Latino Leaders February/March 2016 edition

ON A MISSION:

MARCELO

CLAURE HAS TAKEN ON THE TASK OF TURNING SPRINT AROUND.

www.latinoleaders.com February / March 2016 Vol. 17 No. 1

THE TOP 20 HISPANICS IN MARKETING

Twitter: @LatinoLeadersUS Facebook: @LatinoLeadersMagazine Isssuu: https://issuu.com/latinoleadersmagazine

CONTENTS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

30 COVER STORY: Marcelo Claure, President and CEO of Sprint.

MARCELO CLAURE IS ON A ROLL. HE WANTS TO TURN SPRINT AROUND 2 • February / March 2016

Photo: COURTESY OF SPRINT

CONTENTS FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

6 Publisher’s letter Jorge Ferráez hones in on why Marcelo Claure’s work at Sprint is so important for Latinos.

8 Editor’s Letter Joseph Treviño delves on the real color of money and what does this all mean.

10 Keeping up with Pablo Our one and only Pablo Schneider went to the Super Bowl and he met some very interesting people.

12 A man of courage at El Valor Rey González runs one of the most respected community clinics of Chicago.

14 Portfolio A look at some cool Latinos in the automotive industry: Claudia Márquez, Brandon Ramirez, David Mondragón and Patricia Salas Pineda.

20 Marketers

The top 20 Latinos in marketing.

14

25 Proust

Arcilia Acosta takes our proust questionnaire.

27 Chef Enrique Olvera Mexican food.

is revolutionizing

CLAUDIA MÁRQUEZ, FROM INFINITI.

30 Exclusive

interview with President and CEO of Sprint, Marcelo Claure.

34 Money, money money…

Seven of todays top financial and corporate experts tell us what the Latino community needs to reach the next level.

Interview with Louis Barajas, María Arias, Pete Rodríguez, Mark Hugo López and Xavier Gutiérez, Gerónimo Gutiérrez and Alex Hinojosa.

39 Monitor

We report on Inma Carbajal-Fogel, who is now with MRPM and Ana Claudia Talancón is with Top Chef Mexico.

40 Health

Dr. Juan Sanabria of Cancer Treatment Centers of America tells us why we should beware of colorectal cancer.

42 Soaring Mónica Martínez of Comerica Bank pushes herself every day to take her firm to new heights.

46 Bic man Mario Guevara

tells us how he got to one of the top positions with the classic French conglomerate

4 • February / March 2016

49 Man of letters The second part of the mindblowing issue with America’s essayist on life, immigration and why we are failing because we are afraid.

52 Excellence

We take you to the Excellence roundtable in Washington D.C.

54 Best of the best

A lunch with the top Latinos in the country, culled from Latino Leaders 101.

60 Digital The lowdown on Pedro García, Director the Digital Management Unit of Accenture Technology Services.

61 Wealth creation Making cold, hard cash in D.C. 64 Cellar Jorge Ferráez brings us the latest from the wine world. Enjoy.

JORGE & RAUL FERRAEZ / PRESIDENTS OF FERRAEZ USA

A CONVERSATION WITH THE PUBLISHER

W

We saw Marcelo Claure at the USHCC Convention in Houston in September 2015. Although we had heard many good stories about him and his company, Telecom giant Sprint, we had never met him in person. He was a speaker in a panel and was sharing his views and strategies as a CEO. His conversation struck me for his down to earth and practical approach to lead a team. A very different discussion than most other CEO’s, whose speeches on panels are rigid and MARCELO CLAURE complicated. Marcelo engaged with SPRINT PRESIDENT AND CEO the audience in a very particular way and told a great story.

So, after his speech, we had the chance to meet him. We told him that we would like to interview him for this edition. The Cover story of the February-March edition you have in front of you is the result of a great conversation between him and our editor Joseph Trevino in December 2015 in Kansas City. We hope you like it, for he’s one of the few Latinos leading a Telecom company. Marcelo is definitively a Latino that has made history.

Another great story is Mario Guevara, CEO of BIC, a Latino leading this fantastic and iconic pen company who invented the rollerball pen and the pocket lighter.

A great interview, conducted in Mexico City in one of his visits to North America.

Lastly, an impressive Latina, Monica Martinez, who has been a real maverick when it comes to highlighting and making things happen in diversity issues.

Martinez, Head of Hispanic Initiatives at Comerica Bank, she is one of those leaders that has earned the admiration and respect of everyone who crosses her path.

We hope you enjoy the edition.

6 • February / March 2016

Photo: Courtesy

of Sprint

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR THE COLOR OF MONEY

CHESTERTON TEACHES US ABOUT THE MYSTICISM OF MONEY AND WHY IT IS NOT THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND.

THE MYSTICISM OF MONEY

In 1920, G.K. Chesterton, possibly the 20th Century’s greatest writer wrote The fallacy of success and The worship of the wealthy, two astonishing essays that seem tailor-made for our current Finance issue and for that matter, for any magazine or media today.

Chesterton denounced that the media, even back then, had a horrible way of fawning over the rich and successful not only for all the wrong reasons like being a hypocritical sycophant, but of trying to overly lend credibility to crass materialism like if the mere practice of it was a virtue.

Being a child of the 1980’s, I can hear Michael Douglas’s character, Gordon Gekko, saying his famous phrase from the movie Wall Street, “greed is good.” Yes, my generation all grew up groveling over ponytailed yuppies and power-suited women who drove BMW’s, dined at opulent French L.A. restaurants like L’Orangerie and dove headfirst into a spending orgy that inspired generations of followers and led to our current economic and spiritual depression.

I should know. I was there. Chesterton, with his incredibly clear vision, wrote that whereas in ages past common folk would often overpraise rich people to their face, thus revealing in some sort of way their adulation was untrue, helping the rich ground themselves in reality, today we pretend we exalt an entrepreneur’s or CEO’s business style or his alleged “humble” clothing (funny, I always thought there was something hypocritical about some the new politicians who instead of wearing suits now walk around in shirts pretending they are everyday Joes), while feigning we don’t extol them for their moneymaking arts.

“We see quite clearly what is really at the bottom of all these articles and books. It is not mere business; it is not even mere cynicism. It is mysticism; the horrible mysticism of money,” wrote Chesterton, about a writer from his era who adored the Vanderbilts, the prominent family of the Gilded Age. “He merely wished to prostrate himself before the mystery of a millionaire. For when we really worship anything, we love not only its cleverness, but its obscurity. We exult in its very invisibility,” wrote Chesterton. For over 20 years, this magazine and its sister publication, Líderes Mexicanos, have highlighted leaders in all facets, in practically every position, career and vocation. Yes, we admire success and successful people, but we have always tried to reach beyond.What drives leaders? What is their common denominator? Our cover man, Marcelo Claure is clearly rich. Perhaps the most successful Latino entrepreneur today.

But he is also a family man who holds household events at every chance he gets.

He has held fast to old friends; he moved from glittery Miami to more working-class Kansas City, where he is on a mission to turn around Sprint, one of the most iconic telecom companies in the nation.

Also successful is Mr. Rey González, the president of El Valor, a community clinic in Chicago. González has dedicated his life to improving the lives of Latinos and shows no signs of stopping, extolling true humbleness and decorum via his hard work and ethics.

That is why Latino Leaders recognized him with a Maestro Award.

Yes, as Chesterton wrote, we all feel tempted and often succumb to the “Gospel” that may seduce new workers who feel they can rise faster in their careers by their own vices than by their virtues.

But we should know better. As leaders (or leaders in the making) in our fields, it is our duty, whether we find it pleasant or not, to be mentors and examples to younger generations.

That means in every way possible. At all times. Be it being faithful to our heritage, culture, communities and specially our families.

8 • February / March 2016

Publisher Jorge Ferraez

President and CEO Raul Ferraez

Editor-in-Chief Joseph Treviño jtrevino@latinoleaders.com Director of Journalism Mariana Gutierrez Briones mcortez@latinoleaders.com Event and PR Director Mireya Cortez mcortez@latinoleaders.com Administrative Director Lawrence Teodoro Managing Editor José Escobedo jescobedo@latinoleaders.com Washington, D.C. Sales Associate and Representative Deyanira Ferraez dferraez@latinoleaders.com Executive Vice President for US Operations and Sales Ricardo J. Soto rsoto@latinoleaders.com Art Director Fernando Izquierdo ferdiseno@latinoleaders.com Editorial Art & Design Rodrigo Valderrama Carlos Cuevas Luis Enrique González Eduardo David Rodríguez West Coast Editor Judi Jordan judijordanll@yahoo.com Human Resources Manager Susana Sanchez Administration and Bookkeeping Claudia García Bejarano Executive Assistant to the Publishers Liliana Morales Circulation Manager and Website Administrator Rebekah Melendez rebekah@latinoleaders.com For advertising inquiries, please call 214-206-4966 x 227.

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino (ISSN 15293998) is published seven times annually by Ferraez Publications of America Corp., 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA, December 2015 / JAnuary 2016.

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Congratulations to Benny Agosto, Jr. X for being namedXone of the 25 Most Influential Hispanic Lawyers in the U.S. Benny Agosto, Jr.­-trial lawyer in the Volkswagen Litigation-was recognized by the following organizations and legal publications in 2015-2016: The Best Lawyers in America©, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

The Best Lawyers in America©, Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

L AT INO LE A DE R S

Top 25 Latino Attorney

Presidents’ Award, State Bar of Texas

Top Rated Lawyer in Texas for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability, Martindale-Hubble Outstanding Public Service Award, South Texas College of Law

Benny Agosto, Jr., Trial Lawyer bagosto@abrahamwatkins.com

Celebrating 65 Years 800 Commerce Street Houston, TX 77002 713-222-7211 www.abrahamwatkins.com

KEEPING UP WITH PABLO

Charlotte

and the Super Power Pachanga By

T

he Super Bowl is a super power pachanga. There are over 25 million Hispanic NFL fans and Hispanic leaders from companies such as AT&T, CISCO, Comcast and 7-Eleven, which were out in force at Super Bowl 50. This year’s Super Bowl was watched on television at least in part by 167 million viewers and in total by an estimated audience of 111.4 million, including 4 million on livestreaming. There was an estimated $15.53 billion dollars in Super-Bowl related consumer spending in the U.S. This is compared to revenues of $9.17 billion dollars for all NFL teams combined. An estimated 1.1 million people attended Super-Bowl related events in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Jose, and Santa Clara with direct visitor spending totaling $220 million.

Here are some of the people I crossed paths with in Charlotte for the NFC Championship and in the Bay Area for the Super Bowl.

Marcos Castro is an engineer with Charlotte-based H Scott Motorsports, which competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Marcos, who grew up in the DFW area, is the son of noted Hispanic business leader Garry Castro, the owner and CEO of Logisticorp. Growing up, Marcos’ dream was to work on a NASCAR team as an engineer. He worked as a mechanic to get experience and went to community college for a couple of years. He then transferred to the UNC Charlotte and earned his Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Marcos did a series of internships and held several part-time jobs – all focused on NASCAR. Finally through a fellow UNC alum, he got on a NASCAR team and has since advanced rapidly over the past three years to position as engineer with H Scott Motorsports.

Gerry Lopez is one of a handful of Hispanic corporate CEO’s in the U.S. In mid-2015 Gerry left AMC Theaters to become CEO of Extended Stay America, which is headquartered in Charlotte and is traded on the NYSE (STAY). With 629 hotels and over 60,000 rooms, ESA is one of the leading brands in the long-stay lodging sector. Extended Stay America has annual revenues of $1.3 billion and a market cap of $2.22 billion. Gerry also serves on the board of directors of Brinker International (NYSE: EAT) and was recently elected to the board of directors of CBRE Group (NYSE: CBG), which has annual revenues of over $9 billion and a market cap of $12.9 billion.

Ron Rivera is the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. He has been named NFL coach of the year two of the past three seasons. Coach Rivera’s dad is from Bayamon, Puerto Rico and his mom is from Chihuahua, Mexico. A three-sport standout at Seaside High School in Seaside, California, Rivera went on to earn all-American honors at Cal Berkley, a successful nine-year pro football career with Chicago Bears, and then on to 10 • February / March 2016

Pablo Schneider

coaching in Chicago, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Charlotte. He completed his fifth season as head coach of the Panthers, going 17-2 and winning the NFC Championship.

Although the Panthers lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, with Rivera’s intense focus on attitude, preparation, and effort – it won’t be a surprise if the Panthers are back competing in the Super Bowl again next year.

Miguel Vargas is director of entertainment of the Carolina Panthers. Miguel is responsible for the fan experience, which encompasses everything but the game itself.

Whether before, during, or after the game, Miguel’s work is integral to the fan experience. His focus is on firing up the crowd and on creating home field advantage for the Panthers.

Jaime Moreno and Luis Moreno, Jr. are the Spanishlanguage broadcasters for the Carolina Panthers. The Super Bowl was the 110th game they broadcasted. Jaime and Luis have brought an intense passion and an element of Hispanic culture to the Panthers. The Morenos are also a cross-cultural phenomenon.

Everyone from my Uber driver to a community leader at lunch to corporate executives in the Charlotte region – all non-Spanish speakers – are raving about the passionate and extremely entertaining Panthers Spanish-language broadcasts.

The unstoppable Rey Gonzalez of El Valor “But most importantly, you can’t just be a taker – you have to give back. In a way, the more you give, the more you get back.”

"REY GONZALEZ MEETS WITH GUESTS AT EL VALOR, WHERE HE WORKS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF LATINOS".

Landing STORY BY CHRISTINA ZAMBÓN PHOTOS BY BILL WHITMIRE

ey Gonzalez was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. His mother was a Mexican American from the south side and his father was raised by migrant farm workers in San Antonio.

Growing up in the shadow of U.S. Steel, he swore he would never work there. Instead, he put his efforts toward school.

One of five kids, his parents stressed education. They also emphasized getting a good job and working hard; he’d worked at their grocery store while in school.

But the importance of education was always in the back of his mind.

Gonzalez studied at a Catholic high school and did well. He was on the high honor roll. Motivated to pursue a college degree, he went to his high school counselor to ask for advice on how to apply to Notre Dame.

That’s when a bitter reality hit him. Notre Dame, his counselor told him, was not for people like him.

Gonzalez said, “he wouldn’t help me.”

Instead, the counselor told him, “come see me when you graduate, and I’ll get you a job at the steel mill.”

This was in 1969, during the Vietnam War. It didn’t seem fair to have worked so hard to be told his dreams were impossible because of who he was.

To avoid working at the steel mill, he graduated from high school and applied for a job at a meatpacking house. Married at 19, and a father at 20, it was time to buckle down and get to work.

“I thought my life was over,” he said.

But the meatpacking house was even worse, so Gonzalez reluctantly started an apprenticeship at the steel mill. Slowly, he began to build a life for himself. The young father went to night class at St. Joseph’s, a small Catholic college in Indiana , and, after seven years, earned a Bachelor of Science.

Gonzalez graduated and joined the Urban League (an African American organization), frustrated by how unequal the playing field could be and GETTIN determined to do something about it. He recruited Latinos to help in the G TO K NOW R Who is y trades and developed tutoring programs to help his recruits pass the tests, EY our favo rite to resounding success, placing more than 4,000 women and minorities in John Ste novelist or w riter? inbeck.

