Latino Leaders Magazine | Dec/Jan 2014

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latinos in

EnErgyArciliA AcostADAviD HernAnDezvictor G. cArrilloDorene DominGuezJose BrAvoJose PerezmAuricio GutierrezrAfAel floresruDy GArzADAviD moreno

what the future holds for the next generation of latinos wanting to be part of the ever-growing “revolution” of energy.

December 2013 - January 2014Vol. 14 No. 7

CONTENTS DECEmbEr 2013 / JaNuary 2014

38COVER STORY:

Latinos in EnergyIn this special section of Latino Leaders, we have gathered some of the biggest names in the energy sector such as Arcilia Acosta, David Hernandez and

Alberto Daire, among others, to share their insight on how increasingly important the energy field is becoming in the United States. We have created a breakdown of the areas you need to be familiar with to understand

this rapidly-growing set of resources.

2 • December 2013 / January 2014

26

5222 ERGs: Employee Resource Groups (or ERGs) are becoming increasingly popular at major companies such as Kraft, Metlife, AT&T and ING. These groups allow employees to connect with others who share similar hobbies or beliefs, ethnicities or sexual orien-tations. Today, ERGs are helping employers weigh in on key issues in the workplace to better serve their valued employees. Learn about the different aspects of ERGs from Michael J. Chamberlain, Vice President of Brand Management and Events for Catalyst.

30 Alzate: Chicago-based neurosurgeon, Dr. Juan Alzate, is spearheading “The Six Pillar Approach” in minimally-invasive brain surgery at Cancer Treat-ment Centers of America, and his innovative proce-dure is gaining more attention by the day. Normally the terms “minimally-invasive” and “brain surgery” wouldn’t appear in the same sentence, but Dr. Al-zate is determined to make it the norm through con-tinued research and education.

52 Tobón: President of Diners Club International, Eduardo Tobón knows the keys to success: mentor-ship, hard work and networking. Not to mention, Tobón has fully embraced the digital age with heavy reliance on social media and cyber communication. Now in his new residence of Chicago, Tobón is settled in and continuing to grow the nation’s oldest credit card company.

60 Natalicio: After 25 years of being the first fe-male President of The University of Texas at El Paso, Dr. Diana Natalicio admits that she didn’t always feel like someone who’d end up in the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. After gaining self-confidence and travel-ling the world, Natalicio developed the qualities she needed to embrace her role at UTEP, leading the way for it to become one of the state’s leading research institutions.

EvENTs CovERAGE

74 Maestro: Dallas78 Wealth Creation Series: Los Angeles

IN EvERy IssuE

06 Publisher’s Letter08 Editor’s Letter14 Featured Winemaker: Maldonado Wines 20 Lexus Luminaries 80 What is Jorge Ferraez Drinking?

CONTENTS DECEmbEr 2013 / JaNuary 2014


T


PublisherJorge Ferraez

[email protected]

President & CEO Raul Ferraez

[email protected]

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino (ISSN 1529-3998) is published seven times annually by Ferraez Publications of America Corp., 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA, September 2013. Subscription rates: In U.S. and possessions, one year $15.00. Checks payable to Ferraez Publications of America, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA. POSTMAS-TER: Send address changes to Latino Leaders, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA.© 2001 by Ferraez Publications of America Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino. The periodical’s name and logo, and the various titles and headings therein, are trademarks of Ferraez Publica-tions of America Corp.

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Latino LeadersThe National Magazine of the Successful American Latino

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PublisherJorge Ferraez

President and CEORaul Ferraez

Editor-in-Chief: Sara Pintilie

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Director of Journalism: Mariana Gutierrez

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Connecting Leaders, Inspiring the Future

The year comes to an end, with our eyes and minds already on the next one. It has been a good year for Latino Leaders and we want to say a BIG thank you to you, our very dear reader and follower.

LATINOS IN ENERGYThis edition represents a lot for us; it presents the first-ever “Latinos

in Energy” feature that we edit. The idea came to us back in May, while in a meeting with our good friend Arcilia Acosta, CEO of CarCon Industries in Dallas. What was supposed to be a meeting about her ended up being a fascinating class on her expertise: Energy. With a marker in hand, she drew a rough map of the United States and started drawing lines and circles where the different types of oil fields and fracking and the big players and …we ended talking about the whole energy sector and future. This edition was born that morning. With her advice, we started our own research, contacted a few more people and before we knew it, we were already excited with the findings and the facts we were collecting.

We’re proud to present the first-ever list of the Top 10 Latinos in Energy. The list of the most influential Latinos in this industry, is a driver for our economy and environment at a global scale. We also present an article on these leaders’ visions, with the information we collected in all the interviews our writers and editors did.

ERGsAnd another fantastic friend of Latino Leaders, Robert Rodriguez, who is one of the top authorities in Corporate Employee Resource Groups, helped us to develop a great section on these affinity groups that are making a huge difference in corporate HR performance nowadays. It’s a BIG issue for corporations that take diversity seriously and care for their employees and executives. As one of the most recognized experts in this field, Robert – who manages his own successful firm – guided us through the basics to understand the benefits and the potential ERGs have in corporations.

Among with additional great interviews and articles, this final edition of 2013 also is bearer of our best wishes for this holiday season and for the year to come to you and your loved ones.

Best Wishes,

Publisher’sletter


As an Editor, I have to be able to juggle every element of the magazine, from conception to inception, while being able to change the juggling materials at a moment’s notice. It’s thrill-ing and stressful, but I love that lovely end-result feeling.

Except when I drop a ball.

My first Boards Edition had been a had been a beast to tackle, and I am sad to say, I didn’t conquer it like I hoped. I apologize to Jorge Uribe, Luis Aguilar and anyone else who thought this wasn’t the best Board Editon. It wasn’t, but I am well aware of where improvement needs to be made. I know that next year’s Board Edition will be phenomenal. I know this because...well I am already working on it. I’ve taken all the bad, and figured out a way to make sure none of it happens again.

I’m excited, and I hope you will be to. If not, I will start proving to you now. I am updating the Latinos on Boards list online, and in 2014, we will start pulling together our resources to make the best issue possible.

And I would love your help. We are a magazine about a community, after all, so please email me with suggestions or comments. I want to hear them. I would love to hear them.

Thank you, and I hope you have a great holiday!

Editor’s LEttErsara pintilieEditor-in-ChiEf | [email protected] | @LLmag_ChiEfsara

Top left: My completed office walls. Top Right: The museum to visit in Dallas. Bottom Left: My ticket for the 50th anniversary tour at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas. Bottom Center: Great wines I’ve tried in the last couple of weeks. Bottom right: New books from a talented emerging author.

From sara’s Camera this month:

From sara’s Desk:

Ontiveros brings to light forgotten stories of the Chicano Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. His book reports on the way many young people of the movement used various creative outlets to challenge the status quo. Just reading about Santa Barraza and her

important art shows the heart in the thoroughly-researched examples. A great historical read.

This cute little children’s book made my day. Not only does it show a high-ranking woman in the U.S. Air Force, the book has bilingual text. And the story is great for kids who have parents in the Armed Forces.

Edward Sanchez’s card for his Van-ity Lounge is a great monochromat-ic way to tell potential clients what he does. His card stuck out to me even months after meeting him.

CooL Books

favoritE BusinEss Card

In thE SpIrIt of A nEw pEoplE: thE CulturAl polItICS of thE ChICAno MovEMEntBy Randy J. Ontiveros

Good nIGht CAptAIn MAMA By Graciela Tiscareno-Sato Illustrated by Linda Lens

A serial killer is still at large in the Long Is-land area, and the five victims – all pros-titutes – used Craigslist to solicit custom-ers. Kolker’s true-crime book reads like a mystery thriller. He did a different kind of reporting than Ontiveros (above), but he never fails to entertain. Great read.

loSt GIrlS: An unSolvEd AMErICAn MyStEryBy Robert Kolker

Publisher’sletter

DConnecting Leaders, Inspiring the Future

December, 2013

Dear Latino Leaders Readers and Followers:

At Latino Leaders our passion is leadership. Our mission as a publication is to promote and inspire our readers as we profile stories of great success. That is the main reason Latino Leaders has partnered with Ernst & Young and their fantastic Entrepreneur Of The Year® program, to inspire and motivate Latino entrepreneurs to join and be recognized by this prestigious firm and to realize the impact that participation in this program has on their businesses.

It is with great privilege and pride that I share that our own Moctesuma Esparza, Latino Leaders advisor and member of our “101 Most Influential Latinos”, was recognized as the 2013 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year in Greater Los Angeles for the media category. Knowing Moctesuma’s story for many years and the gigantic accomplishments he has had with Maya Cinemas, we are absolutely delighted that he received this honor. We salute Moctesuma’s leadership, vision and hard work, which is a fantastic inspiration and motivation for entrepreneurs wanting to advance themselves, and with that, the whole of the Latino business community.

My hope is that Moctesuma Esparza is the FIRST of many others in our Latino Leaders network who participate in this worthwhile program. You are examples of what can be achieved, opening the door for future success stories through your leadership and realizing business growth. This is where EY’s and our mission meets. Participation in EY’s program elevates brand awareness through exposure to other entrepreneurs - those who may be seeking customers, alliances, M&A or other growth opportunities. The program credentializes you to investors, employees and customers, and gives you the opportunity to celebrate achievements and publically recognize the contributions of your entire team.Please help us identify and encourage Latino entrepreneurs to participate in the 2014 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® program. Contact Jorge directly or learn more at www.ey.com/us/eoy. Together we can join efforts to promote Latino Entrepreneurship across the nation, which would be a wonderful embodiment of our passion and editorial commitment. I know we can achieve this and hope you believe in this, too.

Jorge Ferraez & Raul Ferraez

PublishersLatino Leaders Magazine

[email protected]

As Southwest Airlines plots a course for interna-tional service, we’re readying not just planes and planning schedules, but our People are also pre-paring to deliver Southwest Airlines’ legendary

Customer Service outside the familiar cultural landscape of the continental United States.

LEADERSHIP LANDING

“My husband’s a high school teacher, and he tells his stu-dents that I work at Taco Bell, and they go, “oh, which one?” Stephanie Perdue said. “’She works drive-thru across the street,’” she recalled her husband's joke.You won’t find Perdue at the drive-thru or behind a

register at a Taco Bell, but if you tilt your head toward the menu, there, you’ll see her impact.

Perdue, Taco Bell’s vice president of marketing, is going on 10 years with the company. She has had more than 15 years market-ing experience and also worked in the financial and entertainment industries.

Today, her focus with Taco Bell is menu innovation and idea generation. She leads a team that takes care to successfully see an idea from conception to on the menu, in 6,500 restaurants. One of Perdue’s biggest career accomplishments, working with the company to produce and market the billion-dollar product Doritos Locos Taco, made it to franchises in 2012.

