for personal and professional success as my grandfather who, against all odds, made a life for himself and his family that we could all be proud of. What is your most rewarding career accomplishment? I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment when I watch those I’ve mentored and coached throughout my career grow into executive positions with strong responsibilities and become great leaders. What advice can you provide for young leaders? Good is never good enough. Strive to be the best at everything you do – both in your personal and professional life.
Angela Maria Messer
Senior Vice President
Booz Allen Hamilton HEADQUARTERS: McLean, Virginia WEB SITE: www.boozallen.com Primary BUSINESS: Technology and management consulting. EMPLOYEES: 22,000+
What is your definition of leadership? A true leader is one who has the ability to persuade people to follow. They establish the direction of their work to influence and align others toward a common goal – motivating and committing them to action all while making them responsible for their actions and performance. What advice can you provide for young leaders? To be successful, you need to first come to know yourself. Next, you should work to master the art of listening and two-way communication. This will help you to develop lasting relationships – ones based on respect, rapport, and trust. Developing your leadership skills is not something you can accomplish quickly; it’s a journey you take throughout your life. Along the way, find mentors to help you navigate your options and inform your decisions at every stage of your career. Given the chance, would you do anything differently? The experiences and choices I’ve made along the way have shaped the person I am today. I believe you should continue to look forward and embrace past experiences to improve future decisions.
EDUCATION: BS Management Engineering (United States Military Academy), MS Management (Florida Institute of Technology) WHAT I’M READING: The Fourth Star, by Greg Jaffe and David Cloud; Cyber War by Richard Clarke; Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton, by Rebecca Shambaugh MY PHILOSOPHY: Do the right thing; make a difference. INTERESTS: Travel, music, dance, and outdoor activities like diving, boating, and cycling.
Pr o f i l e s i n Di v e r s i t y Jo u r n a l
September/October 2010
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