If you co skilled and high-paying jobs. Throughout his career, his goal was always to uld have any othe provide a path for others like him who had previously been told that these r job I’m alre ady doin would be…? in the world it g the pe jobs were not for people like them. He worked as Regional Director of other jo rfect job! T here’s n b for m the Midwest office for the National Council of La Raza, was named Vice e. o You nev er leave President of Diversity for McDonalds, then Vice President of Diversity at h o m e w My cell phone. ithout…?

Exelon, and eventually worked his way up to Vice President for Legislative Your wo I let my and Community Affairs at ComEd before retiring in early 2014. rst emotio ns get habit is…?

Gonzalez first became acquainted with El Valor in 1980, and from the served in the way, th ough it me well ’s . moment he stepped inside, he knew he belonged. He joined the board The last movie I and served as board president from 1981 until 2014, when he became The Rev saw was…? enant President and Chief Executive Officer of El Valor.

My favo rite thin El Valor was the place where everything came together–his Mexica g to eat is…? n Food O n e education, work experience, and upbringing. He’d grown close with his th in I don’t b elieve ing on my bucke grandmother, who had a son with Down syndrome. t bucket lists – I list is…? believe Her son lived with her until he was nine years old and a social worker in life. had him institutionalized. Till the day she died, his grandmother was wracked with tremendous guilt, praying to God for forgiveness; she felt she had done something wrong that caused her child to be born with Down syndrome and felt irresponsible for having to give him up.

His grandmother affected him in a profound way. Gonzalez was frequently sick with asthma as a kid, and she would stay at his bedside, teaching him important life lessons. She always said, “Education is the great equalizer.”

El Valor supports and challenges urban families to achieve excellence, encouraging them to participate fully in community life. El Valor empowers and enriches the lives of people with disabilities, the disenfranchised, and the underserved.

“The beauty of it is, we keep families together,” Gonzalez comments, noting how influential his own family had been in his mission in life.

Gonzalez faced many obstacles in his life, but he said it was anger and a strong, dogged determination that propelled him forward.

“I wasn’t going to let someone else define who I was, or who I was going to be,” he says. “I always tell people–control your career. Don’t be afraid to make a change, especially if you’re unhappy in a position. Start your search. Go on job interviews. And you have to always, always believe in yourself.”

He concludes with another valuable lesson, one that has served him throughout his career: “but most importantly, you can’t just be a taker–you have to give back. In a way, the more you give, the more you get back.”

Story by Valerie Menard Courtesy photo Design by Carlos Cuevas

The auto industry is officially back in black. Sales fell below 10 mil-

lion during the Great Recession but according to Business Insider, sales in 2015 of 17.5 million vehicles set a new benchmark, besting the last record sales year of 2000 with 17.4 million vehicles sold.

Latinos bought many of these vehicles, particularly from Honda and Toyota. Both brands received the Diversity Volume Leadership Award this year given by the National Association of Minority Automotive Dealers and IHS Automotive. Based on new vehicle registrations of more than 13 million women, minorities and millennials, the Toyota Corolla won for top overall volume leader among Latinos, the Lexus IS won for top selling luxury vehicle among Latinos, and the Honda Accord for top-selling vehicle to ethnic millennials.

Ford is the leader in truck sales to Latinos with the F-Series.

While Latinos clearly share the same love affair with the car as most Americans, they also play a role in vehicle production. From Torrance to Detroit, Latinos play a role in what products are available for consumers, making decisions about how to market to Latino consumers, as well as providing opportunities for these companies to give back to the Latino community.

Here’s a snapshot of just a few Latinos working behind the scenes in the auto industry.

14 • February / March 2016

In 2012, Nissan overtook General Motors as the top-selling brand in Mexico. Much of the credit went to then president of Nissan Mexicana, Jose Muñoz. Shortly after this coups, Muñoz was appointed executive vice president, of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and when constructing his new team, he selected several who worked with him in Mexico, including, Claudia Márquez.

The former marketing director for Nissan’s Mexican and Latin American markets, she became senior director of Sales Operations, Infiniti USA, in April 2015. In this role, Márquez is responsible for sales operations, strategy, customer experience, and aftersales.

The Mexican native brings a wealth of knowledge to the job with more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry. Her career began in 1995 at BMW where she served as regional operations manager.

Márquez holds an associate’s degree in administration from Alexander von Humboldt German School and a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international commerce from University La Salle in Mexico.

Nissan maintains a twelve percent market share among Latino car buyers, the third largest of all car brands. It will be interesting to see if Márquez can expand that loyalty to Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand.

Did you spot a Hyundai Veloster on the road and it made you look twice? Brandon Ramírez, senior group manager of product planning at Hyundai Motor America certainly hopes so. Responsible for leading product development and planning, market launches and life-cycle management for all Hyundai products in the United States, he plays an integral role in what appears on the road from Hyundai.

Ramírez joined Hyundai in 2004 as the small car product manager overseeing the Accent, the Elantra and Veloster.

The California-native who grew up east of Los Angeles admits that where he can, he will add features with Latino appeal, like the nineteen-inch wheels he put on the Hyundai Tucson, not just on the top-of-the-line model, but on the Tucson Sport as well.

“Growing up in Chino and LaVerne, I saw how my Latino neighbors took pride in their cars, especially on the outside,” he shares. “Putting special tires on an affordable model makes it more appealing and more like the ones I saw in the Inland Empire.”

He’s also chairman of the newly formed Latino employee resource group, Amigos Unidos. One of the group’s first initiatives included co-sponsoring the Día de los Muertos celebration in Whittier.

16 • February / March 2016

David Mondragón began his 25-year career at Ford in an entry-level administrative job at the Edison, N.J. Assembly Plant. Since then, he has held a variety of leadership roles within sales and marketing.

“I’ve accumulated quite a collection of outstanding moments while working for Ford, but that very first job in administrative support at the plant was probably one of my most important experiences,” he shares. “I learned that every member of the team has the potential to contribute, no matter what title comes with their job description.

As executive director of U.S. sales for Ford and Lincoln, he oversees all field sales and distribution related matters for both carmakers, strengthening the distribution channel and improving dealer profitability while also improving employee and dealer satisfaction.

As a Latino leader, he’s a member of the Ford Hispanic Network internal resource group. From sales and marketing to his community involvement, Mondragón strives to represent Latinos at Ford and Ford in the Latino community.

“At work and at play, hard work, good sportsmanship, team work, and a positive attitude are valuable lessons, ideals that I share with both my family at home and my family at Ford,” he says.

Chances are Latinos attending a national conference for the National Council of La Raza, U.S, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce or other Latino national non-profits will encounter Patricia Salas-Pineda.

As group vice president of the Hispanic Business Strategy Group at Toyota Motor North America, she is the highest-ranking Latino executive at Toyota North America, specifically focused on improving and strengthening Toyota’s relationship with the Latino community.

18 • March 2016

“I feel very grateful to have had such a successful career at Toyota,” Pineda says. “It has been a wonderful career journey.”

While her career at Toyota spans 30 years, the California-native admits that her initial career goal involved law. She earned a JD degree from the University of California at Berkley and was initially hired by Toyota for her legalese, becoming one of the first Latino general counsels in Corporate America.

Pineda has steered Toyota’s philanthropy toward mostly Latino initiatives.

LATINO LEADERS

2O

TOP

MARKETING PROFESSIONALS

Story by: Laura Rivas

20 • February / March 2016

Courtesy photos

In this feature Latino Leaders identifies 20 marketing professionals and executives across a wide range of industries or who have set out to establish premier agencies. All have recognized the value of multicultural consumers and have demonstrated a commitment to attracting these markets via platforms and initiatives adapted to each.

HECTOR VILCHIS Corporate Vice President and Market Manager New York Life https://www.linkedin.com/in/hector-d-vilchis-4a80515

An experienced business leader managing board level strategy for New York Life’s presence in the Latino community, Vilchis is responsible for growth initiatives for a network of over 1,700 financial professionals and for leading a national team of recruiting, sales and marketing, and business development managers. As co-chair of New York Life’s Latino Employee Resource Group, he also contributes to strategies for the recruitment, professional development and advancement of Latino executives and employees within the organization.

FABIAN CASTRO Senior Vice President of Multicultural Marketing Universal Pictures

Castro leads Universal’s multicultural marketing department and supervises its contributions to the studio’s films. His department is currently developing and implementing culturally relevant outreaches to Hispanic and African-American audiences as well as escalating their presence on current and upcoming marketing campaigns to oversee a broader range of ethnic and specialty demographic groups. The team works directly with the studio’s publicity, field, promotions, media, digital, creative, research and partnership divisions to customize existing and strategies that continue making Universal an industry leader in multicultural outreach.

latinoleaders.com

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DAVID RODRIGUEZ Multicultural and Total Market Professional Ford Motor Company https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rodriguez-14147714 http://www.zoominfo.com/p/David-Rodriguez/66861217

With executive management credentials across the automotive, banking and financial, and commercial transportation industries, Rodriguez is accomplished in multicultural and Total Market consumer arenas. He directs all US Hispanic marketing communications and manages a top Hispanic national agency with two regional offices. In his roles at Ford, Rodriguez has led African-American and Asian marketing efforts along with Supplier and Dealer Diversity Development programs.

MARKETING PROFESSIONALS

MIGUEL GARCIA CASTILLO

MIKE VALDES-FAULI

Group Creative Director Walton Isaacson

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-valdes-fauli-3882621

https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-garcia-castillo-6324b528

Overseeing Walton Isaacson’s Chicago’s Multicultural and General Market 360 creative development including digital, television, retail and social media, Castillo’s clients include MillerCoors, Beam Global, Samsung and Hillshire Brands.

In his previous role at WI, he acted as primary creative lead for the Unilever account, for brands such as AXE, Degree, Dove, Suave and TRESemmé. In 2010, he contributed to the opening of Walton Isaacson NYC, kick-starting the new creative team and leading the overall transition of the Unilever business to the New York office.

President and CEO Pinta

http://www.pintausa.com/#!homepage

Based in Miami, Valdes-Fauli runs one of the fastest-growing agencies in the country, with such clients as Amazon, BBVA, Facebook, the Miami Marlins and T-Mobile, among others.

He is a two-time co-chair of Hispanicize, judge at the CLIO awards and sits on the boards of BBVA Compass and Miami Marine Stadium.

Valdes-Fauli is an accomplished writer who has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Ad Age, AdWeek, PR Week, The Miami Herald, Miami Today and The New Times.

GINA JORGE

MARIA CRISTINA RIOS

YAI VARGAS

Head of Multicultural Marketing American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Director, Multicultural Customer Strategy Macy’s

National Marketing Manager–Latino Market New York Life Insurance Company

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginajorge

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariacristinarios

https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaivargas

For Honda, Jorge develops innovative total and targeted marketing campaigns designed to connect authentically with multicultural consumers. In addition, she is responsible for managing ad agencies and leading crossfunctional teams to successfully execute total market strategies and multi-channel campaigns involving traditional, digital and social media. She initiated the first Honda social media outreach to engage in Spanish with Hispanic Honda fans with the creation of @HondaLatino on Twitter. Jorge currently serves on the board of Junior Achievement of Southern California.

An accomplished marketing and advertising professional with 10 years’ experience in media buying, placement, creative advertising production and national campaign development, Rios identifies business driving opportunities to capitalize on the growth of Latina, Black, Asian and LGBTQ customer segments. Using data-driven insights and qualitative research to better understand the Macy’s customer, she develops marketing strategies that engage and retain the multicultural consumer.

A self-proclaimed “LinkedIn and networking ninja,” Vargas is charged with implementing strategic marketing initiatives for sales and recruiting. She works with local marketing and recruiting managers in 40 U.S. cities to drive local initiatives promoting financial literacy and planning for the Latino community. Vargas is the founder of Latinista, a Meet-up group with several local chapters in the U.S. that brings together professional Latinas who have an interest in professional development and networking.

22 • February / March 2016

MARIEL LLENZA

HUMBERTO GARCÍA-SJÖGRIM

PEDRO MALDONADO

Director of Hispanic Advertising AT&T Mobility

Vice President, Hispanic Strategies The Coca-Cola Company

Director Multicultural Merchandising CVS Caremark Corporation

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariel-llenza-b286132

https://www.linkedin.com/in/humberto1

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmaldonado

Llenza uses her intimate knowledge of U.S. Hispanic consumers to develop and implement advertising strategies to maintain and increase customer penetration in that market.

In the last two years, she has been at the forefront of AT&T’s multi-platform pursuit of Hispanic millennials. Along with staff in Atlanta and Dallas, she focuses on messaging for the Hispanic population and manages a production budget to include national TV and media sponsorships, local market support, digital and social media, public relations, and community outreach.

In his position at Coca-Cola, García-Sjögrim is responsible for strengthening relationships with the Hispanic community by establishing and managing relationships with key local, state and national Hispanic political, business, civic and community leaders. He has a passion for tackling new strategic opportunities, leading cultural change, and fostering transformational leadership. García-Sjögrim currently serves on the board of the Atlanta-based Latin American Association which helps Latino immigrants overcome the unique challenges they face on their path to self-sufficiency.

As a Director of Multicultural Merchandising for CVS Caremark, Maldonado leverages over 10 years of experience in developing comprehensive multicultural programs. He collaborates in the development and execution of the multicultural strategy at one of the top retailers in the country. His team is works to ensure the best in multicultural merchandising and marketing programs serving Hispanic, Asian and African-American consumers, to help them on their path to a better health.

PATRICIA POPOWICH

HENRY GOMEZ

GUSTAVO CORDO

Senior Brand Manager–Johnnie Walker Diageo

EVP, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Senior Managing Director, Global Strategy & Business Development Liberty Mutual Insurance

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-popowich-70b176

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gomezhenry

Popowich is a strategic and results-oriented senior marketing executive with a broad and solid experience in the fast-moving consumer goods and spirits industries. An action-oriented business leader with track record of generating profitable growth, she has demonstrated skill in translating consumer insights into impactful marketing plans and a proven ability to lead diverse teams in delivering top and bottom line growth through effective marketing communication, vigilant cost management and flawless execution.

http://www8.hp.com/hpnext/leadership/henry-gomez#.Vqq1JCorK00

With more than 27 years of experience in marketing, communications and broad-based business management, Gomez is responsible for leading marketing, advertising, brand, media and industry analyst relations, executive communications, employee communications, government affairs, global social innovation and environmental sustainability. He also is a member of HP’s Executive Council. Prior to joining HP in 2011, he served on the leadership team of current HP President and CEO Meg Whitman’s gubernatorial campaign in California in 2009 and 2010.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavocordo

Cordo is responsible for defining and implementing development strategy—primarily through acquisitions—new ventures, and distribution agreements in Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Among his main accomplishments are the acquisitions of Penta Security in Chile, bringing Liberty to market in the leading position in the country, of Hughes Insurance in Northern Ireland, of Primero Fianzas in Mexico, and of Panamericana and Cervantes in Ecuador, entering the market in fifth position with an exclusive distribution agreement.

latinoleaders.com

2O

TOP

MARKETING PROFESSIONALS

CHRIS MENDOZA

ANA LUCIA DIVINS

CARMEN MARSANS

Vice President, Multicultural Market Development MassMutual Financial Group

Diverse Markets Senior Marketing Consultant MetLife

Senior Vice President of Client Services Comunicad

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mendoza-2575b87

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-lucia-divins-8955a8

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-marsans-5a502ba3

http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Chris-Mendoza/-1881999368

http://comunicad.com/team-member/carmen-marsans

A financial services executive with extensive experience in market development, consumer marketing and selling to diverse consumer segments, Mendoza leads the strategic development of MassMutual’s cultural markets efforts.