“It comes down to really understanding the consumer and then bringing things that they want and need to the marketplace,” she said. “So, when you see a Doritos Locos Taco, when you go to Taco Bell and you buy one, there was consumer work done to come up with that idea and then there was work done to bring that to the restaurants. And then when you see it on television there was work done. And that’s what I do, from start to finish, from the idea all the way to the marketing launch.”

Trying to figure out what the consumer wants is a challenge Perdue particularly enjoys.

“It comes down to my nature to be intellectually curious, “she said, adding she wants to understand consumers, and what they want, need, love and hate.

Another aspect of her job she relishes is the innovation involved.“I’m very entrepreneurial, so I love the idea of taking an idea

on a piece of paper and then creating it and then affecting millions and millions of people every week, she said. “I think that’s just re-ally fascinating.”

Why Taco Bell? They have a culture of innovation, Perdue explained. “They really love new ideas and ideas that change the thinking

of the category,” she said. “If you go back to 50 years ago, when we were founded by Glen Bell, he came up with tacos in a category that was only hamburgers, right? So, he was a challenger in a cat-egory that was dominated by only one type of food. He brought Mexican to the masses. And so that’s really ingrained in our culture and our DNA, to be a brand of firsts, to create something that doesn’t exist. And so, as someone who loves innovation and is entrepreneurial, that’s why I love Taco Bell.”

The whole way through, Perdue showed passion, advice she’d give to others who want to find success – in anything.

“You have to be passionate about what you’re working on,” she said. “If you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. You’re going to be inspired, and you’re going to want to come in every-day, and you’re going to be intellectually curious. You’re going to want to try different things. You’re going to be a change agent.”

Another key to success, she added, is being collaborative. Find opportunities to collaborate within your own company or with partners, she suggested.

“It’s that collective intelligence, that co-creation that leads to bigger ideas,” she said. “It’s not one person that came up with Doritos Locos Tacos. It’s because we co-created together and we tried new things.”

Perdue recognizes how important diversity is in major compa-nies such as Taco Bell, especially when it comes to collaboration.

“The U.S. is a very diverse place, and companies need to reflect that diversity,” she said. “And, they need to have different points of view, people with different backgrounds, with different experi-ences. My parents were from Spain, and they immigrated here, and I have a unique perspective on life because I’m first-generation. So, regardless of your background, you need to have a diverse compa-ny, because that’s how you’re going to win, and that’s how you’re going to create things that you’ve never thought of before versus doing the same thing over and over.”

Stephanie perdue

DeLIverING LUv TO THe WOrLD

STORY BY: Johnathan Silver PhOTO PROvided BY TacO Bell

BY: TereSA LArABA Senior vice President Customers

viCe PreSident, Brand Marketing at taCo Bell

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes. —Marcel Proust

When and where is humor appropriate? How do you embrace and meet the needs of an entire family traveling together? What’s the proper way to address different Customers in various settings? After 43 years of serving U.S. travelers, these basic questions bring almost effortless answers — on our home turf. Yet as Southwest spreads wings towards a broader horizon, each of these things has to be con-sidered again for my nearly 45,000 colleagues who will work to deliver Customer Service in

this new and exciting space across our growing network of destinations.

To make certain we’re ready, we’ve partnered with ProLingua, a company head-quartered in Nashville, Tenn., to create cul-tural awareness training classes that meet the unique needs we anticipate across our future international service. LUv thru a MultiCultur-al Lens is already enabling our People to de-liver Positively Outrageous Customer Service in culturally competent ways to an increas-

ingly diverse Customer base. It's another step Southwest is taking to ensure our Customers around the globe feel the LUv in a way that uniquely speaks to them.

And as Southwest Airlines begins to fly further, our vision of achieving the World’s Most Loved, Most Flown and Most Profit-able Airline, we won’t ever lose focus on the People who make it all possible, the People of Southwest Airlines and you, our Customers, as we work to bring LUv to the World!

getting to knoW StePhanie Perdue

Favorite novelist or writer: Jane Austen; JD Salingerif you could have any other career, it would be: Marketing ProfessorYou never leave home without: iPhone

i like to spend my free afternoons: Yoga; Spending time with my Daughter Alexis and Husband ChrisMy worst habit: Perpetual Problem Solver

the last movie i saw: Hunger GamesMy favorite thing to wear is: JeansMy favorite place to eat: Sushione thing on my bucket list: Live in Spain

Much of Perdue’s passion and inspiration comes from her parents.“It takes a lot of guts to emigrate from a different country

and come in and assimilate and then provide your kids with amazing education,” she said."They're inspiring to me, because they have this positive, never-give-up attitude and really believe in the American Dream.”

As for her legacy, Perdue wants to be remembered for pro-moting innovation.

“Life is very short, and everyone has the potential to make a big impact, and so the key to that is to be passionate about what you’re working on and really believe in it.”

“A beautiful and 10-acre piece of land in the coolest southern region of Napa Valley’s “Santa Maria Valley”.

Maldonado


By Jorge Ferraez

Vineyards

Lupe and Hugo of

In the early 1960s Lupe Maldonado left the small town of Atacheo in Mi-choacan, Mexico to seek a better life in California. After a few years of proving his talents, skills and impeccable work ethic in the vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, he was named vineyard manager of the newly established Newton Vineyards on Spring Mountain in St. Helena, California. There he proudly dedi-cated his energy for over 30 years, until 1999 when he turned over his duties to his son Hugo Maldonado, a graduate in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis. With the approach of the new millenium came a shift in focus. Lupe purchased a 10-acre piece of land in Jamieson Canyon, the southernmost part of the Napa Valley, on which he dedicated his expertise to the growth and development of his own vineyard. Soon he had a select list of clients for whom he was farming vineyards and found that he needed help to meet the increasing demand for his services.

He and Hugo had historically worked well together, and they felt it was natural for father and son to work side by side again. Within a few years, they grew Maldonado Vineyards to 60 acres of their own vineyards and over 200 acres of managed vineyards for their clients, both in Napa and Sonoma Counties.

After a couple of years of making a barrel of wine for family and friends, they decided to take it to the next level and started producing a small amount of wine for commercial purposes. The quality of the wine was evident from the beginning. In 2002, they produced 227 cases of their Estate Los Olivos Chardonnay. The wine sold out within a few months of release and made it all the way to the White House for a dinner during the George Bush presi-dency. They doubled production the following year and sold out again. They continued the aggressive growth process for several years; the quality of the wine was consistent and so was their success.

After five years of leasing space to make their wine in someone else’s facility, they bought a property in the outskirts of Calistoga, on which they developed their own winery. Accustomed to being “hands on” on any part of their activities, they did most of the work themselves, from the pouring of the concrete to the electrical installation and including the excavation of their very own wine caves.

Maldonado Vineyards

Hugo and Lydia Maldonado are one of the most impressive couples in the Latino winemaking community of Napa, California. With many years of family tradition and hard work behind them, they command what is now a great estate and cellar. “Las Cavas de Maldonado”, as their place is known in The Napa Valley, is impressive, and their leader-ship with Hugo as head of the winegrowing and winemaking has yielded wonderful fruity wines. Here’s two that I have enjoyed recently:

Maldonado los oliVos Chardonnay 2011 ($42)

A great Chardonnay; expressive and elegant. Right in balance with many Chardonnay attributes like oakiness, vanilla/butterscotch flavors and toasted aromas. This is a vibrant wine that shows the citrus side of the tropi-cal fruit spectrum, some spice, pineapple and some more delicate flowery aromas. Good body and acidity, this wine is simply fantastic.

Maldonado napa Valley Cabernet sauVignon 2009 ($55)

Definitely a landmark for the winery, this powerful and round Cabernet is at the same time a fine expression of terroir. Round, silky and balanced, with mocha, dark berries and a bit of chocolate cherries. Complex. Evolves as it gets aer-ated. Firm body, with good character but still seductive is a beautiful wine to drink now.

tasting notes:

FIrst VIntage: 2002

Current labels: Los Olivos Chardonnay ($42), “Parr Vineyard” Chardonnay ($32), Napa Valley Los Olivos Vineyard Pinot Noir ($42), Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($55), Napa Valley Los Olivos Vineyard Syrah ($65), Rose of Pinot Noir ($15), Rose of Syrah ($10), Napa Valley Late Harvest White Wine ($27).

Where to get It: Hugo is the winemaker and currently oversees the production of 7,000 cases of wine under their own label, Maldonado, producing Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvi-gnon, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and a Proprietary Red Blend which can be purchased at www.maldonadovineyards.com.


Why did you decide to become involved with the health industry?I’ve always been involved in the health industry to some extent. Even after I finished undergrad I sat on the board of directors for my community health center in Oakland, California. So after com-pleting grad school I saw the opportunity to help others through the community health center. Having come from a migrant family, I knew there was a lack of access to health care at community health centers and that they were trying to provide basic and pre-ventative medical care as well as treat people who were uninsured and underinsured.

What do you think makes a great leader?I think a great team always helps. It’s important to build a good team and be willing to work with others collaboratively to tackle large problems – even unpopular problems – and find community solutions to them.

Why do you think it’s so important to foster this kind of leadership?Leadership comes in all forms and I think we’re all evolving as leaders. I think we have to bring everyone with us as we develop our leader-

Meet 2013’s MillerCoors Líderes winner Pedro Toledo

ship because when we don’t create opportunities for others, there comes a time when there is a leadership gap. It is critical that we create leadership oppor-tunities for younger members of the Latino community.

Is there a lesson that stands out among all other things you’ve experienced in leadership?We learn from others, so I’ve learned from leaders in the com-munity; they weren’t all Latino. I try to share what I’ve learned from mentor relationships and also by just practicing what I’ve been taught.

How did you hear about the Miller Coors pro-gram?I actually found out when I got a call that I had been nominated. It’s a great program and it’s a good way to support Latino leader-ship and the great work of some of the leaders in the communi-ty. There are so many leaders out there so I was a little shocked and humbled to be nominated. It was nice to be recognized for my contributions.

Is there a benefit of winning the award?I think it brings more awareness to leaders in our community and in my county, Sonoma County. It recognizes that there are Latino leaders throughout the country. Here in Sonoma county we have quite a few so it’s great that the award will help bring awareness to the initiatives in the county.


Pedro Toledo Director of Community and Government Rela-tions, Redwood Community Health Coalition

Pedro is a trailblazing non-profit health care executive, a tireless advocate for students and a committed community leader. Pedro serves as the President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County, as the Director of Community and Government Rela-tions for the Redwood Community Health Coalition (RCHC), and as the Director of Healthy Kids Sonoma County. He works to ensure that every student in Sonoma County has access to prevention-focused health care, affordable health insurance, and nutritious foods. Pedro understands that our community prospers when young adults have access to higher education, and that businesses are only as strong as the people who work in them. Pedro also leads efforts to fundraise tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships each year for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County.

