LATINO
2021
Vice President, Utility Distribution Operations
LEADERS Worth Watching
TM
INTERNATIONAL
Education: MBA, Florida International University; BS, electrical engineering, Florida International University Company Name: Entergy Corp. Industry: Electric Utilities Company CEO: Leo Denault Company Headquarters Location: New Orleans, Louisiana Number of Employees: 13,600 Words you live by: “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” –Forest E. Witcraft Who is your personal hero? My mother Ana, who raised me through tough financial situations, after we lost my father at a young age What book are you reading? Fearless Success: Beyond High Performance by John Foley and Hug Your Haters by Jay Baer What was your first job? Flea market sales rep Favorite charity: Children International and our church Interests: Reading, music (I play trombone and guitar), basketball, and spending time with family Family: My wife Carol, who is my rock, and my lovely daughters, Cynthia and Samantha
A Greater Purpose worth Pursuing I am truly honored to have been selected for this award, especially one for “Latino Leaders,” which is especially meaningful as a first generation immigrant and college student. As I reflect on what it will take for future leaders and organizations to be successful, I feel we need to start by recognizing that there is always a greater purpose and meaning in the work we do, and that precise notion needs to drive our actions. As leaders, it goes beyond individual or business successes and means supporting your teams, making career aspirations come true for others, helping people grow, building inclusion and belonging, not being afraid of holding tough and meaningful conversations, and motivating people to be their very best. As a company, it means going beyond just producing economic value in the traditional sense, but also working toward a better tomorrow 48
2021 First Quarter
and embracing the responsibility organizations have to help the communities they serve, continuing to put their customers first, and embracing society’s challenges and opportunities. Our actions should be authentic—and not just because it makes business sense. We should be invested in mutual growth and committed to strengthening the fabric of trust. As Daymond John (CEO of FUBU and TV personality on ABC’s Shark Tank) recently posted on LinkedIn, “Supporting another person’s success will never ruin the chances of yours.” It is not a zero-sum game, and we need to believe in this principle. I have personally benefited from leaders who believed in me and a network of mentors who unselfishly shared their knowledge and support with me over the years—each with diverse backgrounds and leadership styles. Because of this, I welcome and look for opportunities to help
other individuals succeed both at and outside of work. It is a great feeling to be with a company like Entergy that believes in the mission of helping others and aspires to give back through its admirable volunteerism and focus on diversity, inclusion, and belonging. I feel I can do more to help people from all communities and ethnic backgrounds, and it’s that burning desire that fuels me. It is important for my family and I to give back to our community, and we are inspired to look for ways to positively impact other Latino families and small businesses in need. I am thankful and proud of this special recognition. I hope it helps raise the profile of Latino leaders across the globe and of our commitment to do well by doing good. I hope you are also inspired to take action and look for ways to support someone else’s success or to use it as fuel to continue doing so. That is a greater purpose worth pursuing. www.diversityjournal.com
AWARD
Eliecer Viamontes