He develops recruiting and marketing programs to reach these groups and helps to align internal resources in support of them, noting that financial education and planning to recover from unexpected challenges are important to keeping on track for long-term goals.

Divins is a seasoned multicultural marketer with extensive experience developing and implementing consumer acquisition strategies for corporate and nonprofit organizations such as MetLife, Wells Fargo, Bank of America and the Mint Museum. Six Sigma Green Belt Certified in project management and process improvement, she demonstrates a strong strategic vision as well as the ability to translate that concept into specific tactical initiatives for Hispanic, African-American and LGBT markets.

MANNY GONZALEZ

LUIS ROSERO

MILAGROS URIARTE

Senior Director-Multicultural Moet Hennessy USA

Director, Hispanic Business Strategy Group Toyota Motor North America

Director of Latin Onshore & Caribbean Sales United Airlines

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manny-gonzalez-808ab7

http://www.hispanicprblog.com/ahaa-selects-toyota-as-marketer-of-the-year/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/uriarte-milagros-89343b1a

https://www.ana.net/ajax/speaker/id/spkr-gonzalez-m

http://www.toyota.com/usa/investors/docs/FS-ToyotaMotors-1214.pdf

Working with the company’s portfolio of luxury wines and spirits, including Hennessy, Moët & Chandon and Belvedere, Gonzalez manages the company’s multicultural community relations programs and collaborates with the company’s brands in the development of strategies and programming in the African-American, Hispanic and Asian consumer segments. Prior to this position, he served as multicultural director for the company’s largest brand, Hennessy, during which time he managed the brand’s Team Hennessy Latino ambassador program and launched the brand’s successful “Latinos in Baseball” VIP event series with professional baseball players.

Rosero develops the national marketing and communication strategy for the Hispanic Business Strategy Group to support the Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands and integrates the Latino perspective into Toyota’s marketing and sales strategies. In addition, he integrates HBSG’s strategy across multiple platforms, including government affairs, partnerships with leading Hispanic organizations, research, and financing. In 2015 the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies recognized Toyota as AHAA Marketer of the Year, an award accepted by Rosero. He serves on the advisory boards of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Hispanicize 2016.

Uriarte’s goal is to continue to diversify United Airlines’ business mix to Latin America by capturing a rich niche market while understanding the cultural and language nuisances specific to Latinos. Her team consists of 25 bilingual and bicultural executives who understand the buying power of Latinos and the value of establishing that relationship with a commitment to treat United customers with dignity and to enhance their buying experience by speaking the language and understanding the history and culture.

24 • February / March 2016

Marsans specializes in building strong community relationships through public outreach campaigns that foster long-term growth and enhance the bottom lines. Her proven public relations approach has resulted in awardwinning campaigns for clients. Prior to joining Comunicad, Carmen worked for FleishmanHillard as part of the team that helped manage the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and helped implement public relations efforts for a wide range of industries.

PROUST Story by Charles Coulombe Designed by Carlos Cuevas

Arcilia Acosta Arcilia Acosta is a Latina entrepreneur/business owner and is also a corporate director.

Acosta is owner and CEO of CARCON Industries and of STL Engineers. She is also a board member of Energy Future Holdings and of Legacy Texas Financial Group. In addition to running her companies and serving on corporate boards, she also serves on a number of community, non-profit, and educational boards. Acosta grew up in Kermit, a small town of around 6,000 people in West Texas. She graduated from Texas Tech University and embarked on a successful career in banking. Acosta was honored by being chosen as the commencement speaker for Texas Tech in 2015. When the time came to take the reins at her dad’s construction company, Acosta was ready. She moved the company to Dallas and the rest is history. Acosta has a terrific track record of business success and of corporate and community leadership. Here Acosta shares her perspective on business and on life.

What is the secret to your success at CARCON Industries and STL Engineers?

Success is measured in many ways: people, profit, growth, etc.

I have always intentionally set goals with milestones and have always believed in strong, consistent performance metrics.

Secondly, I always trust my intuition – this is paramount. Being in a great place in my heart and soul, allows me to make critical decisions every day and never look back.

What is your leadership style?

I am a big believer in the concepts in Stephen Covey’s “The Speed of Trust”. This simple but powerful leadership style is in essence, “The ability to establish, extend, and restore trust with all stakeholders - customer, business partners, investors and coworkers.” To me, it takes an important life virtue of trust into a deeper sense of meaning. These principles have always guided me as an individual, as a mother, friend, and CEO. I have always led according to basic core values that are innately a part of my being, such as integrity, character, respect, and intent.

How do you inspire your management teams and employees?

As the owner and leader of two companies, I make it a point to meet with my management teams weekly. I stay closely connected with our projects and staffing needs. And with my team, we meet with our clients to understand their needs, deadlines, and goals. While I am a very engaged CEO, I empower team members to make decisions that move us forward. Visitors to our organization often observe that our employees “all march to the beat of the same drum”. This comes from building trust with, and among, my employees. You can never go wrong by simply leading by example.

Who were your mentors in banking and construction and how did their advice help you excel in your career?

In banking, it was Mr. Ted Strauss. By his invitation, I served with him on two bank boards and he taught me business strategies that as he would

say ‘’ you can’t find these lessons in a book, Arcilia.” He was so proud when in 2013, I was invited to join the board of what is now Legacy Texas Financial Group. I remember him saying to me: “on this one, you have to go at it alone, but I will always be there for you.” Ted passed in September of 2014 and I still miss him dearly.

In construction, my mentors are many. Chris Escobedo and Gilbert May with Phillip Mays Corporation gave me one of my first jobs in construction and guided me as I grew my firm in the early years. Joe Lee and Gary Geppert with Archer Western gave me the next major opportunity to grow my companies by working with them as a joint venture partner in building the first extension of the DART Green Line. Over the years my mentors have included Luis Spinola with Omega/Azteca, Doug Jones with Balfour Beatty, and Shankar Nariyanna, with Austin Bridge and Road.

What prompted you to start multiple companies and serve on multiple boards?

My dream was to bring my father’s Construction Company to Dallas and I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to build several subsidiaries and diversify my portfolio. Today, I own four subsidiaries and all of my companies perform services in some capacity in the construction and engineering industries. An important lesson I share is to always invest in what you know.

I serve as a Director of Energy Future Holdings (parent company of TXU Energy, ONCOR Services, and Luminant Generation) and as a Director of Legacy Texas Financial Group, Inc. On both boards, I serve on both the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee. My financial background has proven to be a tremendous asset for me and for the boards of which I serve. In addition, I am the only Hispanic on each board.

What motto do you live by?

I have two. One is, “The risks in life that you regret are the ones you never take”. The second is, “Always do your research, study and keep learning about those things that intrigue you and move your mind”.

25 • February / March 2016

Presented to you by Lexus

EN R I QU E OLVE RA: TH E P OWER OF FOOD

E

NRIQUE OLVERA is unconventional to say the least.

Incredibly talented, yet disarmingly humble. Hugely serious about his work, yet there is always a streak of humor in his gaze.

The discipline with which he has established himself as one of the top figures in the culinary world, a career that was launched when he opened the doors to his first restaurant in México City at only 24, is evident in each of his decisions— yet his life and work are built around a very simple concept: To have fun, no matter what you do.

His philosophy seems to work— Pujol is now ranked 16th in the San Pellegrino First 50 Restaurants in the World list. He has a third cooking book in the works, is the founder of Mesamerica, an annual international food conference attended by the world’s leading chefs, and has a total of five restaurants under his helm, an empire that is scheduled to grow even more this year. His latest one, Cosme, located in Manhattans Flatiron was so awaited reservations were not available for months.

And this hype was validated with an ecstatic three-star review in The New York Times from revered food critic Pete Wells.

For Olvera cooking is a means of communication, first and foremost. It is the medium through which he expresses his ideals, his way of life. That is why he is focusing on endangered breeds of corn in an effort to preserve them, along with the history and values of Mexican Gastronomy. Positioning Mexican cuisine at the center of the gastronomic world stage and transforming its stereotypes into one of the

The international Mexican chef talks about his food, being among the best cooks in the world and his quest to dispel the stereotypes of south of the border cuisine.

Story by Mariana G. Briones Photos by Araceli Paz

most sought after fine dining experiences in the world is no small feat, but as he explains, it is about changing perceptions, one dish at a time: You opened the doors to Pujol when you were 24 years old, how did you find the audacity to pull this off?

At 24 you are very unprepared for life, much less for opening a restaurant. But at that time I felt comfortable with the idea and secure enough that I could operate a business. Pujol has a very small dining room with only 44 seats and at the beginning it was a very casual Fonda Bistro, just a neighborhood place where people came to have a nice meal. Things started escalating over the years, we were trying to get better and better at what we did, which is part of the philosophy of who we are, and in trying to get better we just got pretty good at it. And today it is on the best restaurants in the world list… which I never thought would be possible when we began this journey. latinoleaders.com

How did that beginning stage evolve?

I think we started finding ourselves, cooking wise. Our foundation was Mexican cuisine, because these are our roots and the ingredients that we work with, but at the same time I was influenced by the New American Cuisine movement. So after finishing my studies at the New York Culinary Institute of America it was very natural for me to go back to México and try to work on a new flavor profile that was based on Mexican gastronomy, but reinterpreted in a more contemporary way. I started looking at street food as an inspiration for a new kind of cuisine and created dishes that are still very important in Pujol such as the Mole de Olla or the Robalo al Pastor, which are based on popular gastronomy but done in a completely different way.

That set the tone for what came later.

What is it that makes you so passionate about what you do?

I have always liked to make people happy; this is something that I find very rewarding. I like to see people having fun in a restaurant, discovering new flavors and eating things that are not only flavorful but also good for them and good for the planet. For me cooking is a way of sharing my lifestyle and what I believe in. The recognition helps us to feel motivated and proud of what we are doing, but it is not the reason why we do

what we do— we are trying to give customers a good experience and to perform as best as we can and to get better every day. We are not here to earn stars or to be on any list, but because we love what we do and we are proud of our work.

Why did you choose New York as the location for your first restaurant outside of México?

New York is everything. It is a city that represents a huge challenge for cooks; it is one of the most difficult places to open a restaurant in the planet, not only because the competition, but because also there are a lot of factors that need to align in order for you to be successful. I did a lot of research before deciding on our concept. New Yorkers like authenticity, they embrace concepts that are honest and straightforward, they don’t like the fuss; they like to eat well, period. They are also very fond of seasonality and menus that change constantly and that showcase the products of the area. We took all of this into account for Cosme. I think In general there is a movement of a more simple cuisine. Chefs are now cooking in a more humble way that is more easy-going and relaxed. Most of the restaurants that have succeeded in the last few years are concepts that are very casual, with a great quality of ingredients, but where you feel relaxed and conformable, and this is what we were after.

How do you fuel your creative process?

Inspiration comes and goes all the time, but it is not a formal process. I don’t sit down for hours trying to come up with menus— It is much more organic. We go to the markets and we see which products are there and the we think how we would like to cook them and about the flavor combinations that usually work.

But once you have that you try to forget everything, because you don’t want to reproduce the exact same recipe. So we analyze and reflect on the principles we want to apply and then think about a different flavor profile, and this usually works because our new concept has structure and a foundation, but at the same time it is breaking from tradition. I also get inspired from art forms like painting and music, but not “I HAVE ALWAYS LIKED TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPY; THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I in a literary way that I want to interpret a painting into a dish, it is more about the philosophy and the ideas behind the freedom in FIND VERY REWARDING. I LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE HAVING FUN IN A RESTAURANT, music for example, the feeling that it transmits and that you want DISCOVERING NEW FLAVORS AND EATING THINGS THAT ARE NOT ONLY to transmit in your dish.

FLAVORFUL BUT ALSO GOOD FOR THEM AND GOOD FOR THE PLANET.”

What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I am a pretty straight-forward person. People who know me know that I like to have fun and that is very important to me, especially now. Not that I feel like I don’t have anything else to prove but I don’t feel that necessity of recognition. I am at a very nice stage in my life where I want to share what we are doing. Otherwise I am very focused in my business and I don’t have time for anything else. There are no mysteries with me.

I like to spend as much time with my family as I can in México City and I also like to meet my friends for a beer wherever I am.

That is basically my life.

What is next for Enrique Olvera?

I made a conscious effort to consolidate the businesses. We have been growing a lot in terms of locations in the past few years and I want to simplify to be able to spend more time in the restaurant and also spend more time with my family. So I am trying to balance things out. I am not closed to new projects but I also need to slow down. And eventually I see myself living in Oaxaca. There is something about this place that I am very drawn to, I find myself very connected and balanced there. Maybe it was to do with the town or the typography and definitely the people and the food. It makes me feel welcome and rooted in the earth. It is a quiet town and a good place to get away, which is probably one of the reasons that I dream about living in Oaxaca.

28 • February / March 2016

SPRINT’S NUMBER ONE MAN

MARCELO CLAURE IS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A HISTORIC TURNAROUND. Story by: Joseph Treviño

30 • February / March 2016

Photos courtesy of Sprint

“SPRINT HAS NOT MADE ANY MONEY IN 11 YEARS. MY GOAL, BY THE TIME I’M DONE IS TO HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS PROFITABLE, THAT GENERATES A LOT OF CASH FLOW, THAT EMPLOYEES ARE PROUD TO COME WORK FOR, TO HAVE A COMPANY THAT IS A LEADER IN WHAT WE DO.”

M

arcelo Claure works at a breakneck pace.

His frenzied day starts at seven in the morning, taking phone calls, talking to everyone and making decisions that will affect his 70,000 employees at Sprint, one of the world’s most iconic telecommunications companies in the world.

And that’s just the start.

cle. He’s had some dental work done, but that has only kept the man away for a few hours.

Decked in a long, light grey overcoat, black shirt and slacks, the tall Bolivian (he was born in Guatemala from Bolivian parents who worked for the United Nations, hence his background) enters a glass-shielded conference room.

A human dynamo, Claure is nimble, speaks fast and does everything with no wasted motion; the race is on to improve Sprint and the clock is ticking. Consider Exhibit A: when he

The 6-foot-six-inch, 45-year-old Claure is far too swift for his size, holding intense daily sales meetings, getting together with his executives who hail from all over the world and implementing a hands on approach that reveal that the man who created and once ran Brightstar, the most successful Latino-owned U.S. company is first and foremost an entrepreneur. All of this business juggernaut has one goal: to turn around Sprint, a company which had been on a downward spiral for years, burning cash and losing to telecommunications rivals, having to settle for fourth place behind arch foe, T-Mobile.

In this winter morning at Sprint’s World Headquarters Campus (a massive collection of buildings in Kansas City that resemble a college), Claure has been forced to take some time away from his office cubi-

saw that his own new office at Sprint was bigger than his apartment, he ordered it rebuilt.

He also commanded that his lieutenants shun their office or work spaces for more plebian but efficient cubicles.