Through the Líderes program, launched in 2006, MillerCoors has spotlighted more than 76 His-panic business, political and community leaders. Growing Latino business is a priority of the pro-gram, and by shining a light on the hard work and perseverance of our young Hispanic Americans, MillerCoors encourages the next generation to im-prove their business skills, expand their networks, and become leaders in their own right. Through community partnerships, support of Hispanic non-profits and tools which encourage community engagement and business success, MillerCoors Líderes recognizes and fosters commitment and vision in community leaders whether they are na-tionally known or recognized in their own neigh-borhoods. The Líderes program is helping to build stronger communities for all of us, and that is why Latino Leaders Magazine is honored to introduce the 2013 Líder of the Year in an exclusive inter-view. Congratulations Pedro Toledo!

CLAUDIA HERRMANNAsociación de Mujeres Empresarias y Profesionales

Presidente I National ChairOwner of a 2011 Lexus CT200h

vIDALExUs.com

for direction, to be an example to follow and to value my thinking.

Who has inspired you in your pursuit of perfection? My parents have been my main source of inspiration. They taught me that there is a lesson in every failure as well as in every success, and they taught me the value of hard work, giving back and being grateful.

What does the pursuit of perfection mean to you? Perfection is unattainable, but to me it means to be the best that I can be, to give my all and to improve myself every day. After all, my life is a journey and I enjoy every experience that makes my life worth living.

What are you most passionate about? I love working with women, especially Latino women, and I always encourage them to grow in every aspect of their lives. I am passionate about working with people and inspiring them to follow their dreams.

What do you want to tell others about the pursuit of perfection? I would tell others to not ever give up on their dreams, to follow their passion, to learn from failure, and to be courageous.

What is the main quality that defines leadership? The main quality that defines leadership is the ability to inspire others look to me

PHOTO by JAsON GILMORE

lexlum_ dec_r01v01.indd 1 12/19/13 3:01 PM

CLAUDIA HERRMANNAsociación de Mujeres Empresarias y Profesionales

Presidente I National ChairOwner of a 2011 Lexus CT200h

vIDALExUs.com

for direction, to be an example to follow and to value my thinking.

Who has inspired you in your pursuit of perfection? My parents have been my main source of inspiration. They taught me that there is a lesson in every failure as well as in every success, and they taught me the value of hard work, giving back and being grateful.

What does the pursuit of perfection mean to you? Perfection is unattainable, but to me it means to be the best that I can be, to give my all and to improve myself every day. After all, my life is a journey and I enjoy every experience that makes my life worth living.

What are you most passionate about? I love working with women, especially Latino women, and I always encourage them to grow in every aspect of their lives. I am passionate about working with people and inspiring them to follow their dreams.

What do you want to tell others about the pursuit of perfection? I would tell others to not ever give up on their dreams, to follow their passion, to learn from failure, and to be courageous.

What is the main quality that defines leadership? The main quality that defines leadership is the ability to inspire others look to me

PHOTO by JAsON GILMORE

lexlum_ dec_r01v01.indd 1 12/19/13 3:01 PM


A LOOK AT EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS

By Mark Rowh

ERGs may be known by other terms such as affinity groups, employee networks, business resource groups, employee forums or employee councils. These groups can have just a few members, or number in the hundreds or even the thousands in very large companies. The fact that they are voluntary works in their favor, as employees tend to see them as opportunities for engagement rather than some type of job-related requirement. In most cases, ERGs are underpinned by a commitment to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment.

What ERGs DoThe major purpose of most ERGs is to facilitate learning and create personal growth and visibility opportunities within a company. They provide a structured approach to networking. Employee resource groups create opportunities for people to take a visible role within the organization who may not have this opportunity in their everyday job.

Such groups can also serve as a resource to the com-pany in pursuing its goals. They may be useful as a sounding board or source of information for the company as it targets a designated market.

In any organization, workers interact in a variety of ways that may not be directly related to the busi-ness at hand. From hallway conversations to informal get-togethers for birthdays or other occasions, communication among employees is a key part of workplace culture.

Taking things further from a value-added viewpoint, an avenue for fostering employee communication that has proven advantageous in many organizations is the Employ-ee Resource Group, or ERG.

What Are ERGs?An employee resource group is a group of people within a business, government agency or non-profit organization centered around a common interest or trait. Common examples include gender, ethnic background, parenthood or sexual orientation. Others focus on mutual interests such as elder care, job responsibilities, exercise and well-ness, dealing with cancer or another illness, or protecting the environment.

Typically, ERGs are employee-driven with open sup-port from the employer, and in some cases with company oversight. Their basic structure and approach may vary depending on the company, individual group, or the focus of group leaders.

Benefits of Employee Resource GroupsERGs offer a number of potential benefits, notes Michael J. Chamberlain, vice president, brand management & events for Catalyst, a research-based nonprofit organization that works to create more inclusive workplaces.

“ERGs can provide a source of mentors, role models, sponsors, and connections as well as access to informa-tion about career strategies, opportunities and advance-ment,” he says. “ERGs often showcase and develop the leadership skills and professional expertise of the constituent group.”

Getting Started With ERGsERGs tend to be created in two basic ways, according to Chamberlain.

“Some ERGs are established as a result of a grassroots effort in which employees and senior leaders interested in launching an ERG request corporate sponsorship by meet-ing with the director of the diversity and inclusion office or HR to discuss the viability of the prospective group,” he says. “Others are established by senior leaders who recognize the value of ERGs and develop them to meet organizational goals.”

Chamberlain recommends the following steps in plan-ning an employee resource group:

•Understand the workplace context.•Create a strong, organization-specific business case.•Develop a mission statement, objectives, and guidelines.•Identify the group’s leadership and membership struc-ture.•Determine specific areas for activity that are relevant to the group’s constituency.•Identify metrics to assess the impact of the group’s work and report regularly to the executive sponsor, Diversity & Inclusion Office, and/or HR.

In the process of forming or supporting ERGs, Holly-Leigh Pitts, director of diversity for ING U.S., advises taking care in evaluating organizational considerations.

“Organization and alignment is critical,” she says. “There should be consistency in structure and common themes addressed across an organization, particularly if it has multiple locations or businesses.”

The Executive’s RoleWhile the impetus for employee resource group is grass-roots involvement, it’s important to have an executive sponsor behind an ERG, Chamberlain points out.

“The executive sponsor is a senior-level ex-ecutive, preferably with line responsibilities, who champions the ERG,” he says. He explains that the executive sponsor advises the ERG, assists in the development of its strategic plan, acts as a sounding board for new policy design, and commits to attend-ing specific ERG events.

“The executive sponsor also interacts with senior leaders on behalf of the ERG to inform them of the group’s mission, business objectives and progress,” he says. “Executive sponsors not from the same constituency as the ERG benefit from exposure to managers and employees from cultural backgrounds other than their own.”

Future ProspectsThe roles of these groups seem to be changing in a direction that benefits employers, Pitts says.

“The types of ERGs continue to evolve from just ethnic and gender-based groups to organizations with a more focused purpose that are aligned with business priorities,” she notes.

“I think that we’ve seen a transition from some of these acting primarily as social networks to think-tank type groups that have the ability to directly impact the business.”

Latino Leaders Magazine has brought together several companies to illuminate and teach readers about the im-portance of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), especially Latino ERGs. Specialist Robert Rodri-guez gives his visions about the future and his top three recom-mendations for businesses with Latino ERGs.

Robert Rodriguez, PhD is the president of DRR Advisors LLC, a diversity consulting firm. He is the author of the book, “Latino Talent” and is consid-ered by many to be the leading authority in the country on corporate Latino talent management initiatives.

Top Grade Now: The days of Latino ERGs only being useful to Latinos at the director level and below must end. While catering to employees at the individual contributor and manager level has served Latino ERGs well, Latino ERGs must broaden their appeal to more senior levels of the organization. This means Latino ERGs must attract high performers who are at the se-nior director and vice president levels like GE, McDon-ald’s and JPMorgan Chase are able to do.

Doing so accomplishes two things. First, Latino ERG performance improves. When an employee resource group includes senior level members, things get done at a much more strategic level. Second, these Latino lead-ers serve as magnets for others. When employees see that the Latino ERG consist of employees who are highly regarded and have reputations as top performers, they will want to get involved as well. When Latino ERGs are successful in making themselves a destination for cur-rent leaders, they are better able to serve as an incubator for future Latino leaders.

Benchmark Constantly: A consortium exists that includes the leaders of the Latino ERGs at most of the top employers in the Chicago metropolitan area. The group is called CLEO and member companies include Allstate, Baxter, Caterpillar, GE, Kellogg’s, Kraft Foods, MillerCoors and Walgreen’s to name a few.

CLEO members meet each quarter and they share best practices, explore ways to collaborate, address common challenges and participate in leadership development workshops together.

When any Latino ERG fails to benchmark on a consistent basis, they lose the ability to evaluate their performance against others. They limit their possibilities by not analyzing external trends and they fail to build partnerships with others that they can leverage during their time of need. Not to mention, they diminish their ability to learn from the experience of others. The Latino ERGs of the future must not only benchmark, but they must do so on a regular, formal basis.

Corporations are also helping their Latino ERGs benchmark as well. In the past year, I’ve lead workshops on external ERG trends and best practices at MetLife, Sodexo, The Home Depot, Intel, Fannie Mae and Marsh & McLennan. By providing an external point-of-view via benchmarking, these companies better equip their Latino ERG leaders to consistently improve.

Establish an ERG Leadership Academy: Another trend is that corporations are expecting more of their Latino ERGs. Yet while the demands on Latino ERGs have risen, the training provided to Latino ERG leaders has not. If ERGs truly are to meet their potential, leaders need development focused on their Latino ERG roles.

In listing these three recommendations, some of you may be wondering why I did not list making a deep busi-ness impact as a key to Latino ERGs.

This is indeed critical. When Latino ERGs fail to make a business impact, they never gain the credibility and respect they deserve. However, my opinion is that when Latino ERGs follow the three recommendations I’ve made above, they will be in a much better position to make a larger impact on their organizations as their scope and appeal broaden.

I believe the demand for top Latino ERG leaders still exceeds the supply. That is why this issue is so critical - because only then will Latino ERGs make themselves a destination for current corporate leaders - as well as a talent incubator for future Latino leaders.

Next GenerationLatino ERGs

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A view from an Expert: Next Generation Latino ERGs

By Robert Rodriguez

How does your Hispanic ERG help to groom the next generation of His-panic ERG leaders? As an ERG chair, I do as much as I can to encour-age fellow members to take new challenges or roles. They also come to me with all sorts of questions. I give them all the support I can or direct them to someone who can help. I also encourage many people to take leader-ship opportunities because that can also lead to personal and professional development opportunities.

How do you define the business case for employee resource groups to your organization?I have heard our H.R. folks say that organizations with strong diversity management practices have proven to be more profitable. That doesn’t surprise me at all. At ING U.S., our vision is to be America’s Retirement Company. To do that, we really need to put the customers first, and that includes understanding all of our customers, including those of multicultural backgrounds. Our ERGs help the company do that.

When Hispanics tell you that they are too busy to join the Hispanic ERG, how do you respond? Many of my ERG members work in a call center or an operations capacity, so our service standards may make it difficult at times to break away from their job. My response is basically: “I understand that it may be difficult to attend everything, but you should check it out because we may have brown bag lunches and after-work events that you might want to consider.”

What is the best way to engage more senior level Hispanics into your Hispanic ERG efforts? Creating a relationship with senior leaders – Hispanic and non-Hispanic -- is important. Given the number of larger ING U.S. locations, how you do this can differ by site. Here in Minneapolis, Fabian Gonzalez, vice president of multicultural sales for ING U.S. Insurance Solutions, is our most senior Hispanic executive. While he travels a lot, we’ve developed a relationship with him, and he is very approachable and supportive.

How has your career benefitted from your involve-ment in the Hispanic ERG? Working with the ERG has given me opportunities to attend a variety of great events. Some of these events included getting exposure to senior leaders of our organi-zation. It has also allowed me to receive recognition and development opportunities such as career advice.

ING -- Latino Employee Resource Group

More about ERGs with Holly-Leigh Pitts

Along with their attractiveness to individuals, these groups can be beneficial for employers, according to Holly-Leigh Pitts, direc-tor of diversity for ING U.S., a large provider of retirement and financial planning services.

“Given the changing face of the workforce, it is important to channel the power of diverse thinking,” she says. “Companies are able to tap into ERGs as sounding boards for marketing efforts, engines to educate employees and vehicles to generate greater engagement.”

Ultimately, supporting participation in employee resource groups can serve as a talent development tool, according to Pitts.

“Top talent is a competitive advantage and increasing this talent pool leads to improved innovation and performance,” she says. “ERGs can serve as a powerful advancement platform where talent management and business development intercon-nect.”

Pitts notes that employees who feel they can be authentic at work are more engaged, and adds that there is a clear correla-tion between engagement and retention. And in the long run, that promotes stability and cost savings for the organization.

Felipe Munoz, Minneapolis Chairand Employee Benefits Trainer


with less and there are simply not enough hours in the day to do it all. My advice is to always keep opportunities and op-tions available to help further your professional development and competitiveness. Not every member sits on a commit-tee or actively participates in events, and that is acceptable. SOL’s members, whether passive or active, have the ability to tap into our professional development resources such as our “Career Management Strategies for Latinos” signature series, Federal Heritage Month events that provide diversity and cultural awareness, and Career Planning Workshops that help to prepare our members for the next stage on their career journey. Members have access to these resources from our E-library. So even with the busiest of schedules, they can ben-efit from the materials at a time that is convenient for them and at their own pace.

What is the best way to engage more senior level Hispanics into your Hispanic ERG efforts?Having senior level members engaged in EBRG efforts is important and extremely motivating to the group. They serve as role models in a setting that makes them approachable and on an equal level with other members because of the group’s common dimension of diversity and shared experiences.

My experience is that most senior leaders are quite gener-ous with their time towards EBRG efforts even though they have many of the busiest schedules within the organization. Most of the time it’s just raising their awareness of how they can bring value to the group and asking for their participation with enough advance notice. Because of their tight sched-ules, it is important to make sure their time is focused and leveraged for the group’s greatest return. Executive sponsor-ship of a committee or for a chapter is a terrific way for senior leaders to make a positive contribution. They are paying it forward by providing guidance and sharing their experience while supporting and championing the group’s goals and objectives.

SOL – Sodexo Organization of Latinos is an internal employee network group whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for Latinos and facilitate interaction and communication among its members and community orga-nizations, while promoting external awareness of Sodexo. Originally established in 2003 with 90 members at launch, over the last 10 years it has grown to 427 members and nine chapters. SOL’s mission is straightforward:

“A community dedicated to the development of Latinos through networking, education and mentoring while em-bracing our cultural passion”.

Three key pillars frame the focus and alignment with the Sodexo enterprise:

1.Professional development for their members 2.Recruitment and retention of Latinos within the enterprise3.The strengthening of enterprise community partner relationships that impact the Latino community

Ray Torres serves as SOL’s National Chair and is the Director of Brand Management for Sodexo North America’s Offer Development Center. With more than 25 years of food service and hospitality industry experience, he is an expert in retail licensing and manages a portfolio of over 80 brands and celebrity partnerships. Ray joined SOL shortly after com-ing to Sodexo in 2007 and is now in his second year as Chair.

How do you define the business case for employee resource groups to your organization?Sodexo’s Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs) create connectivity for employees with one another and with the company. EBRGs like SOL are organized around a common dimension of diversity and shared experiences. They provide valuable professional development, network-ing and leadership opportunities for their members and as a result, we achieve greater business success. The EBRG Commitment survey reflects that 74% of Employee Busi-ness Resource Group members attribute increasing levels of engagement to their Resource Group affiliation, 58% gained cross-divisional exposure, and 55% increased their desire to stay with Sodexo. These outcomes demonstrate how EBRGs are increasing employee and customer satisfac-tion. Additionally, SOL’s three key pillars guide the group’s activities which align with company goals, therefore making the group a strategic business resource in achieving our social and environmental commitments.

When Hispanics tell you that they are too busy to join the Hispanic ERG, how do you respond?It seems like now more than ever we are all doing more

Sodexo -- SOL (Sodexo Organization of Latinos)

Ray TorresSOL’s National Chair and Brand Man-agement for Sodexo North America’s Offer Development Center.

demonstrate role-model behavior, while supporting AT&T’s diver-sity and inclusion efforts and our Employee Resource Groups.

How has your career benefited from your involvement in the Hispanic ERG?HACEMOS has served as a platform to showcase talent and skills. The platform has provided HACEMOS members the opportunity to promote their individual brand and skillset to AT&T leader-ship. Our members have been able to develop new skills, and enhance existing ones, through the various opportunities avail-able through ERG activities. This visibility has generated many promotions and networking opportunities that have flourished into productive professional relationships.

How does your Hispanic ERG help to groom the next generation of Hispanic ERG leaders? HACEMOS hosts and participates in various programs that help develop and groom the next generation of Hispanic ERG leaders by exposing the future leaders to top executives and preparing them for career advancement. The following highlights some of the programs we offer:

Mentoring Circles. HACEMOS has a long history of mentoring its members. We offer a national program of mentoring circles at the chapter level where senior Latino employees mentor junior members on how to succeed at AT&T. As a result of this pro-gram, there have been a number of employee promotions.

Leadership Lunch Time Series. HACEMOS established the Lunch Time Series to allow our members to develop by providing them with the opportunity to interact with AT&T leaders. These leaders hold high positions within AT&T; specifically, they are Executive Directors, Area Vice Presidents and State Presidents.

ERG Leadership Academy. AT&T hosts a two-day national workshop, instructing top level ERG leaders on how to grow each of their ERGs and to learn leadership skills. This training also provides ERG leaders the opportunity to network with senior leaders at receptions and dinners conducted during the academy.

Exposure to Hispanic Leaders and Initiatives. HACEMOS understands there are important national initiatives that affect the advancement of Hispanics. More importantly, HACEMOS recognizes the opportunity to get involved and contribute to the progression by staying engaged. HACEMOS members have con-sistently attended national LULAC and NCLR conferences, partici-pated in the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce ERG recognition programs and Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility symposiums amongst many other events.

How do you define the business case for Employee Resource Groups to your organization? At AT&T, our inclusive culture is what drives our com-pany’s success. AT&T recognizes it’s vital for our com-pany, with a large reach and global presence, to provide a platform for employees to connect. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have become a precise link to creating an environment of inclusion. AT&T knows the value and goodwill that ERGs provide in furthering the company’s goal, values and interests.

When Hispanics tell you that they are too busy to join the Hispanic ERG, how do you respond? The beauty of encouraging Hispanics to join our HACEMOS ERG is that we know our culture is one that embraces com-munity outreach, people and creativity. Joining a Hispanic ERG allows employees to feel involved with the company and connected to fellow employees. ERGs, like HACEMOS, provide networking opportunities and access to profes-sional development. HACEMOS focuses on providing valuable events and opportunities for our membership. Our members want to engage in an organization that offers activities that have a direct personal and professional ben-efit. Joining a Hispanic ERG provides a sense of ‘familia’ and a sense of fulfillment.

What is the best way to engage more senior-level Hispanics into your Hispanic ERG efforts? AT&T senior leaders, including our Chairman & CEO, are very active in our ERGs. They serve as sponsors and advi-sors for our ERG, as well as for the other 10 AT&T ERGs. They host and participate in the annual ERG Conference and they serve on various diversity councils. We also encourage Hispanic senior leaders to engage in our efforts by recognizing those who make a significant impact on diversity and inclusion through the quarterly Champions of Diversity Award. This honor is bestowed upon those who

AT&TDelia Hernandez Associate Director - Learning Services HACEMOS - National President

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sentation at higher levels. I think it is also important for us to connect participation with the ERGs to the company’s Performance and Leadership Management Process so that active members can truly see that their work/engagement is important and valued. We are having a year-end event to recognize these outstanding achievements made through our ERGs, which is a great start to recognizing these extra efforts because the individuals really do sacrifice their personal time for the benefit of the company. How has your career benefitted from your involve-ment in the Hispanic ERG?My career has benefitted from my involvement through participation in the mentoring program and the overall op-portunity to practice the leadership principles of “leading change” and “leading people”. The leadership opportunities presented throughout my career involvement with the ERG have truly challenged my abilities and forced personal and professional growth. How does your Hispanic ERG help to groom the next generation of Hispanic ERG leaders?We are rebuilding our organization. After the bankruptcy period in 2009, the group lost momentum. This year our goal was to create a solid foundation and we did. Our next step is to rebrand our group from CHEN (Chrysler Hispanic Employ-ee Network) to LinC (Latinos in Chrysler). This will give the group the opportunity to do some marketing to attract new members and start growing the organization.

Our organization bylaws offer a process to ensure contin-ued growth and sustainability. The ideal situation is to have members lead a project within a committee and slowly build on the leadership experiences along the way with the support and guidance from the Board and our Diversity Office Liaison. Our Diversity Office Liaison is a key role within Chrysler that provides the ERG with guidance and support in all our efforts.