“I think it brings a different mood, a different environment; you don’t need a meeting to go talk to somebody,” he says.

The larger than life Claure may just be what Sprint needs, some business observers say. A world traveler with an impeccable track record as a successful impresario, a close friend with soccer superstar David Beckham, Claure was hand-picked by Sprint’s new owner, Masayoshi Son, Japan’s second richest man to revamp and make his telecom company profitable. latinoleaders.com

Dec. 9, 1970 Marcelo Claure is born in Guatemala. He spends his childhood years in Morocco, Dominican Republic, and Bolivia.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

1980 Claure embarks in his first business venture by selling his mother’s clothes. The venture stalls when his mother finds out.

1993 Bentley College awards him with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Finance.

1994 With the help of Claure, Bolivia’s National Soccer team plays in the 1994 World Cup against all odds.

1995 Claure buys his first cell phone store in Boston, later turning it into a retail chain.

1997 He forms Brightstar in Miami, with three of his friends, including Davie Peterson.

2004 He divorces Patricia Lara Claure.

2005 One day after his birthday, he marries Jordan Engard.

2008 Achieving a lifelong dream, he buys control of Club Bolivar, his favorite soccer team.

Oct. 18, 2014 SoftBank pays $1.26 billion for 57 percent of Claure’s Brightstar Corp.

August 5, 2014 Sprint appoints Claure as CEO, along the way Claure becomes the first Latino CEO in the company’s history. He agrees to sell the rest of Brightstar to Softbank.

32 • February / March 2016

Claure joined Sprint in 2014, after selling his company, Brightstar, to Son. The soccer enthusiast (he owns Bolivar, a pro soccer team in Bolivia) moved from his Miami home with his family to Kansas City, where he has been busy attempting what many see not only as a massive task, but some say unlikely.

Not for Claure. He says he finds the challenge stirring. When he joined Sprint, he became that company’s first Latino CEO in its 117-year history.

“It’s exciting because the decisions you make are bigger. You are running one of the largest companies in the U.S. For the employees it has been refreshing. To be able to see people make fast decisions, take risks. Bring a different attitude to the company, be more aggressive. They say that entrepreneurs are good for forming companies and or for turning around companies. This is definitely a turnaround,” he says.

Does he feel the pressure? Yes, especially for taking care of his employees, Claure says. But he adds that since he has joined Sprint it has been the most exhilarating time of his life.

“It brings a lot more excitement. Its fun to be part of something relevant. We are in the midst of what is going to be one of the most historic turnarounds in corporate America,” he says. “Its interesting when you have so many people watching what you are doing.

We have a very clear plan on how to do this.

We are making incredible progress in a short period of time.”

Claure was born in Guatemala on December 9, 1970. His father, René Marcelo Claure, was a geologist for the U.N. working in Guatemala. The young Marcelo grew up with an older sister and a younger brother, moving from Guatemala to Morocco to the Dominican Republic.

“I got to travel to different places,” he recalls.

A gifted student who could get by without buckling down in his studies and still get good grades, Claure recalls his youthful days as a leader, according to published reports and interviews he has given over the years.

His family relocated to La Paz, Bolivia, where eventually he was enrolled in an American school.

After high school, he went to study to the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, later transferring to Bentley College, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree of Science in Economics in 1993.

He returned to Bolivia, where he got a job with the Bolivian Soccer Federation as International Marketing Manager. For over 70 years, Bolivia had been trying to qualify for the World Cup, to no avail.

But that changed in 1994. Claure worked with the federation and also was able to work with Guido Loayza, the then president of Bolivia’s soccer federation, who became his mentor.

“He’s the one that taught me that anything is possible; he actually did believe that we were going to take Bolivia to the World Cup when nobody believed. Today he works for me. He runs my team in Bolivia,” he says.

An avid soccer fan (he owns Bolivar, a pro team in Bolivia), Claure nevertheless went back to the U.S. to follow his entrepreneurial dreams. By 1995, Claure, then 25, asked the owner of the cell phone store in Boston to finance his purchase and convinced his father and friends to lend him some money.

In just two years he had turned the cell phone store into one of the leading retail chains in the Northeast. Two years later he sold the chain, earning a big profit.

“This is where I realized the power of this country and how stories like this could only happen in a country like the US – how can a young Bolivian buy a store with almost no money down, put a lot of hard work, go to banks to be able to finance its growth and two years later sell if for a few million dollars,” Claure told a crowd at National Council of La Raza, last July.

A STAR IS BORN

A savvy businessman, he and three other friends formed Brightstar in 1997. Based in Miami, the friends started selling phones from the trunks of their cars.

Brightstar, with Claure as senior partner, was supposed to sell $500,000 during the first few months: the company sold over $14 million in the first three months.

“He’s a rainmaker. He makes things happen, for sure,” David Peterson, Claure’s former partner at Brightstar told the Kansas City Star newspaper.

By 2001 Ernst & Young selected Claure as Entrepreneur of the Year (in 2010 it would add him to its Hall of Fame). In 2003 Brightstar was shining bright, surpassing $1 billion in profits.

Brightstar would go on to become the largest Latino-owned company in the U.S. Claure credits it as one of his greatest accomplishments.

Claure is the only Guatemalan who has been inducted into the Immigrant Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. By the time he sold Brightstar in 2014, the company had a global presence in 50 countries and had surpassed $10 billion in profits.

“I THINK ITS SAFE TO SAY THAT MARCELO HAS DUG IN AND CHANGED ALL FACETS OF THE COMPANY. ITS NOT JUST MANAGEMENT TEAMS OR ADS; ITS HOW WE OPERATE,” DOUGLAS MICHELMAN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS FOR SPRINT.

With Beckham, his friend, Claure is trying to bring a pro soccer team to Miami. He claims that it frustrates him that one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world lacks a soccer club.

TIME TO MAKE HISTORY

In 2013, Masayoshi Son, the Japanese tycoon who owns Softbank and is considered the second richest man in Japan, bought Brighstar. Son, who has the distinction of losing the most money during the dot com crash of 2000, acquired Sprint.

Son’s plan was to also buy T-Mobile and merge it with Sprint, facing the telecommunication giants for first place. But the plan never materialized.

Still, Son offered Claure to help him turn around Sprint, the venerable company that began in rural Abilene, Kansas in 1899. He agreed.

BEYOND BUSINESS

But there was not time for Claure to rest on his laurels of his new job. He had to go into battle mode fast, since Sprint Claure married Jordan Engard in 2005. The couple have five children; last year Jordan gave birth to Savannah Celeste Claure at Shawwas in bad shape. nee Mission Medical Center, in Kansas City.

“The company was in trouble, losing customers, In 2010, Claure celebrated his 40th probably one of the largest crisis they had, so they felt birthday. His 750 guests in Miami’s Ice they had to bring a leader who was going to do things Marcelo Claure’s recipe for success: Palace were treated to a cozy concert by differently. It’s hard to win with the same people who Marc Anthony, Jennifer López (the superhave been here for 20 years. We decided to make changes, The most important advice I give stars had dinner with him and his family) selected good people from all over the world, from the everybody is you ‘ve got to love what you do. If you want to be good, if you and the Gipsy Kings, with an all-out party.

U.S., from Australia, Austria, Argentina, and Brazil. We want to win, successful, doesn’t matter In addition to being a frequent guest have a pretty good international team,” Claure says. what you do. If you are a lawyer, docof restaurants everywhere, Claure likes to “I think its safe to say that Marcelo has dug in and changed tor, CEO you’ve got to love what you do. Because if you do, you have much read, play golf, ride dirt bikes, watch highall facets of the company. It’s not just management teams or more chances of success. Most people profile boxing fights (he went to see Pacads; its how we operate,” says Douglas Michelman, senior don’t like what they do. That to me is rule number one. quiao’s last match), goes to Kansas City vice president of corporate communications for Sprint.

Royal games and is deeply into soccer.

For Claure, it is imperative that he succeeds in turning Advice number two is work hard.

There’s very few people in the world So deep that in 2008 Claure bought Sprint around, he says. People will remember that it was who have been able to be successful in Bolivar, his favorite soccer club in Bolivia. a Latino who helped accomplish the feat and it will prove life without working hard. That means you’ve got to give it all you have.

The team has acquired some noteworthy once and for all that Hispanics can lead large corporations.

Whatever you do you’ve got to put players recently.

He says: “Sprint has not made any money in 11 years. your best effort forward. Doesn’t mat“The reason I love soccer is because My goal, by the time I’m done is to have a company that is ter what you decide you are going to be. Again, whether you want to work it’s the only sport in the world where the profitable, that generates a lot of cash flow, that employin a warehouse, work in a restaurant ees are proud to come at, and to have a company that is a underdog has a chance,” Claure told the you’ve got to make sure that in order leader in what we do.”

Financial Times. to be successful you’ve got to give it all you have. That’s something I’ve practiced all of my life. So far so good.

latinoleaders.com

Story by: Annelise Jensen

Courtesy photo

In the following pages we introduce five Latino finance experts who have shared their expertise and vision on today’s Latino finances. Our specialists have given advice and highlighted the major challenges and issues that Hispanics face today when it comes to investing, banking, 401’ks and making sound financial decisions.

We introduce, Louis Barajas who is an author and financial planner. He is followed by María Arias from Comcast, one of the premier diversity promoters in the country who gives us an inside look on how diversity helps stimulate the economy.

Pete Rodríguez from the BNY Mellon Bank is an expert on audit, risk and legal fields. Mark Hugo López, Director of Hispanic research at the Pew Research Center, has spent years studying the political opinions and perceptions held within the Latino community by doing survey research that has helped shed light on the complex questions surrounding financial backgrounds for officials and the public alike. Lastly, Xavier Gutiérrez from Meruelo Investment Partners, an expert in investment and acquisitions gives advice to young professionals, and shares his vision for himself and for the future of Latinos in America.

LOUIS BARAJAS

One of the Top 100 Financial Advisors by Mutual Funds Magazine.

L

ouis Barajas was the first Latino to become a CFP, a Certified Financial Planner, and for the last 25 years he has been advising people on how to optimize their money. Barajas has even made a name for himself as one of the Top 100 Financial Advisors by Mutual Funds Magazine. Barajas is an author, a spokesperson, and reoccurring TV guest that discusses financial issues.

Barajas stardom began while growing up in the Eastside of Los Angeles, when he took up the job of managing his parent’s finances at the age of 11. Barajas says it’s his regular work with wealthy A-listers that has helped support his consumer advocacy work. Latino Leaders asked Barajas to shed some light on the current financial struggle afflicting Latino communities in America. Here is what he had to say.

Overall, how would you characterize the current financial situations of the Hispanic community?

I was in corporate America in the 1980s and in 1991 I left to start my own financial planning firm, and I actually started in the Eastside of Los Angeles. Back then, I wrote about the horrific state of the economy for Latinos and how badly we were doing. To be quiet honest with you, that was 1991 and we’re in 2016.

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Twenty-five years later, I really don’t see that Latinos have really progressed that much. I still think that Latinos earn less money than the Anglo workforce. I know we [Latinos] have less home ownership, we [Latinos] still don’t invest in 401Ks or retirement plans. The only drastic improvement might be that more Hispanics are using banks then back then. The biggest trend then was that Hispanics were cash driven and didn’t use a lot of financial institutions, but we [Latinos] have overcome that. But I don’t think it has really improved in the last 25 years, and to be honest, I think it has gotten worse. For example, in the financial planning industry a certified financial planner, I think there are less entering that are Hispanics. I think, maybe, 15 years ago we had three percent of all financial planners were Hispanic. I would tend to think that number has dropped. So I think that also the financial planning industry really hasn’t gone out of their way to really help the Hispanic community in America, I think they made the situation worse. I think the products that they provide for the Latino communities haven’t gotten any better as well.

What are some of the leading factors for Hispanic?

It goes back to there is a lack of financial literacy or financial education amongst the lower and lower middle class. I think most people think that financial product sales people are really advisors. I think that most communities are under served, since there isn’t really a lot of capital or investments. You tend to see more banks or insurance companies and not a lot of real advisors. I think that most lack the education and how to properly select an advisor or someone that can really help them.

So what is the most important advice you can give to Hispanic communities that are trying to invest in a better future?

“Let me share with you this. A lot of what I see in underserved communities is that people have just given up. They have this mindset that is very cynical and they don’t know whom to trust. They have become cynical of the government and of other members of their community, cynical of the press, or the media. It’s really not that complicated to create wealth in America.

It’s really not. The problem is that there are really too many hucksters selling stuff based on fear or greed. At some point what is going to happen is we’re going to have to say ‘look, they somehow have to intrinsically decide that they have control of their future’. So I need to get people to believe that as soon as they have a say in their future, then that’s the first thing. And that’s what my book ‘Latino’s Journey to Financial Greatness’ was about, it wasn’t so much about personal finances as it was about overcoming the cultural limitation beliefs that the Latino community has.”

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n 2011, Comcast NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and technology companies, named María G. Arias as their Executive Director of Diversity & Inclusion, then a newly created role, and in 2014, she was promoted to Vice President, Corporate Diversity & Inclusion. Since then, Arias and her team, which has continued to grow, have been opening doors for employees across the company, especially for a demographic of folks where employment opportunities can be limiting. Today, Arias explained how employment diversification really works to benefit both the workplace and the company simultaneously.

MARIA G. ARIAS Gives a new meaning to diversity Story by: Annelise Jensen

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Why is diversity important?

Diversity is a core value at our company [Comcast NBCUniversal]. Our founder, Ralph Roberts, many years ago treated everyone with respect. Ralph’s core family and inclusive values have always been part of our culture. And, when you look at how our company has evolved, it has been powered by the evolving demographics of our customers and audiences. We’ve seen that diversity of thought, gender, race, and culture all help drive innovation at our company.

Can you tell me about Comcast NBCUniversal’s top Diversity and Inclusion goals?

Our goal is to be the model company for diversity and inclusion in the United States. We have five major focus areas, including governance, workforce, supplier diversity, programming and community investment. I am proud of so many things that we are doing, but a few in particular include: our award-winning external Joint Diversity Advisory Council of over 40 members. Some are national civil rights leaders, and some are community and business leaders across all groups -- African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics, women, Native Americans, veterans, people with disabilities and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. We partner with them to help drive our diversity initiatives across the company. We also have internal diversity councils comprised of senior executives who guide their respective business units in implementing and sustaining successful diversity and inclusion practices. They lead by example and consistently work to ensure our company demonstrates a best-in-class culture of diversity and inclusion. Representatives meet regularly to discuss progress on initiatives and ways to strengthen our commitment to diversity and inclusion. In terms of workforce, obviously we want to have diversity and inclusion across our organization. Our aspirational goals are to have women at 50 percent representation and people of color at 33 percent across our company.

Diversity in-front and behind the camera, whether if it’s on our news, in our film, or our cable networks, are all very important to us. We are very much working towards bringing greater diversity to our programing.

What are the benefits that a company obtains by becoming more inclusive and diverse? In human, financial and philosophical ways?

I’ll take the business part first. As I mentioned, diversity of thought, experience, culture, race, and gender, ultimately drives more innovation. And, in fact, Mckinsey [Global Institute] has done a report on why diversity matters, and how top companies for diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their national industry medium – solid data that shows how diversity results in a return on investment.

We also have concrete examples in terms of being able to serve our customers and audiences with our diverse programming. We are proud to provide unparalleled access to the broadest variety of content, and strongly believe that our programming should reflect, delight, serve and promote the needs of our diverse customers and communities. For example, Comcast has a distribution platform that delivers more than 60 Hispanic cable networks on the majority of Comcast Cable systems and extensive Hispanic and other diverse content on our On Demand and Online Platforms. Hispanic actors, producers, writers, and directors contribute to a number of NBCUniversal shows, including “Chicago Fire,” “Chicago P.D.,” and “The Blacklist.”

In 2014 and 2015 alone, we released the wildly popular “Ride Along” and “Ride Along 2” films starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart; the critically acclaimed James Brown biopic “Get On Up,”; and the highly successful “Straight Outta Compton,” which became the highest grossing film from an African American director in history. We are also proud to be the home of the most successful diverse franchise in film history – “The Fast and the Furious.” And we just release the film “RACE,” based on the incredible true story of Jesse Owens.

From an employee standpoint, if you have an inclusive environment you’re going to improve employee engagement and you’re going to improve retention. People want to see themselves in senior level roles. When I first started practicing as a lawyer, I was one of the few woman [in my practice area].

Not only was I the only woman in the room most of the time, I was the only Hispanic female attorney in my entire law firm for a long time.

I know from experience how very important it is that we create an inclusive environment for everyone, and not just for diverse individuals, but all individuals. Inclusion and diversity is about opportunity for everyone. latinoleaders.com

PETE RODRIGUEZ

Story by: Charles A. Coulombe

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Motivating Latinos to take Financial Risks

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ETE RODRIGUEZ, Managing Director and Asset Servicing Chief Administrative Officer at BNY Mellon, has come a long way from his poor childhood in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn.

Starting with a variety of odd jobs, he landed a temp spot working as a microfilm clerk at the New York Office of State Street Bank fresh out of High School back in 1987. He applied himself to that position, was taken on permanently, and rose through various positions to the present.

Pete has said “I treated each position as though it were an audition for the next one” – a strategy that has worked well for him. Along the way his employers thought well enough of him to pay his way through College. By any economic standard, he is an astounding success.

What in his background enabled him to accomplish this? “When you grow up Latino in an urban environment, you learn to take advantage of whatever opportunity any situation may give you, to really try you best at what comes your way.” What specific strengths did his Latino heritage bring him?

“I’m Puerto Rican – both my parents are from Mayaguez; but while they knew each other there they didn’t really connect until they came to New York. Among the things I learned from them were loyalty and honesty – you don’t take what isn’t yours. Those were very important in my upbringing, and they’ve been useful in my career. Honesty is especially key in the financial world.”

But while these Hispanic cultural traits have been helpful, there are others that hold many Latinos back. “There is in the Latino Community a fundamental lack of understanding about how wealth is created. Latinos tend to have nothing beyond savings accounts, if that. We only see ‘banks’ as the local institutions whose branches we see; many of us for example would never have heard of BNY Mellon because it doesn’t have neighborhood banks. We are often afraid to take risks, and so we are not interested in investments, and usually don’t know anything at all about that side of things.”

“Those of us who are successful have to ask ourselves ‘Am I doing enough? My success doesn’t end with me – what am I doing to help others?’ I myself am per36 • February / March 2016

sonally involved with mentoring younger Latinos both in- and outside the Company and through my church.”

“Really, we need to start with our young people. They know the bank on the corner – and if that’s all you know, you’ll think the only position available to a Latino is as a teller or security guard. Now those are good jobs, certainly. But so much more is open to our youth, and we have to let them know and help to make these opportunities available to them. Why shouldn’t they aim to be CEOs or CFOs? We limit ourselves in the way we think.”

But what about wealth creation in and for the Latino community? “Latinos have to learn to take risks – that is what investment is about. For a start, we really need to get Life Insurance; I have seen how many Latino families suffer trying to pay for funerals and other expenses. And it has to be the right kind of Life Insurance. We need to learn about 401-Ks. There are plenty of non-profits and schools offering courses in finance, and lots of online resources. Latinos must take advantage of these. Educate yourself!”

How does the future look to Paul for the Latino community? “Very positive. We are the fastest-growing segment of the American population, and account for a trillion dollars of wealth today. This is why politicians are trying to woo Latino voters, and companies are trying to recruit us. There will be more jobs for Latinos. And diversity is good for the companies as well. The more varied the experiences of their employees, the wider their range of knowledge, the more competitive a company becomes.”

MARK HUGO LOPEZ Mark Hugo Lopez, Director of Hispanic research at the Pew Research Center, has spent years studying the political opinions and perceptions held within Latino community across America. It is survey research that Lopez’s does that has helped shed light on the complex questions surrounding Latino financial backgrounds for officials and the public alike.

Story by: Annelise Jensen

Overall, how would you explain the current financial situation within Latino Communities?

I think there are a number of things that are happening within the Latino community in terms of finance. First, when you look at what has happened since the recession with Hispanics and wealth, you find that Hispanics were making some progress in gaining wealth through ‘07. But since the Great Recession, their net worth hasn’t really recovered to their pre-recession levels. Compare that with the white population who has recovered some of their loses encountered during the recession. This situation with Hispanics is somewhat worse relative to what it is with the white population. In other words, the wealth gap has gotten worse in the last few years, even though we are in a recovery.

Another thing to note is that Hispanics, when it comes to building their wealth or building their assets, oftentimes you’ll see a lot of Hispanics not have, for example, a 401K or they may not be investing in the stock market. Oftentimes the single most important asset Hispanic households might have is like a car. And many Hispanic households have no assets whatsoever.

I think that it’s important to note because when it comes to their financial situation, and it comes to building wealth, while Hispanics have made some gains over the years in terms of medium-income, for the most part they haven’t really built-up that wealth to help cushion them, in case of economic downturn or help save for retirement.

And what do you see as the leading factors for these trends?

Well, I think the Latino community is relatively young. So we are seeing for example, many Hispanics are starting their lives and new families. So they may be at the very beginning of their accumulation of wealth they will need over the course of their life. But I think another part of it is that many Hispanics are in jobs where they maybe earning enough to just make-ends-meat. They are not necessarily earning, lets say, as much as their white or black counterparts are earning. And that might limit their ability to accumulate wealth and invest in 401k or stocks. Those are some of the reasons we might see lower investments or lower use of financial instruments amongst Hispanics then we do among others.

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But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be a homeowner. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to become part of the middle-class and it doesn’t mean they don’t want to have a secure financial future.

How can this change?

Well… here at the [Pew] Research Center we can’t give recommendations. But here is what I will say. There are a number of trends that are underway that are likely to improve the financial situation of Hispanics. We are seeing a record number of young Latinos attending college, more than 2.5 million now.

And that’s up from 2 million just a few years ago. Partly represents the demographics, and also shows that Latinos are better prepared than ever to attend college. In fact, we’re seeing among young Hispanic women, almost 20 percent of them today between the ages of 25 and 30 have a college degree. That’s up from about 15 percent just a few years ago. So there is improvement when it comes to educational attainment.

There is also, when you take a look at the job market for Latinos that the unemployment rate is declining.

Hispanics have still not made up all the ground in terms of employment rates that they lost during the Great Recession, but there has been improvement there as well. So that too is a sign that perhaps things will look better into the future.

Our surveys here at the Pew Research Center show that, even though many Hispanics may say their personal situation is difficult today, many Hispanics believe that in the future, whether in the next year or that of their children, will be better financially then it is currently. That, I think, is really a sense of optimism the Hispanic community has about the future they face.

Link- http://www.pewresearch.org/staff/mark-hugo-lopez/ latinoleaders.com

Story by: Kristin Schneider and Pablo Schneider

XAVIER GUTIERREZ

Latino Economic Empowerment is Vital to U.S. Prosperity

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or Xavier Gutierrez Latino economic empowerment it’s not just an ideal, it’s both his childhood dream and his professional passion. His passion for Latino economic empowerment started many years ago, when a young Gutierrez and his mother emigrated from Guadalajara, Mexico to the San Francisco Bay area. “This concept that started with my personal journey coming into this country,” he explains, “not really speaking the language or being a part of it, but knowing I had to be a voice for my own family and for others like me who didn’t feel like they had a voice or belong… I saw myself as being the voice for the voiceless.”

Supported by his family and mentors alike, Gutierrez worked hard, earning his Bachelors of Arts in Government cum laude from Harvard University, and also earning his Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School.

He gained a wide variety of expertise over the following years, holding positions in the law firm of Latham & Watkins and the investment bank Lehman Brothers before joining the Phoenix Realty Group, a national real estate private equity firm, as Principal & Managing Director. In 2010, he joined the Meruelo Group, where he now serves as the both the President and Chief Investment Officer of Meruelo Investment Partners as well as Chief Investment Officer of Meruelo Group. The Meruelo Group portfolio includes approximately three dozen companies in seven different industry verticals. Gutierrez also serves on the board of directors of Commercial Bank of California and on the board of directors of Sizmek, Inc. Through all of this, Gutierrez’ passion for economic empowerment within the Hispanic community has continued to grow. Sitting down with Latino Leaders, Gutierrez discusses his success factors, his advice to young professionals, and his vision for himself and for the future of Latinos in America.

What factors do you attribute your success to?

There are three primary factors. The first off is family.

I am a first generation American. I was born in Guadalajara and my mother decided to move to the United 38 • February / March 2016

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States to pursue a better life for me and her with better educational opportunities.

Education was always first and foremost in her mindset. My academic success really laid the groundwork and opened the doors for my professional success. I think the second factor was really the mentors and the folks who I call the door-openers in my life. There are a number of them… [The third factor is] my personal and professional passion for what I would call economic empowerment. Wealth creation is a part of that, but I wouldn’t say my goal is to just make people wealthy. My goal is to empower people economically, and part of that is by bringing institutional capital into communities but the other part of that is just helping individuals see wealth. I believe that we transform communities and lives by wealth creation, but really the goal is economic empowerment. Another part of it is entrepreneurship, is encouraging and supporting other people to be owners. To help people sign on the front of the check instead of just signing on the back.

What advice do you have for young professionals about success?

The advice I constantly give is manage your career patiently but proactively. Looking at your career there are stages to it. The first stage is the skill acquisition stage. Learn how to communicate, how to build relationships, accomplish projects and manage them… The next phase is hone in on what is it you want to do when you wake up every morning and look in the mirror and say ‘I am accomplishing what I want to accomplish’… You go through various phases and that’s ok.

It’s ok to hone in next after you have acquired your skills, and then finally is understanding where your big picture impact will be… Your level of success is an example of what can be accomplished. Your level of success means as much to others as it means to you. And it’s difficult to understand that when you are early in your career, but I think later on you understand it and embrace it a lot more.

Given your career trajectory and your platform, what is your vision for your own future?

The vision for me is to continue the trajectory and to build platforms around it. The one I’m very keen on is the platform of Fortune 500 Board service. I think that the impact that you can make sitting on those boards, not only for the company and for the sector but also for the U.S. is very, very, important. The perspective and background I bring is very unique and very critical. That’s my interest. Secondarily, my interest is to continue in the financial services space to continue to bring capital to this community of entrepreneurs, minority businesses, and individuals for their own economic wellbeing.

What is your vision for the future of Latinos in America?

I give a speech about the issue of Latino economic and wealth development… I start by making the statement that I firmly believe that American competitiveness relies on the economic empowerment of the U.S. Latino community. The faster and more sincerely we embrace this issue, especially during the current political season, the better it will be for the country. Because if this community, that will continue through natural birth to grow to the demographic manifest destiny that is on its trajectory, is not economically empowered and engaged, that’s bad for America’s competitive standing. And if you take a look at the key industries, [For example] if you take financial services, if Latinos don’t save, don’t invest, and don’t embrace financial prowess, that’s bad for the finance industry. If they don’t participate as consumers, homeowners, buyers of goods, that’s bad for the consumer economy of the United States. My goal is to raise and highlight that issue both within my community and outside my community. I actually believe the U.S. Latino community is a saving grace for America for the next fifty years.

Photos by John Bianchi, Gen Manager, Haynsworth

WEALTH MANAGEMENT ADVISOR Karin V. Larrave, is a financial advisor from Northwestern Mutual who makes philanthropy a cornerstone of her business.

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egacy-building and philanthropy are about more than giving money.

They are concerned with pursuing goals of ultimate personal importance. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor Karin Larrave and her team make that the cornerstone of their business.

Larrave’s dedication to philanthropy is apparent when she meets new physicians and asks for them to volunteer a week of their lives to join her in addressing the healthcare crisis in rural areas of Latin America through HELPS lnternational. Individuals who are committed to philanthropy are motivated by a desire to have a positive impact on the organizations and causes they support.

Larrave can assist you whether you wish to establish or continue your tradition of giving, unite your family around a noble purpose or contribute your own experience in new ways. She inspires her clients to achieve their financial, social and spiritual goals through partnership and mutual responsibility. These are qualities that set Karin and her team apart.

The Larrave team works with clients to identify their life goals, design and implement a unique strategy that allows him or her to focus on what is truly important. Their goal is to ensure that you, your family and your income are protected from unnecessary financial risk, so that your money lasts as long as you live, and you are able to leave the meaningful legacy you strive for.

These plans involve transitioning wealth into predictable Income in retirement while considering the legacy goals of each client. Karin and her team apply comprehensive strategies, provide expert advice and make recommendations based on each client’s priorities to produce a financial strategy that will be one of a kind, and built on a solid foundation.

Karin is committed to making your financial planning and philanthropy fulfilling, effective and enduring. In the New Year, the Larrave team invites you to work together to create a plan that will allow you to help achieve your financial legacy and philanthropic vision.

This article first appeared in Modern Luxury Dallas. It is being printed in Latino Leaders Magazine with expressed permission from that magazine and Ms. Larrave.

Karin V. Larrave Location 8411 Preston Road. Suite 700 Dallas. X 75225 Phone 214 525 1055 Email karin.larrave@nm.com Web karinlarrave.com Background Karin graduated from Anahuac University In MĂŠxico City in Business Administration and is an active member at Watermark Community Church. Karin has two children. Karla is married to Seth Adams and JP is a senior at SMU. Areas of Expertise Karin Larrave, Wealth Management Advisor, with more than 15 years of guiding physicians, business owners and successful young professionals, in building tailored financial, philanthropic and legacy plans. The Larrave team includes members who have obtained the designations of Retirement Income Certified Advisor for Senior Living and a Chartered Financial Consultant. latinoleaders.com

MIDWESTERN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER OF CTCA Story by Laura

Chicago, Illinois

Rivas | Photo: Courtesy of CTCA

DR. JUAN SANABRIA

ON GUARD AGAINST COLORECTAL CANCER

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ccording to the American Cancer Society (ACS), colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. ACS estimates there will be approximately 135,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in 2016. One in 20 Hispanic males and one in 24 Hispanic women are predicted to develop colorectal cancer. While the statistics are alarming, there is good news: healthy lifestyle habits can make a difference.

Dr. Juan Sanabria, a surgical oncologist at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern), attributes the development of colorectal cancer to both heredity and lifestyle.