How do you define the business case for employee resource groups to your organization?We are evolving our group from an ERG (Employee Resource Group) to a BRG (Business Resource Group) and we have organized our board in alignment with the 4C Model Framework: Culture, Career, Community, and Com-merce. This new concept aligns a specific committee with the Company’s strategic priorities and connects the group expertise with the organization needs, creating more value for LinC and Chrysler. We are moving beyond network-ing to perform activities that help our company’s business objectives as they relate to Culture, Career, Community and Commerce. When Hispanics tell you that they are too busy to join the Hispanic ERG, how do you respond?I usually agree with them that Chrysler is a fast-paced com-pany and each individual has continually increasing respon-sibilities. But that it is also those reasons that we cannot afford not to join so we can distinguish ourselves and take advantage of the unique leadership opportunities offered by joining/leading the ERG / BRG. With the dynamics of our company and our customer changing we are offered a unique opportunity to contribute to our company’s efforts to connect with that changing customer and employee just through our unique backgrounds and experiences. From a career standpoint, there are many benefits through participation in our mentoring program and speaker series on leadership development as well as management team exposure. The company continues to grow and to be suc-cessful and there is no better time to help the company be truly diverse. What is the best way to engage more senior level Hispanics into your Hispanic ERG efforts?The best way to engage more senior level Hispanics is to collaborate with talent acquisition to have better repre-

Chrysler LinC (Latinos in Chrysler)

Susan Alonzo, President of LinC

Story by Jason BoydPhotos by Kristyna Archer

ALZATE

A Pillar of Care

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Juan Alzate, a neurosurgeon from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, talks about his

upbringing and the new procedure to operate on once-thought inoperable tumors.

ithout a warm, caring doctor, the greatest medical advancement is still just a new procedure.

Earlier this year, Neurosurgeon Juan Alzate began using “The Six Pillar Approach” at Cancer Treat-ment Centers of America in the Midwestern Regional Medical Cen-ter, the first hospital in Chicago, and among the first in the U.S., to offer it.

A confluence of technological advancements — the new NICO

BrainPath, together with brain navigation, brain map-ping, tumor removal, optics and resection — its focus is to safely reach deep tumors and cysts in the brain. The fight doesn’t stop in the operating room, but the ability to operate adds invaluable time to the lives of patients staring death in the face.

“The tumors that we deal with, nobody was touching,” Alzate said. “Before, patients really had no other option but to get some radiation throughout the entire brain and that’s it. Now, we can access those tumors.”

Furthermore, as much as 90 percent of his patients, previously inoperable, go home the day following this minimally invasive surgery.

“[There is] such a significant change just with the im-provement of technology,” Alzate said. “And hopefully, in the future, we’re going to be able to cure those patients.”

Because it provides minimally invasive access to those deep tumors, it may help surgeons using stem cells 10-15 years from now.

“I think, one day, the real change will come when we arrive with a tube to take some cells from that tumor, send them to the lab, culture and create stem cells and put them back into the tumor - that will be the only way to cure these tumors,” he said. “That will be the future.”

Although advancements will come, Alzate said he now sees doctors losing something readily available: being in touch with their human side.

“We become so mechanical, especially when we do a spine or all of these kind of surgical interventions,” he said. “Most of the doctors don’t realize that surgery, even if we perform that surgery 10 times a week, for each patient it is a completely new experience.”

Alzate, like other surgeons, sees an average of 100

In Chicago, Neurosurgeon Juan Alzate balances groundbreaking technology with a human connection straight from the heart.

patients per week. It’s hard for any doctor to provide per-sonalized care in five minutes, but that doesn’t stop Alzate from trying.

During his fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery, he worked with children as young as 3 years old with cancer. All they wanted to do was live to the age of five.

“Patients with cancer, they already know and they un-derstand really well,” he said. “Usually when they come to you, they have read and learned about what they have. And there is no point of sugarcoating something that cannot be sugarcoated.”

But his bluntness is not without love. At home, his wife reprimands him, he said, for his lack of a filter. Once, without preamble, Alzate told a friend that he was “getting fat.” ‘My wife says, ‘My god, be careful what you say,’” Alzate said, telling the story. “‘I’m like, why? I’m just talking.’ My talk is with no filters.”

But, for Alzate, it’s all in how you say it. When you come from a warm place, you can be honest and loving at the same time.

It started in Buga, Valle del Cauca, Colombia.“Typical family, we are eight -- either seven or eight,”

Alzate said. “And, you know, my parents struggled to survive and [did] whatever they could do - my father sold whatever he could.”


This family, who he still sees twice a year in addition to frequent conversations via Skype with his mother, was his closest companion.

“Big family; in Colombia, basically we have no friends,” Alzate said.

This lack of a formal wall helps with patients. Today, when Alzate enters a room and sees a patient wrecked by his or her stress, he starts with touch.

“[I] just touch the shoulder, for a second, and say, ‘This is what we’re gonna do,’” he said. “That touch, which is not medical, is really important.”

Tenderness is not the only thing he learned early. There was also hard work. Back in Buga, there were really only two paths out of poverty. “The only way out

“Usually when they come to you, they have read and learned about what they have. And there is no point of sugarcoating something that cannot be sugarcoated.”

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is to go to become a drug dealer or go to study,” he said. “And I chose to study.”

Thankfully, Alzate said, he was able to get into the Universidad del Valle Medical School in Cali, Colombia on scores alone. In the past, it was more important who you knew. But once admitted, the young student didn’t know what to do with his time or his ambition.

“I didn’t know any better,” he said. “I came from a poor family, a poor country, and they tell you, ‘You are a doctor, you are a doctor. You’re gonna be fine.’”

However, that didn’t fill his social calen-dar. So, he filled it with studying his chosen trade. The hospital was his hangout, and, over time Alzate eventually worked his way into observing surgeries.

“Every Friday, Saturday night, I had noth-ing to do, I would ask, ‘hey, can I go with you into surgery?’”

Since, he has worked and studied in Berlin and New York under renowned teachers. He said he hopes Latinos in America, who often times already work harder than others just to be in the country, understand there are many pathways to success for the willing.

“You want something, you have to work,” he said. “The politics right now in the United States is to not expect that the government will give you anything. If you want something, you should get it. And the only way to get it, is to fight for it.”

Through all his lessons and future hard work – toward the end of his career he envisions himself as a counselor on how to avoid cancer – Alzate still remembers one thing, above all others, and it is a lesson in humanity: “Being a neurosurgeon doesn’t mean you need to be an a**hole,” Alzate said. “You need to be a person.”


“I came from a poor fam-ily, a poor country, and they tell you, ‘You are a doctor, you are a doctor. You’re gonna be fine.’”

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VIEW THE GALLERY FROM THE

INTERVIEW HERE.

“ My father… never segregated us as female and male,” Musa said. “He just taught us all to work hard. He never set barriers.”

Born in Nebraska, Musa was the youngest of seven children in her blue-collar family. Her father, a native of poverty-dominant Browns-ville, Texas, had made a name for himself by learning a trade and supporting his family. He had lost his mother when he was 13.

“He cherished what he did not have - a family,” Musa said. “He did not set barriers for girls versus boys. We were taught to go after our dreams and to respect ourselves and our family. We learned the only failure is not trying your best.”

Taking that advice, Musa earned a degree from the University of Phoenix and took a job in the investment management world. She worked on the personal side of the industry, helping clients and their families understand complex financial situations.

Today, Musa is Comerica Bank’s Arizona Market president and Arizona Regional Manager for Wealth Management. Her role is to help high net-worth clients, foundations and corporations navigate through wealth planning, trust services, investments and private banking.

“One of my biggest challenges was being a Hispanic woman from a blue-collar family and working in a brokerage environment in the 1980s,” Musa said. “Being ‘different’ is not always easy. Learning to fit in and be taken seriously was challenging.

“I overcame it by showing I was knowledgeable, taking on the tasks no one else wanted, and letting them get to know me as a


Annette G. Musa’s father taught her

that being a woman wouldn’t stop her from

achieving her goals. It’s his teaching that helped Musa land

a job as a president for one of the largest banks in the country.

person,” she added. “I thought of it as pulling people toward me versus pushing myself at them.”

Musa said she’s made her personal life a priority. She and her husband, John, have been married for 24 years and they have two sons, Anthony, a 21-year-old student at Arizona State University and Alec, a 19-year-old student at Scottsdale Community College.

“The family visits when we are all together are the best,” Musa said. “[We] may be a bit loud, but fun. And more than just keep-ing these traditions in your family and life, it’s equally important to invite others in - especially as you move away from the traditional community… still celebrate and invite your friends and neighbors to experience your culture with you.

“And finally, you must care for those who cared for you,” she said, adding that she takes care of her 91-year-old mother.

Her secret to success?“Learn from those that you admire, but don’t try and be them,” she said. “Stay true to who you are and be the best you that you can possibly be. Take chances and give it all you’ve got; even if you don’t succeed, be proud of your efforts and be proud of who you are.

“This is a very exciting time for the Latino culture – to see how we evolve and what our children do next. It’s a good time to be Latina.”

Written by Amanda Casanova

Leader ProfiLe: Annette G. Musa Arizona Regional President and Manager for Wealth Management for Comerica Bank

By Johnathan Silver and Mark BauerMap courtesy of Saxum

For the first time ever, Latino Leaders Magazine brought together top experts

to explain the energy field, along with maps, bios of the most powerful Latinos in the industry, and what the future holds for the next generation

who wants to be part of the ever-growing “revolution” of Energy.

Latinos in

Energy

Special Section


Arcilia AcostaBoard Member, Energy Future HoldingsCEO, CARCON IndustriesCEO, STL Engineers

Arcilia Acosta is CEO of Southwestern Testing Laboratories (STL) Engineers and CARCON Industries, the latter of which has been involved in such extensive projects as the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail, Fort Worth and Dallas school districts, and the Dallas/

Fort Worth International Airport. Beyond these construc-tion projects, however, she helps keep the lights on all over Texas as a board member for Energy Future Hold-ings, the parent company of TXU Energy.

A native Texan, Acosta’s accolades are many. To name a couple, the Texas Tech University alumna and graduate of the Harvard Business School Corporate Governance Program was awarded the “Texas Hispanic Business Woman of the Year” in 2007; in 2010, she was named – for the second time – one of the Most Influential and Powerful Woman of Texas;” and in 2012 she was a finalist for “Texas Business Woman of the Year” after receiving a nomination from Texas Governor Rick Perry.

These accolades recognizing her positions as a minority woman in fields largely dominated by men isn’t by ac-cident. She keeps this at the forefront of her pursuits.

“It is very important to have women represented at the board level, because we have so many of our future generations, our young children today – more and more women – getting involved in engineering and math and science and in areas that they need to be in,” Acosta said.

David HernandezCEO, Liberty Power

In his capacity as CEO of Liberty Power, David Hernan-dez, who co-founded the company in 2001, has helped build it from a small startup to one of the largest Hispanic-owned en-ergy companies in the United States, and the first minority-owned retail electric provider to have a national footprint.

“We’re helping sup-port and empower the

community that I believe brings a great deal of promise to this country, and that is the Latino community,” Her-nandez said.

In recognition of these efforts, Hernandez received the 2013 “Businessman of the Year Award” from the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). Additionally, the company awarded a total of $20,000 in 2013 to three college students to as-sist their pursuits toward a career in energy and the environment. The scholarships were a part of the company’s inaugural Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship Program.