“While the impact of genetics on colorectal cancer cannot be denied, it is important to recognize the role of the environment, as well as diet, exercise and behavior, all of which can effect cancer prevention, severity and prognosis,” said Dr. Sanabria.

He encourages us to be aware of the frequency and types of cancer within our families and to consult with a doctor to determine other factors. In terms of prevention, Dr. Sanabria cites an association between the diet in western countries and an increase in certain cancers, including colorectal.

DR. JUAN SANABRIA

“It is intuitive that the increase in breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, and colorectal cancer has to do with the behavior in western countries including diet and exercise.”

His recommendation is to sustain healthy eating habits and regular exercise and to get regular check-ups that include age and family-history-appropriate cancer screenings. A nutritionally well-balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and fiber-rich foods can significantly enhance cancer prevention.

“We should decrease the intake of red meat, sodium and trans fats—that means fries, pizza, foods like that,” Dr. Sanabria says. “You don’t have to stop eating them; just exercise moderation in the frequency of those foods.”

Exercise is also a main component to overall health, immunity and stamina. Twenty minutes of exercise once or twice a day will help the muscles with metabolic output to burn excess calories and fat in the body. Alcohol and drugs should also be avoided.

Dr. Sanabria stresses that early detection of colorectal cancer can make all the difference, especially for Hispanics, who are noted by the ACS as having lower screening rates than other groups. He advises men and women to have a colonoscopy by the age of 50, though existing conditions like ulcerative colitis or a family history of cancer or polyps indicates testing should be done earlier.

If diagnosed, it is important to remember that colorectal cancer is treatable, especially if found early.

CTCA®, with hospitals located in Phoenix, Chicago, Tulsa, Atlanta and Philadelphia, provides personalized and patient-centered care that combines clinical excellence with evidence-based integrative therapies.

“We offer esperanza (hope) to patients who come to us through treatment tailored to the individual,” says Dr. Sanabria. “We treat every patient as a whole person. Specifically for Hispanics, CTCA provides staff members who can speak their language and understand their culture.”

CTCA offers advanced genomic testing to help determine individualized treatment that may also benefit other family members and encourage those who might not otherwise seek testing to schedule a screening.

For more information visit www.cancercenter.com

TOP CHEF M E X I C O Ana Claudia Talancon

Latino Leaders staff writers Photo: Courtesy

Story by

LEADERS

MPRM to launch ¡Hola! MPRM with Inma Carbajal-Fogel

MONITOR

NBCUniversal, the modern cable channel devoted to sports and entertainment for Latinos, announced that it will release the first season of “Top Chef Mexico” on Thursday, Feb. 18 at 9 pm/8c. Under the leadership of actress Ana Claudia Talancon. The reality competition of 13 episodes, based on international franchise Top Chef series is produced by Cinemateli Content.

Professional chefs compete in various culinary challenges in each episode until judges start eliminating a chef, until the last one to be eliminated wins the coveted title of “Top Chef Mexico.”

Entertainment marketing and publicity firm MPRM Communications, a leader serving the multi-screen world of entertainment with a unique blend of advanced communication techniques, has launched ¡HOLA! MPRM and hired industry veteran Inma Carbajal-Fogel to lead the Hispanic multicultural marketing and public relations practice.

“Inma’s broad range of experience means that ¡HOLA! MPRM will be available across all of our practice offerings from film, television and home entertainment to digital media, performing arts and consumer products,” said MPRM president Mark Pogachefsky of Carbajal-Fogel, who has worked on campaigns for Ted, Bridesmaids, Despicable Me, Disney Consumer Products, Endemol Shine Latino, American Idol, Hallmark Movie Channel, Verizon, TJ Maxx and Payless.

“Having collaborated closely with Inma on many campaigns, we knew she would be a perfect fit for MPRM and the ideal person to help us launch a Hispanic marketing and public relations practice,” said Rachel McCallister, chairman, MPRM.

latinoleaders.com

Trai lblazer

Story by Eric T. Baca Photos by Kelly Williams Design by Carlos Cuevas

MÓNICA L. 42 • February / March 2016

MARTÍ N EZ

True leadership, according to Mónica L. Martínez, of Comerica Bank, is an evolution.

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n a corporate environment where executives are

increasingly expected to maintain the bottom-line while simultaneously inspiring up-and-coming leaders, being static and rigid can lead to a quick exit from the corporate ranks.

No one has ever accused Martínez of standing still. She doesn’t give them the chance.

She’s kinetic energy personified: always moving, always improving, always adapting to the challenges that come from being one of the leading young corporate executives in the country today.

This year marks her 10-year anniversary with Comerica Bank, the financial institution that calls Dallas, Texas home and headquarters. A decade in, there’s no signs of letting up. She’s moving — strategically and deliberately — forward and making sure others are coming with her.

“My leadership journey is constantly evolving,” Martínez said. “I strive to be the best at my job and constantly reevaluating what my best is and tweak it along the way. I try to flex my leadership style to the individuals with whom I am working. This allows me to leverage team strengths and helps focus on collaborative shared visions. “I believe the way we manage and collaborate with others are always strengths we can improve.”

Martínez is a rarity in today’s get-in-and-get-out corporate culture. Her decade-long tenure is twice the national average, but make no mistake, she’s right at home.

Above the average is where she’s spent her entire corporate journey, which includes working with some of the world’s biggest and most respected leaders and companies in the world.

It’s the challenges — she calls them opportunities — that keep her focused and interested.

As Senior Vice President of Texas/Arizona Corporate Contributions and National Hispanic Business Development, Martínez is charged with ensuring that the bank’s philanthropic efforts and diversity initiatives are well-positioned and well-established where Comerica does business.

And Martínez plays an integral role on the business development side as well, fostering relationships and directing outreach to potential corporate and personal banking customers. These efforts, under her guidance, have directly improved the bank’s overall profile, both as a financial and community partner. More than that, her leadership has the bank among the most respected in terms of its diversity and philanthropic strategies.

“MÓNICA IS A STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP BUILDER, WHO HAS HELPED COMERICA DEMONSTRATE THE VALUE WE PLACE ON THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.” RALPH W. BABB, JR., CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF COMERICA BANK.

In Corporate America

“Big ideas are an important part of remaining competitive in any industry, especially the financial sector. But big ideas don’t move forward without dedicated, focused leadership, which Mónica demonstrates time and time again,” said Ralph W. Babb, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Comerica Bank.

“Mónica is a strategic relationship builder, who has helped Comerica demonstrate the value we place on the communities we serve.”

That’s backed up by some serious industry accolades. Recently, the bank was recognized by several organizations for its commitment to diversity and

inclusion, supplier diversity and an increased effort to bring more Hispanics into its talent pipeline.

Last year alone, Comerica was ranked no. 2 on Diversity Inc’s 2015 Top Regional Companies; named a Latino 100 by LATINO Magazine, and one of Black Enterprise Magazine’s 40 Best Companies for Diversity.

“For me, it’s always about taking on the new challenges,” Martínez said. “The fluidity of the financial industry requires a lot of nimble thinking and innovative approaches when it comes to process and leadership. It’s definitely a constant learning experience, but it’s also been a continuous opportunity to apply my strengths and, more than anything else, empower my colleagues and team.”

A lot has changed for Martínez since she joined Comerica in 2006; her role and responsibilities have increased along with her public profile — more than a dozen magazine features, industry awards and recognition, keynote speeches and non-profit board appointments have all come her way. The accolades might be relatively more recent, but they are evidence of the consistency with which the young, proven leader approaches life.

“What I have witnessed since I met Martínez is a work ethic that is rooted not just in corporate advancement, but the advancement of those around her,” said Jim Vella, President of the Ford Motor Co. Fund. “She embodies a new paradigm of leadership, one that shows instead of tells.”

The same dedication and commitment that Martínez applies to her career, she applies to her philanthropic work.

She gives back. Not with a click of a button, but by, as she says, “rolling up [my] sleeves and getting to work.”

You get what you put in

She doesn’t believe in honorary titles or appointments. If her name is on something, she’s all in. Easy isn’t the goal. Helping improve the lives of thousands around the country is.

Currently, she serves on the non-profit boards of SER— Jobs for Progress National, The Hispanic Advisory Committee for the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan and the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. All have the common goal of empowering and elevating Hispanic leaders, current and future. Like her work for Comerica, she applies innovative and creative thinking to the limited budgets and resources that dominate non-profits.

The Girls Scouts Hispanic Advisory Committee, for instance, under her guidance, has instituted several successful initiatives to increase leadership development for minority girls, including the “Yo Puedo Ser” Career Exploration Program.

Serving K-3rd grade Girl Scouts, the program introduces the scouts to successful women from different industries. This exposes the troops early on to successful women whom they can emulate, providing a true roadmap to college and instilling the belief of what’s possible in these soon-to-be leaders.

President of SER — Jobs for Progress, Ignacio Salazar, whom Martínez has worked with as a board member for a number of years, credits her organizational, goal-driven approach to why she has been an invaluable partner in serving the non-profit community.

“Mónica brings the same tenacity and dedication to her non-profit work as she does her professional career,” Salazar said. “Her competitive advantage is that she never loses sight of the people and communities her work is serving. She leverages all of her networks, resources and talent to maximize the impact organizations like ours have. It’s why she continues to be one of the most sought after professionals in her field.”

Lead by example

You don’t get to Martínez’ level without being busy a lot, but the difference between Year 1 and Year 10 is knowing how to be smarter and more creative with time and resources, she said. You always learn to evaluate what’s worth spending time on.

For Martínez, it means making time for her mentees.

Her mentees shine as an example of what accountability and direction can provide.

One of her mentees, for instance, learned how to efficiently and effectively network from Martínez, who is a staple at the top leadership conferences around the country. The result — she netted her first corporate job right out of college.

“I want to show others the possibilities, and that there is a way to achieve what they want,” Martínez said. “If I can do it, then they most definitely can. Sometimes they just need to see that it can be done.”

44 • February / March 2016

All of it is the sum-total of Martínez’ leadership philosophy: bring others along with you, and share the lessons along the way. Doing that requires an openness to new ideas and viewpoints. Again, she deliberately seeks out more and more educational opportunities. It makes her better at her job, sure.

But, as she points out, it makes her a leader prepared for the future.

Martínez attended Eastern Michigan University for her undergraduate and graduate studies. She later attained certifications in Non-Profit Management from Duke University and Corporate Community Relations Management from Boston College.

Most recently, she graduated from Southern Methodist University’s Management Program and is certified in Diversity Management from Cornell University.

This isn’t education for education’s sake. She constantly strives to be the most prepared person at the table. Adding additional skillsets makes for a more creative, cohesive leader, and Martínez knows that better than anyone, especially when preparing to lead the next generation of corporate executives.

Reinvent yourself

“The world is constantly changing and those that don’t adapt become irrelevant,” she said. “Keeping on top of current best practices and trends are important in asserting your position as a thought leader in your industry and among your peers. Having additional knowledge can be very empowering. Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Martínez’ corporate career has been defined by a consistent ability to match solution to challenge, order to confusion and creative thinking to archaic processes. Rapidly changing demographics, new technology and a younger workforce has required novel solutions to new challenges.

“The one size fits all management style has no place in today’s workforce,” Martínez said. “There is a surge of millennials entering the workforce. As we begin to blend multiple generations, it will create a unique mix of strengths and talent.

Those companies that embrace that diversity and leverage those differences will be in the best position to compete in today’s global economy.”

And at the start of 2016, that’s where Martínez has placed herself: in a position to ensure that Comerica is poised to compete among even the largest financial institutions. She is quick to highlight that her business and work are about relationships first and foremost, and it’s about genuinely knowing and serving the communities around her. This means meeting them where they are and using data to back it up.

For instance, Martínez led the push for Comerica to develop a Spanish-language version of the bank’s website. Immediately, the site was available to the bank’s current Spanish-speaking customers, and showcased the bank as a forward-thinking company that’s razor-focused on the future.

With the Hispanic population approaching 60 million, decisions like this aren’t just about customer service. More and more, these innovations are increasingly smart business. Innovation isn’t always about developing new technology; it’s about finding new ways to reach and serve customers.

The challenge of being better

“In the past, when I saw the need for a process or efficiency I would create it, she said. “During good economic times it’s much easier

“I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT CHALLENGES ARE WHAT MAKES US BETTER PEOPLE AND BETTER LEADERS. THAT’S BEEN TRUE AT THE START OF MY CAREER, AND IT’S TRUE NOW.” MÓNICA L. MARTÍNEZ

because budgets are plentiful. Since the economic downturn, doing more with less is everybody’s mantra.”

This is one of many examples of what others have dubbed her ‘creative pragmatism’ — the ability to find the solution in the midst of shrinking budgets and greater demands on her time.

She’s learned the ins and outs of balancing her responsibilities to the corporate bottom line and the need for the corporation to have a strong, authentic presence in the communities where they do business.

“My role is very much an intersection of business development, corporate philanthropy and diversity management,” Martínez said. “And that makes sense, when you think about trust, and how

important that is when people select a financial partner. We are only of value to our customers if we are also investing and fostering growth in the community.”

Ten years in, Martinez still is not looking for the easy road.

Delegation is a necessary word for any leader, but she’s not just in a chair pushing out emails.

Balance is easier, she says. But the challenge of it all is part of the fun and what keeps her looking to the next decade of opportunity and growth.

“I have always believed that challenges are what make us better people and better leaders,” she said. “That’s been true at the start of my career, and it’s true now.”

Story by Jacobo Bautista Photos by Roberto Tetlalmatzin Design by Carlos Cuevas Translation by Pamela Rogers

Life is good for

Mario Life is made up of a series of decisions, or at least that is how Mario understands it, knowing which opportunities to take advantage of and which to let slide by.

46 • February / March 2016

Guevara Chief Executive Officer of the BIC Group.

I

n his case,

he resisted an interview with the Director of Resources of BIC México until he finally accepted. He ended up partnering with Bruno Bich, which was the beginning of an adventure of a lifetime, which has led to managing more than 18,000 people working in 60 countries.

Studying chemical engineering was the right choice for Mario who had grown up in a family of engineers.

After graduating from the UNAM, he completed his master’s at the IPADE and entered the Condumex Group “in the area of corporate finances, which has a lot of visibility among those companies that make up this great industrial group.”

From the Condumex Group, where he worked just over five years, he went over to Moulinex, a French manufacturer of small household appliances, which recently was acquired by SEB, says Mario.

“I was the Vice President of Finance and Administration of Moulinex Mexico and Central America. Then I got a telephone call from Tomás Fischer, Human Resources Director at BIC who wanted to know if I would interview with them.”

With a lot of projects and work ahead of him, Guevara told his old colleague from the Condumex Group that he was not looking for work, but the human resources director insisted. “So that he would stop calling me, I told him that we should meet over coffee.

In turn, he proposed that I get acquainted with BIC Mexico and wanted to take me to the United States to their factories.”

He accepted the offer to go to the United States where his first interview was with Bruno Bich, the heir of Marcel Bich (1914-1994), BIC’s founder. “As it turned out, the interview was at his house in Greenwich, Connecticut. I arrived and said ‘What is this!’” he recalled with a huge smile.

to which I would then reply ‘how is this going to be any use to me in life?’. I now see how it helped me learn another language.”

Following Bruno Bich’s mission to renovate the company, Mario Guevara’s group “began showing good results and when you show better results in one direction and poor results in another, it is the opposite. As the results were good, they told me to “take over Central America and the Caribbean.”

To his French classes, he added Portuguese because my boss arrived and told me, that he need me to take over South America from an office in Brazil. Again, he consulted his wife and after negotiating Portuguese classes for her and himself, went off to manage the Southern Cone for the company.

Again the lessons his professor taught him paid off and in one of São Paulo’s suburbs, he had experiences he describes as complicated, knowing that “the plane ticket of an ex-patriate is only one-way, you don’t know when you’ll come back or if you ever will.”

Brazil represented “a different culture, a different work culture, with tremendous potential but that also required a leadership change as it had been very successful in the past but the management group was aging and there was no clear succession in the group.”

Steps

The secret, if there ever was one, is that in every position he has tackled in the positions he has held with BIC worldwide, Mario has tried to be authentic. “The key has been to not fake it, know who you are, know what you like, and if you do not like something know that there are many options in this world. The company’s values are also my own personal values. It has been positive for my professional career that what I propose in my personal life is the same as what I propose and seek to model at work.”

Languages Mario asked his boss to keep him in Brazil for at least three The interview with Bruno Bich was at the beginning of the years so that his efforts paid off, and at the end of the term they decade of the 90s. After seeing the plants in the state of gave him the management of the entire continent and a transfer Connecticut, he decided to join BIC Mexico. In all of the to the United States. professional decisions he has made, Mario Very reluctantly, his wife accepted the new Guevara adds “I talked it over with my wife,” change after assimilating Brazil’s society with all “we both decided,” or something to that its similarity to her own. But the move to New effect and with the opportunity of growing England “was very difficult to the point of almost THE HOUSE in the company, world renowned for its destroying my marriage or tearing oneself apart After directing BIC Mexico ballpoint pens, he joined in 1992 as Finance inside.” He accepts that “it wasn’t easy, but what for several years, Mario and Director of BIC Mexico. doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” his wife searched for a house “In less than a year, Bruno Bich honored his in the country to pass the Europe and the World promise and I took over as General Director of weekends outside of Mexico After surviving New England, turning in BIC Mexico,” he relates. He adds that since his City. They had already signed good results, and becoming one of those time at Moulinex he has studied French as major a contract when the offer to go executives visible by upper management, decisions were made in meetings where French to Brazil came, and they could Bruno Bich offered him the charge of taking was spoken. not finalize it. In Brazil he had over worldwide operations.

He draws a smile remembering Professor also started to find a house for The reasoning was simple – he had already Pontones, “a very demanding and strict teacher, I the weekends when the offer been in charge of an entire continent, had remember how he made us conjugate all the verb came to head up operations produced good results, and now it was all tenses - present perfect, past perfect, subjunctivefor the entire continent.

WHO IS HE?

Mario Guevara Born September 10, 1959 Chemical Engineer, UNAM, Masters in Business Administration, IPADE

“MANY TIMES AS A BOSS I TELL MY TEAM: ‘I HAD A DREAM’ BUT NOT THE DREAM OF THE BOSS WHO IS THE COMPANY’S NIGHTMARE. I THINK THE KEY IS TO DREAM SO THAT THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION REALIZES THAT DREAM WITH YOU.” about taking charge of the other half. But this time Mario made a demand: “I’ll take charge of the operations but I’ll stay where I’m living now. I have traveled a lot since I went to work for BIC Mexico. I took the next step and in 2006 they nominated me COO, Chief Operating Officer, and I accepted. Of course, the decision was very important professionally although the level of stress also increased. I told myself let’s see how much stress I can take.”

Guevara accepts that he developed his own set of skills but it was others who trusted his talent and work, and Mario recognized his own potential. Two years afterwards, Mario also doubted that he could take on the responsibility when, for reasons of best practices of corporative governance, Group BIC separated the positions of Chairman of the Board and the General Manager. In 48 • February / March 2016

the first position Bruno Bich remained and in the second the Board designated Mario, “they made the change and I became the CEO of the company.” It is not a joke when Guevara recognizes that “he fooled himself” thinking that the new position would only demand slightly more than the others – it was much more responsibility but someone else knew he could do it.

“I’ve never turned away from challenges, always if someone trusts you and they push you, why not? I am grateful for my boss after all these years because he saw more potential in me that I thought I had.” He ends the interview saying that his career “is a lesson for managers who inspire others. Many times we do not know someone’s potential. It is an art to bring it out, sometimes all you need is just a little push.”

Mario Guevara is now the General Manager of a French multinational that employs 18,000 workers in 60 countries and has a presence in more than one hundred. Today he is concerned with not only selling pens and lighters but with leaving a solid base for the person who will follow in his footsteps and keep building success.

The Latino

agenda

What it means to be

Latino Second part of an interview with author

Richard Rodríguez RICHARD RODRÍGUEZ, 1982.

Story by: Joseph Treviño

I

n our second of two-part interview with Richticulturalism and its respectful of variety that in this ard Rodríguez, America’s best essayist holds country you don’t have to be Anglo, you don’t have nothing back. to be French, you can be Cambodian and be truly COURTESY OF RANDOM HOUSE, Born in Sacramento, California, in 1944, Canadian, that is what multiculturalism expresses.

FROM HUNGER OF MEMORY. Rodríguez became part of American literature In the American classrooms now multiculturalism is with Hunger of Memory, his autobiography about growing basic to the way a schooling gets conducted because there will be up in both worlds, telling us the price one has to pay for be- 70, 80, 90 language groups in the school, so everyone talks about coming assimilated; the loss of family, the vicissitudes of lone- the school as being multicultural. Well I’m not Canadian, my unliness, the growing pains of leaving the womb of a private, derstanding of life comes from Mexico, and Mexico’s notion was a homely life for the brusque, often savage arms of a public one. much more erotic notion that is that people fall in love with each An essayist for PBS, a former opinion writer for the Los other. Or people rape each other, or people go on dates and end Angeles Times and for many magazines, Rodríguez is currently up with a baby that they didn’t intend. That there is an erotic energy promoting Darling, a Spiritual Autobiography. in the world, not simply battles, but also romance. Latin America Latino Leaders caught up with Mr. Rodríguez at his home in San is a sensual place. Much concerned with music and food because Francisco. Our publication has done thousands of interviews lately that is how people exist. Nobody says to you today let’s go to a in search of what it means to be Latino, of a Latino agenda (if there is Canadian restaurant tonight, what would this Canadian restaurant one) and where we should go from here. serve? They would serve water, lots of good clean water. But people In our second part (the first part was published in our October- say lets go to a Mexican restaurant even if they don’t like Mexican.

November, 2015 issue), Rodríguez talks about Latino sensuality, our Because Mexico has a taste to it, it has its own spices. So when rabid adherence to family and why we are perishing due to fear. these cultures come to this country they are bringing with them a different notion of society, not multicultural, but a culture of society JT - There seems to be racism as a non-going thing in the history in that is sensual and can be eaten, smelled and touched and admired the US where are we going as a country in this issue? physically. There are a lot of Canadians and show business who are RR - There is dialectic in America between Canada and Mexico comics for very interesting reasons like Jim Carrey for example, a and the two directions of both countries as they play on us. From Canadian, and part of their comedy is that they impersonate AmeriCanada we got multiculturalism. Canada invented multiculturalism cans, you never hear their Canadianisms. They become Americans, and is a very liberal notion Pierre Elliott Trudeau came up with mul- they tell jokes about us. Latin Americans who become famous in 49 • February / March 2016

JT - Javier Palomarez, the President of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was saying we are not seen as intelligent brainy, we are seen as losers, high school dropouts, gangsters, teen pregnant young ladies, that is the impression that people get from us. Why? RR - It may be true. It may be that our tradition of family is so strong that we can’t get into the swing of the individual in this country and we want to have children when we are 18 or we discourage the girl from going to the university because she has no business leaving the family, she is going to be a mother anyway. Or it may be that as we become successful we tend not to think of ourselves as Latinos. This all may be the case, but I’m not sure this is going to be the case in the future. You don’t become Jewish writers in America overnight. You have a relationship to language that is very different from the relationship that you and I were raised in. For example, my friends of mine in Mexico are judios (jews) you can be a judio and a mexicano at the same time, but when I go to a Jewish Bart mitzvah for example what the boy or girl are doing is joining the larger community with words, with her tongue and mastering of the sacred language. That is a very different tradition than ours at confirmation for example. Where we silently give our allegiance to our religion. What we essentially do is we give our allegiance to an order or to an authority. What the Jew does is that he joins the community with his voice. and that is a very deep difference from the religion I was raised in. I don’t know where I got my voice, my mother said I always had a big mouth, where that came from I do not know because my father was very quiet. But I was attracted to Jews, Jewish writers, Jewish friends of mine in college, not to Latinos and to the argument, to the humor, the noise of being, and I think you can learn those things. I think those things can be acquired.

The Economist Magazine, two issues ago had this report from Mexico that was more optimistic than not, but it noticed something about us that I suspected but that I had never seen in print. It noticed that there are certain populations that are not so much mixed, more indigenous populations. For example in Oaxaca, and that certain 50 • February / March 2016

3.

show business tend to be very sensual creatures who CO, FRANCIS amuse us with their accent like Ricky Ricardo. But there , IN SAN Z E U ÍG R ROD RICHARDR 2015. is a whole group now who play with their accents, and OCTOBE the maid in the Beverly Hills movies who is cooking when mama and papa are away from the kids. We exert an influence over the culture that is very sensual. So when you ask about our influence on the culture it is at the very basic level of what we are eating and drinking. I go all over the world and people are drinking Mexican beer. In Tokyo people are eating Mexican food. We have every influence on the culture except political. If you look for us in the political we are not there, but if you look for us within the family where our political energies are now the school board because mothers are interested in the education their children are getting or not getting. In the commissions for homeless people in the way we treat migrants that is where our politics are right now. We are not running for president right now, we don’t have that kind of political savvy for various reasons. But we are at every level priests, ministers, undertakers, singers and janitors. We are right in the center of the culture, and for people to say we don’t exist we are exactly at the center of it. I was interviewing a skinhead many years ago who hated Mexicans, this was long before Donald Trump, who wanted not a fence between our countries but to dredge the border and put piranha fish in there so that they would eat the Mexicans coming across the border. We were sitting in a cafe and I said do you want go get something to eat and he said yeah and I said what would you like to eat? I thought he would want hamburger and he said I want some Mexican food.

COV MAG ER OF AZI NE, LATINO 101 EDI LEADER TION S OF 201

Two of two parts

UARTE.

RACIA D

ERMO G

Y GUILL PHOTO B

JT - After all these years what has been your motivating factor?

RR - Well I have always wanted to write about the

world in complicated ways and wanted to amuse people with words and talk about how wonderful ideas are, how extraordinary ideas are. I guess my disappointment now is due to the fact that people don’t read anymore. My grievance against Hispanics is that my work is not acknowledge, it is not studied very much. I don’t matter among Hispanics; they want something of a different sort. There are now Hispanic writers who sell very widely and well, but they are offering humor, sexuality a bravado that is different from what I want. So my audience is relatively small. I’m grateful for my audience. I was for 18 years on public television in America, I would not have been in television in Mexico, not anyone with my face. I’m grateful to America. Most of the people who know me on the street are not Latinos. That is just the way it is. Maybe I was born too early; maybe I was born too late. I am not going to live long enough to see what maybe my niece, who loves Spanish and loves Mexico will see or maybe her children will see: a world where this conversation will seem dated, a world in which her grandchildren will assume that they live on a map between north and south. The other day I was in my hotel room and noticed the weather report because there was this hurricane forming of the Bahamas. What I noticed all the time is that there is no Mexico on the map and there is no Canada on the map. The United States floats like a balloon in open space. The only time you mention Mexico or Canada is when a blast of cold Canadian air comes down and meets a hot rush of air from the Gulf of Mexico and creates a hurricane over Kansas and Judy Garland goes floating into the sky. America sees itself as a north-south country; east-west country and we are a southern people. We don’t quite fit into the mythology yet. The only Americans who see themselves as north-south wise are southerners. Most northerners who live in the southern appraisal in the north see themselves as easterners or mid-westerners, and we see ourselves in this part of the country as westerners and most Mexicans call this place “el norte” so we are not even living in the same map, our mythologies are not even the mythologies that govern America so it is going to take a long, long time for the re-orientation of the imagination into these new directions. Maybe it is going to come with the churches because the Protestant future in America comes from the south. Clearly as the Catholic future is coming in a Spanish speaking jolt from the south too, maybe that is the only thing right now that seems to recognize that there is this north-south trajectory.

Otherwise we still live and applaud politicians who promise us a wall between Ontario and Michigan. It is uncertainty what we are being offered in this country, we who pretended to be a world civilization, and the reason why we are dying is because we are afraid.

“Otherwise we still liv between Ontario ane and applaud politicians who promis offered in this coun d Michigan. It is uncertainty what w e us a wall try, we w e are bei and the reason why ho pretended to be a world civilizati ng on we are dying is bec ause we are afraid.”,

companies like German auto makers had discovered that the productivity rate in some of their companies in Mexico where there is a large indigenous population that they are working at the same level of productivity as say South Koreans are. And that one of the suspicions in Mexico right now is linguistic. That these societies which are not primarily Spanish speaking but speak Indian dialects, which entomologically resemble Asian tongues, which are tone in their grammar. The way I would speak to you is not simply with words, but I would speak to you in tones, that is the way we communicate. That their productivity and their scientific awareness of all might be linguistic. We don’t even think about that sometimes.

You want to get to MIT then learn Chinese learn a different language. What I liked about Carlos Salinas de Gortari when he was president, despite the fact that he was as corrupt as any other Mexican was that he went to Japan. There was a realization among a certain level of Mexican society that Asia was the key to this success and that there were within linguistic enclaves within the culture related to problem solving that we didn’t have within Spanish, but I just give that as a suggestion. There clearly is some difference. Why do I go to colleges and meet so many Latinos who want to be lawyers. and I keep saying to them, listen you come from a civilization, they are Peruvian, they are Mexican, they are Guatemalan, your ancestors created pyramids at a time where the Egyptians were living in mud huts. You came from a civilization of engineers why do you all want to be lawyers?

The reason why they want to be lawyers is that they come from families who did not have public voices and the “licenciado” did have the public voice. He could speak out he could make his voice heard. My father never spoke in public; he didn’t have a very good English voice. My older brother became a lawyer and in some way became the public voice his father did not have. But we have forgotten to tell our children, that we were long before Cortes or Pizarro, we were engineers, we were architects and we created some of the most lasting stone civilizations. Even after the civilizations of people died the stone monuments they created survive even now. The idea that all we can be is lawyers is ridiculous, we have to rediscover who we are.

EVENTS

EXCELLENCE ROUNDTABLE LOS ANGELES

STORY BY CESAR ARREDONDO PHOTOS BY FRANK DEL CORRAL

Spreading wealth and knowledge in T

in the Latino community.

here is a shortage of Hispanics in the U.S. millionaires’ club and businessman Carlos Muñiz says there is a plan to solve it.

“We want to help create 100 new Latino millionaires in the next 10 years,” says enthusiastically Muñiz, vice president of the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a tone of urgency also in his voice. He made the statement recently at a very appropriate gathering in the heart of downtown Los Angeles.