“Our slogan is ‘Powerful together,’” Hernandez said. “And so, we think that we are advantaged just given our Latino roots and heritage to work closely together, to be humble – we work for people that are humble, hungry and smart and that are looking to partner with our customers and with our suppliers to be powerful together.”

Top 10 Latinos In Energy


Latino Leaders conducted a national search with our esteemed advisors and created, for the first time ever, a comprehensive list of the most influential and powerful Latinos in Energy. This list, in no particular order, showcases people from three sectors: Retail, Academia and Utilities.

To know how get this membership, visit:

www.potentiaclub.com

You can be part of the most exclusivebusiness to business Private Club in the energy industry

View our video

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Vanir Energy, LLC, to not only generate clean energy and help reduce carbon footprints, but to help customers see overall annual energy savings.

“We had a platform because of our current business, which is real estate development and construction management, and we’re able to use this synergy and be able to launch off into green energy. ... It is the future. ... It’s socially responsible,” said Dominguez, commenting on Vanir’s work, which includes project and construction management services with a focus on schools, hospitals and other public projects.

While Vanir Energy projects include work in solar thermal and photovoltaic (commonly known as solar panels), the company also specializes in lighting retrofit-ting, which is one of the largest consumers of energy in a commercial facility. Retrofitting is among the easiest energy-efficient measures to implement and can provide businesses substantial cost savings over time.

In addition to being active in several boards and orga-nizations, Dominguez was appointed by then President George W. Bush to serve on a commission that would evaluate the creation of a National Museum of the Ameri-can Latino.

Jose BravoChief Scientist, Shell

Jose Bravo is a world-renowned expert in separation technology, which is vital to oil and gas production.

Prior to joining Shell in 1996, Bravo worked as a con-

sultant chemical engineer before becoming a lecturer at the University of Texas, where he occasionally taught, managed research programs in separations technology, supervised research students and professionals, and obtained funding for separation technology research projects.

“What’s influenced me the most in my life and what’s contributed to most of my success is role models,” Bravo said. “So, I would hope that I could be a role model as well. But not just a role model in terms of Hispanics or a particular group. Just a role model for people in general who want to dedicate themselves to technical work in the energy industry.”

In his time at Shell, the company hastranslated that research and development program into technology that they can license—a sort of culmination of Bravo’s life work.

Bravo earned a degree in chemical engineering from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, holds a graduate degree in chemical engineering from the Uni-versity of Texas at Austin, and completed the Accelerated Executive MBA Training at Wharton School of Business.

Victor G. CarrilloPresident and Chief Operating Officer, Zion Oil & GasBoard Member, Magnum Hunter Resources

Chairman, West Texas Energy ConsortiumFormer Chairman, Texas Railroad Commission

Victor Carrillo has extensive experience as a former statewide elected official for eight years over the Texas energy sector. He has also served as a county judge, city councilman and university professor. His first professional job was as an exploration geophysicist in the oil and gas industry.

Perhaps it’s this unique blend of petroleum science and regulatory experience that ideally suits Carrillo in his role as President and Chief Operating Officer to navigate the delicate undertaking of exploring for oil and gas in Israel.

“Zion’s vision is to assist Israel by producing oil and natu-ral gas and in so doing to help ensure that Israel maintains its political and economic independence. Finding signifi-cant quantities of oil and gas — oil, in particular— can make a tremendous geopolitical difference for them,” Carrillo said. “Currently, they must import essentially all of their oil and fuel. Having that oil readily available to them is almost an existential matter for Israel. Let’s face it: Israel is a tiny refuge of democracy in a very bad neighborhood. Finding vast reserves of oil in Israel will have a ripple effect from the Middle East and throughout the globe.”

Carrillo is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in geology. He went on to earn his Master of Science in geology from Baylor University, and later a law degree from the Univer-sity of Houston Law Center.

Dorene DominguezChairman, Vanir Group of Com�panies

In her role as chairman of Vanir Group of Companies, Dorene Dominguez oversees 15 offices throughout the United States, which, collec-tively, have completed more than $8.5 billion in real estate develop-ments, design-build lease and construction services.

More recently, Dominguez created

Jose PerezChairman and CEO, Hispanics in Energy

Hispanics in Energy is a national nonprofit organization that supports Hispanic involvement in the U.S. energy industry. The nonprofit was formed in 2012 after Jose Perez was asked why such an organization didn’t already exist.

“The first positive indicator is by the energy community. ... You’ve got people who can’t believe this thing wasn’t

done a long time ago, so I think that’s really positive. Almost immediately, it has had a very welcoming, a very hospitable feeling by those who are in power in the energy business,” Perez said on the organization’s early indicators of success.

Perez helped cultivate diversity in the energy economy several years before Hispanics in Energy was conceived. In 1996, he founded the Latino Journal as a nonpartisan publication that emphasized analysis of public policy and government from the Hispanic perspective. In 2003 he co-founded the California Utilities Diversity Council (CUDC). In 2008, he co-founded the National Utilities Diversity Council (NUDC), where he served as president for three years.

Perez graduated from CSU Sacramento with a degree in Government and holds a Certificate on Corporate Governance from the Graduate School of Business at Harvard University.

Mauricio GutierrezChief Operat�ing Officer, NRG Energy

Chief Operating Officer Mauricio Gutierrez has served in that capacity at NRG Energy since 2010, overseeing the plant,

thermal and commercial operations, environmental com-pliance, and more.

NRG Energy, a Fortune 500 company, has led the change in many aspects of the energy industry, including the nation’s first privately funded electric-vehicle charg-

ing infrastructure and developing greener energy choices for its customers.

“I think we are at the precipice of a transformational change in the electricity industry. We as a company are leading this takeout change in the United States,” Guti-errez said about consumers becoming more involved and excited about energy use, choices and advances in technology and production in the industry.

NRG Energy’s core values include safety, teamwork, respect, integrity and value creation, and Gutierrez has the opportunity to execute each of those values in his role as Chief Operating Officer.

“We are trying to change how people think about and use energy,” he said.

Prior to joining NRG in 2004, Gutierrez held various positions at Dynegy, Inc., and before that acted as a con-sultant and project manager at DTP on various projects in Mexico.

Gutierrez earned a bachelor’s degree from Universidad Panamericana and holds a master’s degree in mineral economics from the Colorado School of Mines, and an-other master’s in petroleum economics from the French Petroleum Institute.

Rafael FloresSenior Vice President and Chief NuclEar Of�ficer, Lumi�nant

Rafael Flores is senior vice president and chief nuclear officer at Luminant’s Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (CPNPP),

40 miles southwest of Fort Worth, TX.When Flores first became involved in nuclear power in

1979, there was a surge of plants being created around the United States, but the Three Mile Island nuclear accident caused that growth to slow. Since then, growth has been intermittent and affected by various incidents around the world in Chernobyl and Fukushima, Japan, the latter of which was caused by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit off Japan’s east cost in March, 2011.

“When people think about nuclear energy, nuclear power, depending on your age, you think of different events in history,” Flores said. “Younger folks are going to


be thinking Fukushima in Japan. What I would tell people is learn about nuclear power. … Actually find out how nuclear power works. It’s a very safe form of energy.”

In his role as chief nuclear officer, Flores is responsible for directing the safe operation of CPNPP in compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations, as well as providing strategic direction in nuclear security, quality assurance, emergency preparedness and community rela-tions, among other things.

Flores is a graduate of Texas A&M University and repre-sents Luminant at the Texas A&M Advisory Council for the university’s nuclear engineering program.

Flores has also completed the Wharton executive program, Harvard Business School executive leadership course and the Nuclear Energy Institute senior executive program.

Rudy GarzaVice President of External Relations, CPS Energy

As vice presi-dent of external relations at CPS Energy, Rudy Garza deals with elected officials at the local, state, and federal level as well as stake-holders throughout the community.

More than that, however, he sits on

a leadership team that deals with internal decisions and the utilization of the company’s human capital.

“Diversity of all kinds makes an organization stronger. It allows you to think differently about a problem. It allows you to draw upon experiences that go beyond professional experiences,” Garza said. “At the end of the day, it benefits your customer base if your employees are bringing all that diverse experience to the table.”

Garza said that it’s also important not to miss the trade opportunities available in the energy sector.

“I’m a realist when it comes to the fact that not every student is going to go to a four-year college, but if you can get them thinking about a trade, they’re going to have more earning power at the end of the day getting trained in that trade, whether it’s a welder, or a commercial truck driving license, or a pipe-fitter, or whatever the case might be,” he said. “You can have welders who make just as much as nuclear engineers in today’s energy sector, but you have to get them trained for that opportunity.”

Prior to his current role at CPS Energy, Garza served as Assistant City Manager and as Intergovernmental Relations Director in Corpus Christi, as well as for 13 years at an energy company in Dallas, TX.

Garza graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and holds a master’s degree in management from the University of North Texas.

David MorenoRegional Supply Chain Advisor, Chevron

David Moreno is not only a liaison for the supply chain between corporate procurement and upstream

operations in his role as Regional Supply Chain Advisor for Chevron, he is also a liaison of sorts across time — his father was hired in 1947 as one of the first Latinos in the energy sec-tor by then Standard Oil Co. of California (now Chevron) and he embraces any opportunity to help groom future Latinos in the energy sector.

“Most of the employees who ask me how to move up the corporate ladder are Latinos and Latinas. My advice is always the same — do a great job, network, help each other, and remember your roots,” Moreno said. “Watching colleagues grow professionally and take on new challenges has been the most rewarding aspect of my career.”

But mentorship is just one of the two passions Moreno gets to exercise daily in his advisor role. His other passions see him cultivate relations with diverse suppliers and strategic support in category management, contracting, procurement operations, and other areas in North and South America and Africa.

“Whether living internationally in Kazakhstan and Nigeria, or domestically in California and Utah, I have always made a point to be involved with local content and supplier diver-sity organizations and find ways to connect them to diverse suppliers, who are often interested in entering the lucra-tive energy sector,” Moreno said. “The key is ensuring they understand our needs and are fully prepared and qualified to meet them.”

Moreno has worked for Chevron for more than 33 years, and currently works for the company out of Houston. He serves as a board member on the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is active in the Houston Minority Supplier Development Council. He has four children and lives with his wife Evelyn in Dallas, Texas.

“You have this huge population of Latinos that are look-ing for engagement in the sectors that drive the American economy,” he said. “And the energy business is one of the most vibrant, secure businesses to be in, because every-body needs power. Everybody needs energy, and whether it’s a regulated environment or it’s not regulated, the en-ergy business is going to be with us throughout our future. I can’t see a future without it. So, the key question is, how do we get the Hispanic community to, first, become literate about energy issues and second, get engaged and move toward making itself available, interested and willing to take jobs in the energy business?”