About 20 business owners, bankers and other financial experts from around Southern California were invited by Jorge Ferraez of Latino Leaders Magazine to precisely explore the formulas to successfully grow wealth and spread that knowledge in the Latino community.

While Latinos represent 17 percent of the nation’s population, they barely comprise 7 percent of U.S millionaires. “We have got to increase our numbers among America’s upper class,” stated Ferraez, who has been busy traveling throughout the country bringing together Latino leaders who might hold the key to such goal. His publication is ready to feature the stories of new millionaires in the making, he added.

Those stories could well come from some of the business people that were present at the Latino Leaders’ meeting in a exclusive room of the Los Angeles Times building.

Among them were Leo and Teresa Razo, owners of Villa Roma Restaurant. Located in the city of Laguna Hills, the popular eatery specializes in Argentine and Italian cuisine and is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Now the Razos have plans to open a new location soon.

Who knows? The Latino millionaires of tomorrow might not even know at this moment they will eventually start their own business.

52 • February / March 2016

Either way, experts agreed that Latinos need to be financially literate to have better chances of achieving success and making it rich.

With that in mind, Olivia Galicia Glauber started the Financially Fit Foundation to offer workshops on how to manage money both personally and in business.

Financial discipline is a must, she said.

Choosing the right bank is also important, according to Robert Villaseñor.

He takes pride in working for a community bank that he said offers a more personalized service to small and medium size businesses than the bigger banks.

“We are interested in taking Latino business owners to the next level,” said the vice president at ProAmerica Bank.

Attending the meeting were also university representatives, elected officials and business consultants. They included Denise M. Gutierrez, director of the development at the College of Business and Economics of Cal State Los Angeles, Councilwoman Victoria Martinez of the City of El Monte, business consultant Gilbert Buchanan of Buchanan & Associates, and Carlos Garcia, corporate vice president of New York Life, a sponsor of the event.

Ferraez expressed confidence that the Latino community will succeed in generating a new generation of entrepreneurs that could include “the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs.”

JORGE FERRAEZ, PUBLISHER OF LATINO LEADERS MAGAZINE.

CELIA MOTA, CHAIRWOMAN AT CALIFORNIA HISPANIC CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE FOUNDATION.

MARLENE MARROQUIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. CARLOS GARCIA, CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT OF NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE.

BERTA MONTOYA, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE FOR THE LATINO MARKET, NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE.

latinoleaders.com

The 101 Most Influential Latinos

THE 101 MOST

INFLUENTIAL LATINOS 2015 ANNUAL LUNCHEON ROUNDTABLE WASHINGTON - For a second year in a row, Latino Leaders Magazine organized in November its Annual Luncheon Roundtable in Washington, DC celebrating the publication of its 2015’s issue featuring the list of the “101 Most Influential Latinos” in the country.

By José Díaz Briseño Photos by Laurie DeWitt

54 • February / March 2016

A

t the historic Willard Intercontinental Hotel and with the support of JPMorgan Chase & Co., this year’s gathered 12 of the most distinguished Latino leaders from a wide arrange of fields –from law enforcement to healthseeking ways to multiply their influence.

“I often believe that in order to become it you have to see it to believe it. So others need to know that you all paved the way and the path forward”, said Rodney Hood, the National Corporate Responsibility Manager at JPMorgan Chase & Co. Hosted by Jorge Ferráez, Founder and Publisher of Latino Leaders magazine, the discussion was centered on the things that the leaders need to reach the top posts in the ladder in a way that inspires and helps young leaders to have as role models.

“We have this thesis: If we create more leaders and we promote leaders to become successful, then the Latino community will become successful itself”, said Ferráez, reminding that the luncheon featured wine from Latino producers in the West.

Considering that for many people in the country the only information they have about the Latino community is what is provided by some media channels. Leaders at the luncheon agreed that along with role models, facts and actions matter.

The 101 Most Influential Latinos

DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO MERRIAM-WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY: THE POWER OR ABILITY TO LEAD OTHER PEOPLE. 56 • June 2013 56 • October February // November March 2016 2015

But, what exactly were the recommendations of the participants in this event considering the bad rap that Latinos have had to endure during the past years.

“What do you need in order to advance yourselves and with your advancement pull your group further up?”, said Ferráez, who came to DC from Dallas to host the event.

In addition to those quoted below, other participants in the dialogue were: Lisette Garcia, Senior Director at the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), Attorney Michael A. Ramos

from The Ramos Group and Frank López, VP of Corporate Development at ALPFA. “We are a very small group. There’s only been 5% since the 1970’s, so we know our work is to find those leaders, and also to help train the non-Hispanic healthcare leaders and professionals about how to take care of our communities in a more respectful culturally competent way.” -

Elena Ríos, President, CEO National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA).

X

THE EVENT CELEBRATES THE PUBLICATION OF ITS 2015’S ISSUE FEATURING THE LIST OF THE “101 MOST INFLUENTIAL LATINOS” IN THE COUNTRY.

X

Guests enjoyed great tasting delicacies.

The most influential Latinos exchanged thoughts about leadership and progress.

Rodney Hood, National Corporate Responsibility Manager at JP Morgan Chase & Co. greets some of the guests.

“I do agree that we can’t become leaders until we elevate people. One of the blessings I’ve had in Dallas is that I am well known and the poorest of the people would always say to me, ‘I know you were poor. And so you’ve done it so can my children.” -

Lupe Valdez, Sheriff of Dallas County, Texas.

“We are all doing amazing and important work, but to the point that was made earlier there isn’t one laser focus

latinoleaders.com

The 101 Most Influential Latinos David Hayes Bautista from UCLA talking to Elena Rios, President of the National Hispanic Medical Association.

Andre Arbelaez, President of the Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC).

Lupe Valdez, Sherriff of Dallas County, Texas.

We thank the support of

concrete initiative that we are all working on and in my opinion it’s the vote, it has to be the vote. Because absent of that, a lot of this stuff will never happen and we won’t get another bite at that apple at least until 4 years.”- Javier

Palomárez, President and CEO, US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC).

The guests enjoyed wine from the following wineries:

“Up there on the Hill if they are not afraid of you, or what you might do, and usually this means votes, we keep electing people who fail us. That has to stop.

It’s the only thing they would pay attention to. So I, think as a community and because we are not homogeneous, but that shouldn’t matter.” - Alicia Díaz,

Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

“We have our own history of leadership in this country. We need to understand it ourselves. Then we can share it with the rest of the country. But since we are recruiting Latino leaders, maybe we need to make sure people understand that there have been hundreds of Latinos Charles P. Garcia, CEO of ALPFA.

58 • June 2013 58 • October February // November March 2016 2015

X

X

Lisette Garcia, representing HACR.

“The labor is a lot tighter than people think in this country. There are so many seniors retiring, but unfortunately the whites control the political process. So the one key that we really have that I want to focus on (besides we are consuming a hundred billion a year every year) is the control of the labor.” - Charles P. García,

Chief Executive, Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA).

Antonio Tijerino, President & CEO, Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF).

“I’m on the board of the National PTA (Parent Teacher Association) I’m just rolling off, I am one of 30, yet representing one of four students in the country. It is just extremely important that you represent the community and that you are a voice.” - José Anto-

nio Tijerino, President & CEO, Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF).

“WE HAVE THIS THESIS: IF WE CREATE MORE LEADERS AND WE PROMOTE LEADERS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL, THEN THE LATINO COMMUNITY WILL BECOME SUCCESSFUL ITSELF.” Jorge Ferráez,

publisher of Latino Leaders magazine.

men and women for centuries in this country that is now called the United States. We have laid the foundations.”

- David Hayes-Bautista, Director of the Center for the Study of Latino Health and Culture at the School of Medicine, UCLA.

“We are very fragmented. Every time we do an event sometimes I’m the only Latino to attend. We have to tell that story and we have to constantly support each other.” - Andre Arbelaez, Presi-

dent, Hispanic IT Council (HITEC).

Executive

Latino winemakers - Roland Herrera from Mi Sueno Winery and Amelia Ceja Vineyards.

latinoleaders.com

The man from Accenture

Pedro García

Managing Director of Financial Services, Client Lead North America of Accenture.

Story by: Eric Moreno

P

Courtesy photo

edro García is the Managing Director of Financial Services, Client Lead North America, one of the leading professional service firms in the world specializing in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. García, a native of Venezuela, has over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, primarily in software development.

“All my life, I thought that I was going to be a doctor,” he explained. “One day I got up and said to myself,‘I need to do something.’I was always good with numbers and I started getting interested in engineering. I applied to a very good university in Venezuela and, five years later, I got into computer engineering.”

60 • February / March 2016

“WHEN YOU REALLY FOCUS, AND YOU HAVE THE TOOLS, AND YOU UTILIZE TEAMWORK, GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.”

He has used this experience, as well as his drive for innovation and passion for technology, to help guide his company to become a global leader in the industry.

“I wanted to learn and travel. I joined Accenture in 1985 and have been a consultant for 27 years and worked in 15 different countries with them,” he said.

“One of the great aspects of our company is that we move people around. That way they can gain experience and work in different environments, and that is what our clients want.”

García’s travels took him to Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Perú, Ecuador and many other Latin American countries. In his role as a consultant with the company, he has been afforded not only the luxury of travel, but also the ability to continuously grow and learn.

“In 2005, I became responsible for our portfolio of clients in Latin America,” he said. “During that time, our business interests in Latin America grew by 40 percent. We worked with all these financial players; each of our clients has a particular strategy and we help implement them.”

In his role, García was tasked with seeking out and recruiting talent in the communities in which he worked and traveled and brought them on board.

He was also asked to identify the different needs of each of his markets. It was a difficult undertaking, but it was one that García greatly relished.

“The beginning [of this process] is always difficult,” he explained. “You have to do a lot of selling.

You have to sell Accenture to these organizations.

You also have to make sure you have people from different backgrounds, but also that these people share the same core values and asset methodology.

This means that we can hire a person and that person can work in any environment.”

As a Latino, García has been fortunate to find himself working for a company that not only encourages diversity, but celebrates it. It has been a philosophy that has truly benefited him in his career and has allowed him to achieve many of his professional goals.

“I travel a lot as part of my role in dealing with global responsibilities,” he explained. “I wanted to focus on my career and making sure myself and my team were successful. When you really focus, and you have the tools, and you utilize teamwork, good things happen.”

STORY BY STAFF OF LATINO LEADERS PHOTOS BY LAURIE DEWITT

WEALTH CREATION WASHINGTON D.C.

EVENTS

Wealth

Creators of

Washington D.C. On November 11, nearly 20 entrepreneurs and business owners gathered at the sophisticated Willard Inter-Continental Hotel in Washington D.C., to be a part of this year’s Wealth Creation – Washington D.C. Chapter.

Jorge Ferraez, publisher of Latino Leaders magazine, gave a brief introduction and mentioned the importance that Latinos have in today’s business world to create businesses and become successful wealth creators.

During the event, guests introduced themselves and their companies/firms and shared their success stories and visions, as well as the challenges they face in today’s competitive financial world. The majority of the invitees gave recommendations on creating start-up companies and reflected on this year’s demanding market.

DEYANIRA FERRAEZ HEAD OF THE WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICE FOR LATINO LEADERS MAGAZINE WITH GABRIEL BUSTAMANTE, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF 2U AND FRANCISCO GONZALEZ COS FROM 3 DAYS IN DC.

latinoleaders.com

EVENTS

WEALTH CREATION WASHINGTON D.C.

STORY BY STAFF OF LATINO LEADERS PHOTOS BY LAURIE DEWITT WILLARD INTER-CONTINENTAL HOTEL

MAURICIO FRAGA ROSENFELD FROM LATIN CONCEPTS. CARLA IGUINA, OWNER OF MIO RESTAURANT.

RUBEN OLMOS FROM GLOBAL NEXUS.

CO-HOST DAVID BATEL FROM METLIFE ADDRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF WEALTH MANAGEMENT.

GUIDO LARA, PRESIDENT OF LEXIA.

62 • February / March 2016

JOSEFINA URZAIZ CEO HAMMOCK BOUTIQUE

MARGARITA R SANCHEZ, DISAN LEGAL PARTNER.

FRANCISCO SERRANO FROM 121 CORPORATION.

ANDRES ECHEVERRI FROM ACSI TRANSLATIONS.

FRANCISCO GONZALEZ COS FROM 3 DAYS IN DC.

DURING THE EVENT, GUESTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES ABOUT WEALTH CREATION.

latinoleaders.com

LATINO LEADERS @JFerraez_Latino

SHARING GOOD TIMES WITH FRIENDS

R

ECENTLY, a good friend invited us to their home for dinner. I remember vividly that the $1.2 billion winning ticket was up for grabs that Saturday night. So naturally the conversation turned into what if we were to win the lottery, what would we do with it? We all agreed that most likely the grand total amount would end up running our lives. While conversing about possibly winning the ticket, we were zipping and enjoying great tasting wine.

Soon after, the dessert arrived, a Red Berry Napoleon and Cream. My friend Mark, the host, asks if we would like to try a dessert wine, and everybody gladly agreed. So he returned from his cellar carrying a shiny bottle of 1986 Chateau D’Yquem. Wow! It had been quite some years since I tried a 1999 and previous to that a 2001. “I got this bottle before I got married and I still have another one in the cellar,” Mark confessed. I was pleasantly surprised and I appreciated his gesture for sharing such high quality of wine with us.

Mark’s wife, not fully aware of the caliber of the wine said, “really, has that wine been sitting there for that long? I didn’t know that, why didn’t we open it before?” The guests drank the D’Yquem like it was another sweet wine. Of course, for me it was a glorious moment and when the bottle of D’Yquem was opened, notes of honey, candied apricots and violet exploded from the glass, silky textured with a perfect balance of sweetness. It was one of the most elegant wines I have tried, classy, with a delicious aftertaste of maple syrup and crystalized pineapple. A great wine to share with some good friends.

64 • February / March 2016

CELLAR

Bodegas Garcia Figuero Family “Tnto Figuero 15” 2008

(Bought at a discounted price on a local mom and pop wine shop) Region: Spain, Ribera del Duero Varietal: Tempranillo Price: $ 29.99 Aromas: Chocolate and red fruit Flavors: Currant, plum Impression: Rich and Complex Structure: Bold, big body Drink with: Roasted Pork, Meatballs, Roasted Duck Why I loved this wine? Spectacular richness My Rating: 94 pts.

Zuccardi “Tito” La Consulta 2010 (Got it on a Latin restaurant in Dallas) Region: Mendoza, Argentina Varietal: Malbec Price: $ 35 Aromas: Red candy, vanilla, cherries Flavors: Red ripe fruit, chocolate, blackberry compote Impression: Balanced, sweet tanins Structure: Medium Body Drink with: Grilled Fajitas with Chimichurri sauce. Why I loved this wine? Its fruitiness My Rating: 89 pts.

Yering Station Chardonnay 2008 (Got it on a local store) Region: Yarra Valley, Australia Varietal: Chardonnay Price: $ 23 Aromas: Pineapple, Kiwi, Vanilla Flavors: Guava, tropical fruit, spice Impression: Elegant, crisp Structure: Creamy Drink with: White fish dishes, oysters on the shell Why I loved this wine?

Flowery and tropical fruit flavors My Rating: 90 pts.