By Johnathan Silver

“Texas oil production will likely surpass 3 million barrels oil per day by the end of the year [2013] and surpass Kuwait, Mexico, UAE, and Iraq to move up to become the equivalent of the 8th largest oil-producing ‘nation’ in the world.” Dr. Mark Perry, Carpe Diem Blog.

How Latinos are Shaping the Industry“I’m 42 years old in a leadership position at a Fortune 500 company with a Latino background.”

Mauricio Gutierrez, chief operating officer at NRG Energy, is one of a growing number of Latinos not only working in the American energy sector, but attaining lead-ership roles in the business. His achievement is something advocates and other Latinos in the energy business, a trillion-dollar-plus industry, want to perpetuate.

“Am I a role model? Do I take this job with not just the responsibility that this job has held but with the responsibility of making sure that everybody has a fair share or a fair number of opportunities to be able to be as successful as I think I am? Absolutely,” said Guiterrez. He remembers the challenges he faced and the need to prove himself and hopes that it will not be as arduous for more Latinos to break into an industry that doesn’t have as much Latino representation as desired.

Arguably, those barriers are some that Latinos inevita-bly will overcome. The key: Sheer demographic changes, advocates already in the industry - and a national interest group.

That’s where nonprofit organization Hispanics in En-ergy comes in. The concept for the interest group – to get more Hispanic voices in the energy industry – began in 2010. It was established and began operations in 2012.

The energy business is a critical component of Ameri-can society, providing many consumer services, such as heating, cooking, healthcare and a great deal more, said Jose Perez, the Hispanics in Energy CEO. It’s about time one of the biggest groups in the country got in on it, too. Out of the hundreds of energy businesses, little Latino representation exists, especially in the leadership of these companies, he added.


The move into the industry would be rewarding on so many levels, Perez argues.

“The key question is, to what extent are they getting a return on their investment?” he said. “In our mind, it’s defined by how well the Hispanic community is prepared to be engaged with the energy industry. What it means is if they’re executives, that means there’s wealth building going on there, because executives tend to make more money than most. If they’re working there, they’ve got stable homes for their families. Maybe their housing choices are improved. Their transporta-tion choices are enhanced. Their ability to educate their children is enhanced.”

The group, hoping to get more Latino representa-tion throughout all areas that affect the energy sector – businesses, policy groups, government and etc. –has leaned on the American Association of Blacks in Energy, a professional national organization with decades of experience, for advice on how to stay in operation. The group has been around since the 1970s and amassed a network of professionals, influential industry leaders, policymakers and a generation of young people working toward being a part of the industry.

The 1970s were a time when integration was still con-troversial and it was no different in the business world. Minorities and women were scarce throughout the busi-ness world, especially in the energy sector. A modern event illustrated that issue for Rafael Flores, senior vice

Scott Sheffield, CEO, Pioneer Natural Resources, on the Wolfcamp shale’s potential in the Permian Basin of Texas: “Based on recoverable reserves, the Wolfcamp is second only to the Ghawar field in Saudi Arabia [world’s largest oil field]. We believe this field will reach 100 billion barrels of oil equivalent recoverable reserves at some point in time.” Oil & Gas Journal, Oct 1, 2013

A View from A LeAder: entrepreneurship David Hernandez, CEO of Liberty Power, knows a thing or two about making a fledgling business flourish. The 2010 and 2013 nominee of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year® Award gives advice for the new generation who has that same entrepreneurial spirit.

1. What value does this [ernst & Young entrepreneur of the Year®] program bring to latino entrepreneurs?I think the Ernst & Young program offers value to all entrepreneurs, not just Latinos. This award not only recognizes entrepreneurs for their current growth and success, it opens doors for them to take their brand to the next level. This program also provides other companies with a glimpse of what it takes to cut through the competition and how to build upon successes.

2. do You have anY advice for Young entrepreneurs Who strive to build a companY as impactful as Yours?First and foremost, follow your passions. Recognize that you will be spending the majority of your waking hours at work, and that people who excel at things – almost without exception – are fueled by a passion that drives that success.

3. from Your companY’s perspective, What is diffe-rent noW versus the last time You Were nominated?The first time we were first nominated and recognized as a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® Award was in 2010. The second time was in 2013; both experiences were extremely humbling. During that three-year span, Liberty Power grew exponentially. In addition to increasing the markets in which we do business, we also expanded our product line to include renewable energy options among a plethora of other new products and solutions.

E&Y also evaluates a company’s community involvement and civic leadership. Our unwavering entrepreneurial spirit helped breed success, putting Liberty Power in a position to give back. In an effort to pay it forward, we formed a partnership with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation and launched the inaugural Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship. Each year, Liberty Power awards a total of $20,000 in scholarships to college students. This allowed us the opportunity to help students interested in pursuing careers in environment and energy the chance to follow their dreams.

Since our first nomination, Liberty Power has been recognized by several other organizations. We have been recognized as: · 2013 Minority Retail Energy Firm of the Year from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)· Northwest Minority Supplier Development Council (MSDC), Inc. ® 2013 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) of the Year Award· Ranked #1, Largest US Hispanic‐Owned Company in Energy Industry by Hispanic Business in 2013 (and 2012)· Ranked #5, Largest Private Job Creator in Energy Industry by Inc. in 2012· 2011 MBE Supplier of the Year Award from the Southern Florida Minority Supplier Development Council

4. What values do You help instill in Your team mem-bers to create a Work environment that encourages groWth?At Liberty Power, we’ve always embraced a culture that is “humble, hungry and smart.” We believe our people are our greatest asset. We make conti-nuous investments in our team members because when people know you genuinely care about them it will lead to a more engaged, efficient, and effective team. ‘Powerful Together’ is not just our slogan, but the culmina-tion of everything Liberty Power embodies.

president and chief nuclear officer at Luminant’s Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant. It was when he participated in an event geared toward women in engineering at Texas A&M University that best demonstrated the importance of diversity.

“They had a reception area before the session started, and I took the elevator up and when the elevator opened, I was right in the center of the whole thing,” he explained. “I didn’t see a single man. They were all women when the elevator opened. And I always share this story, because I felt very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable because there was no other male that I could see. Of course, I was there looking for another male, at least to feel a little bit more comfortable.”

Everyone has felt that way, Flores said.“The minorities and the women in these fields

have had a hard nut to crack, because they’re involved in an all-white, male industry, and that’s the way it had been known in the ‘50s and ‘60s and ‘70s” he added. “You know, we’ve got a lot to offer, and I think people need to take advantage of the opportunities for education and go into these fields, and show that we can make a difference.”

Others hoping to get in the field need to be prepared and have determined, said Gutierrez.


arcilia acosta

1. future of energYWith the speed that hydraulic fracturing has affected the natural gas industry, and in turn wholesale electricity pricing, it’s tough to predict the future. There are,

however, themes that have held true for many years. With popu-lation changes and the continued growth of personal electronics, it’s easy to anticipate that demand for energy will continue to grow. That growth might be tempered by continued increases in the efficiency of consumer devices, homes, commercial buildings and business equipment. The increase in consumer and business efforts to limit spending by managing electricity consumption also will affect energy industries in the future. It’s also easy to imagine that wind- and consumer-generated electricity will play larger roles in the future. Given today’s technologies, it’s not likely that renewable generation sources will immediately become the dominant fuels, but there are always efforts afoot to increase the impact of those sources. All of this is likely to happen at a time when public utilities – those that are vertically integrated and those that are in competitive markets – continue to focus on expanding and improving their services. It all makes for challenging and exciting days ahead.

2. role of latinos in energYLatinos are providing power from inside and outside of the ener-gy industries. From inside, Latinos continue to play lead roles in key areas and companies. They also are fueling innovation. From outside the industries, Latinos are a big part of the population growth, as well as the growth in demand from large and small businesses.

“U.S. crude production rose to the highest level in a quarter-century as a shale drilling boom in states such as Texas and North Dakota cut the need for foreign oil and pushed the country closer to energy independence. The U.S. pumped 8.075 million barrels a day in the week ended Dec. 6, 2013 … the most since October 1988.” Bloomberg, Dec 11, 2013

victor carrillo

The United States, led by Texas and North Dakota, is in the midst of an oil and gas energy revolution – the “shale revolution”. In October, for the first time in nearly two decades, the U.S. produced more crude oil

than it imported. Technology is what has unlocked this remarkable potential.

It is a combination of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, coupled with multi-well pad drilling that is the secret to the success of this U.S. shale revolution.

Texas, with half of all active drilling rigs in the nation, leads the way, producing more oil and gas than any other state in the na-tion. The top three oil producing trends or “plays” in the nation are the Permian Basin (Texas), Eagle Ford (Texas), and Bakken (North Dakota), each producing about 1 million barrels of oil per day.

The unconventional shale revolution represents a remarkable opportunity that will spur unprecedented economic development and high-paying jobs, generate substantial state and local tax revenue, and allow the U.S., Canada, and Mexico (North America) to soon reach energy independence.

Views from LeAders: the future

“I’m concerned that some of the new generations behind me – there is a sense of entitlement that they deserve to have a position, or they deserve to have a certain job,” he said. “Young people need to be hungry. They need to be determined to be successful. They need to be willing to work hard, and they need to be smart about it. Do your homework. Understand what you like. If you’re going to join an industry, you’d better have passion for that indus-try. If not, you’re going to be jumping around industries quite often.”

Sure, some jobs in the industry might require a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) background, but that doesn’t mean a business can operate without a communications team, accountants or even lawyers such as Veronica Gomez, energy service provider Exelon’s vice president and deputy general counsel, litigation.

Gomez’s love for her field was informed in part by her parents’ Cuban background.

“My parents used to tell the story of my dad watching two guys get into a fender bender, and the guy whose car had been hit saying to they guy that was responsible, ‘Do you have insurance?’ And the guy said, ‘No, I don’t have insurance,’” she explained. “He sort of shrugged and went to the trunk of his car, got out his tire iron, banged a dent into the other guy’s car and said, ‘Now we’re even,’ and they drove away. In some ways, it was sort of a nice story that made my parents laugh about things back home. It was definitely a looser kind of place. Rule of law was not something that pervaded everyday life in the same way that it does here.”

Her parents never experienced peaceful transitions of government and such things that people in the U.S. just take for granted, Gomez added.

“That sense of how important objectivity is and rational-ity and the idea of the rule of law has been something I was raised to appreciate, because it’s not something that my parents could take for granted. It’s something I could take for granted, because they gave me the gift of having me here and raising me here.”

Gomez’s upbringing and her 13 years as a commercial

litigator eventually led her to Exelon, a new challenge. At the time of her interview, one part of her workload concerned a lawsuit regarding a New Jersey statute affecting her company in terms of competitive markets and how Exelon operates.

Though different trades still can lead to a career in the energy sector, some coveted qualities never change, said Gutierrez.

“Skills have also changed, and I know that schools are try-ing to adapt to that, but the ability to talk in public, the ability to think critically, to have and defend your own opinions, to be able to articulate what your thoughts are, what you are thinking, that has become as important in my mind as your academic excellence,” said Gutierrez. “So, not only do you need to know your stuff, but you need to be able to com-municate and articulate that in a very succinct way to people. And I think that has become a bigger quality than in the past.”

Gutierrez believes an industry transformation is headed our way. In his lifetime, he expects to see more people become excited about the energy they use and a change in terms of how energy is provided.

“I always joke, five years ago, when you were at a social reunion, people would say, ‘What is your line of work?’And I would say, ‘Oh, I’m in the electricity business.’ Immediately, they would go away,” laughed Gutierrez. “They didn’t even want to talk about that. Now, I say, ‘Oh, I’m in the electric-ity business,’ and immediately it’s like ‘Oh yeah. How about solar and wind?’ And everybody has an opinion about electric vehicles, and Superstorm Sandy and all these back up genera-tors that were running and all the noise they made. So we’re trying to appeal to the customers in terms of giving them more choices about their energy consumption. I think this is the next revolution.”

Latinos not only benefit economically from access, Perez said. They also get a chance to be part of the solution to energy problems in the United States.

“The opportunities are immense.”

“The U.S. tiptoed closer to energy independence last month when — for the first time in nearly two decades — it produced more crude oil than it imported … Domestic oil production is at a 24-year high while foreign oil imports are at a 17-year low. The result: production exceeded net imports for the first time since February 1995, although the nation still imports 35% of the petroleum it uses.” USA TODAY, Nov 13, 2013


Story by Christina ZambonPhotos by Kristyna Archer

President of Diners Club International, Eduardo Tobón, prepares for 2014 by using his behind-the-scene insights of the corporate world.

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iners Club International, the oldest credit card company in the world – the very company that started the modern-day concept of the credit card – is fighting to remain relevant in today’s world. With President Eduardo Tobón at the helm, they are sure to be successful.

In his role, Tobón is challenged with bringing the new, younger generations to the Diners Club space. To do so, they’re finding ways to connect with the new generation.

“Younger generations aren’t operating in the same way that older generations do,” Tobón noted. “They prefer to communicate digitally. You have to be present on the channels they’re on.”

Tobón is very active on many social media platforms, seeing them as an indispensable way to connect with people.

Now that 2014 is nearly here, Tobón is feeling optimistic. “2014 is going to be a year of expansion and growth for us.”

Diners Club is growing in Asia and India, and Tobón sees great opportunities to expand in Brazil, Mexico, Europe and Turkey.

Having just turned 40, Tobón, has accomplished quite a lot. When asked what he has learned as he rose through corporate America, he shared that the three keys to his success are:

Mentorship (“There are trail blazers who’ve been there and done that, and they can help you navigate. Seek that advice and listen to it.”)

Hard work (“You get what you put into it, so you’ve gotta work really hard.”)

Networking (“As you grow in your career, as you get higher on the corporate ladder, the importance of connecting with people at all levels, not just people on the top. It makes you a better, well-rounded person. You can’t lead people if you can’t connect with people.”)

In September 2012, Tobón moved to Chicago from Boston, where he had resided the past decade, to assume a new position as President of Diners Club International.

But Tobón wasn’t born in Boston. He hails from Medel-lín, Colombia. After graduating college, he got married and moved to Pittsburgh to pursue an MBA at Carnegie Mellon. Though initially planning on just a short-term stay, after graduating and being offered a position in strategy consulting, he and his wife decided to settle down in Boston, where their three children were later born and raised.

He says it was precisely that – being from Colombia – that has helped him to be successful in his career. He brought with him traits that most immigrants bring to this land of opportunity: a can-do attitude, ambition, and a dream.

“Most immigrants are natural entrepreneurs,” Tobón said. “I came with the spirit to learn and absorb as much as possible.”

And that he did.Nowadays, Tobón travels quite a lot for his work. Din-

ers Club International has a presence in 85 countries, and as president, he is quite often jetting off to one of them for business.

Story behind Diners Club International

Diners Club International is the original credit card. The story goes that before the 1950s, most credit cards were single purpose: like a gas card at a gas station. One day, at a lunch in New York City, Frank McNamara forgot his wallet. That was the event that sparked his idea to have a charge card that could be used in multiple locations. Diners Club started in the restaurant world, then grew to the travel industry, the hos-pitality industry and beyond. And it has always been a brand that is catered to the affluent space.

In 2008, Discover acquired the Diners Club network around the world, a merger that cata-pulted the two companies to the global arena. Discover knew how to connect with consumers. Diners Club had the international reach.

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“When I travel to a country, I first ask the taxi driver what he or she thinks about the country – what’s working, what’s not working. You learn a lot from those conversations. Maybe a diplomat or CEO would know more, but they are not going to see things like a normal person would.”

He relocated to Chicago at the end of September 2012, and in June 2013 – after the school year, his wife and kids joined him, officially ending his period of living between Boston and Chicago. The whole family is now happy to call Chicago home.

On a personal note, now fully settled in Chicago, Tobón is looking forward to spending a little more time in his new home base than he has the past 14 months. He is also looking for an organization or two to volunteer with.

Reflecting on all that he has accomplished since arriving in the U.S. 15 years ago, Tobón concludes,

“Being a Latino is something that I’m quite proud of ”. My wife became a citizen[recently], and I was very proud of her and reminded of how incredible this country is. It’s true – the land of opportunity is here. Part of what makes us great is being a melting pot, having people come from all over the world, and contributing. I’m proud to be a part of that fabric.”

“When I travel to a country, I first ask the taxi driver what he or she thinks about the country – what’s working, what’s not working. You learn a lot from those conversations. Maybe a diplomat or CEO would know more, but they are not going to see things like a normal person would.”

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Find a dream home.Find the right loan to finance it.Figure out what escrow payment, fees and other terms mean.Isaiah Rodriguez and his team make this all clear, whether you're looking to buy your first home or wanting to refinance.

Rodriguez, a Greater Los Angeles Area mortgage banker and plan-ner, wants to make the home purchasing process as understandable and easy as possible for people in his community.

A banker for previous employers, Rodriguez enjoyed making a connection with clients and seeing them through the sometimes arduous path that is home buying. Before starting The Rodriguez Group, the California native wasn't satisfied with simply getting paperwork done and sending new homeowners on their way. He wanted conversations and a more proper interaction. Today, a first sit-down with Rodriguez might last hours.

What does he talk about: You. He wants to know all about you, your background, your intentions and especially your financial situation. It's always a good time to buy real estate, he says. But is it a good time for you, is the more important question, he adds. Others simply might push a client to purchase a home so they can make a quick sale and sell off a mortgage to another entity. After those 25 or 30 days, Rodriguez says, many planners are not involved with the new homeowner.

"That's it," he said. "They forget about the clients. They don't keep in touch."

Rodriguez wanted to be an exception to that custom. At The Rodriguez Group, the team's motto is "Your personal approach to mortgage planning."

And it is personal. He not only wants to know about the pro-spective home buyer. He wants to take in that knowledge and then dish out a lot of information about what the process entails in as clear a way as possible.

The group's operation is about cultivating an informed clientele that focuses on one of the largest debts they will have in life, and that's a mortgage, he explained.

That hands-on, personal approach is coupled with his team constantly needing to keep up with changes in the economy, loan market and other areas that affect their operations and clients.

"We have to be ahead of the game," said Rodriguez. "We have to be beyond the cutting edge and be able to present the various set of information to our clients in the most simplistic, lay-man's terms, without confusing them."

Rodriguez's sales career originated as a 15-year-old Foot Locker employee. He was born to Colombian parents, an aero-space engineer father and siblings each at least about 15 years his

ISAIAH RODRIGUEZSTORY BY: JOHNATHAN SILVER PHOTO BY: BETH COLLER

LEADERSHIP LANDING

GETTING TO KNOW ISAIAH

Favorite novelist or writer: Tom Clancy, Jim Rohn

If you could have any other career it would be: Three alternatives - building, racing cars; something in the health industry; aerospace engineer

You never leave home without: Pressed juice and Nike Fuelband

I like to spend my free afternoons: Taking coastal drives, being out by the beach with family

My worst habit: Not knowing when to disconnect (ex. responding to text messages from clients during dinner)

The last movies I saw: "Skyfall" and "Fast and Furious 6"

My favorite thing to wear is: Polos

My favorite thing to eat: Cuban food (He still loves some Colombian food)

One thing on my bucket list: Go on a weeks-long vacation and drive race car in the Spanish coastal village of Sa Calobra

MORTGAGE PLANNER, THE RODRIGUEZ GROUP

senior. Also, he grew up in a rough neighborhood where gangs were predominant.

"I made it out alive with a tie."With more than a decade of experience, Rodriguez makes it a

point to meet with every client the group helps."Every client will be touched by me, no matter what," he said.

"They're going to hear from me. We're going to interact. The majority of my time is speaking with clients and having a lot of interaction with them."

He also takes pride in being forthcoming with clients, he added, explaining that clients are given a percentage of the commission back as a lender credit and are informed that the group makes much of its revenue by selling their loans to big banks. That isn't a com-mon practice in the industry, he noted.

"This is something that a lot of brokers or loan officers do - they won't disclose to their clients, and we disclose. We are very transparent."

That approach has garnered much positive feedback. And it's noted on the group's Facebook page. There, clients and other mem-bers of the community share success stories, expressions of gratitude and shout outs to Rodriguez and his team.

He hopes to take that positive energy and success to new loca-tions: Austin and an East Coast presence in Florida for the moment.

In Austin already is a friend of The Rodriguez Group. Austin realtor Sarah Williams shares the same passion as Rodriguez when it comes to client satisfaction. The two connected via social media, and today she sends her usually first-time home buyers only to The Rodriguez Group for loan services.

"My clients in Austin, they can't believe it. It's so funny," Wil-liams said. "They're like, 'We get more information from him than we do from someone that's five minutes away from us.'"

Williams added she is happy with Rodriguez's group because she believes them to provide top-notch service, and she has a comeback for any who question her using only one loan service provider.

"I actually had an agent tell me the other day, 'Well, you shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket just working with one lender,'" she said. "But, I told her I'm so confident in their team, I don't worry about it."

Rodriguez notices the demographic changes in the country revealing an emerging Latino population in the country. This change also has manifested in a boon in Latinos purchasing homes, which will prove to make a large impact, because with the mortgage financing education that businesses like his promotes, the popula-tion will be better informed on how to manage such debt and build wealth with real estate, Rodriguez said.

"The more awareness we have, the more financial success we'll see in our community."

President and Owner: Amelia Morán Ceja

Property & Vineyards: 113 acres in the Carneros Region.

AVA(s): Carneros, Sonoma Coast

First Vintage: 2001

Current Labels: 2009 Napa Carneros Chardonnay ($34), 2008 Vino de Casa Red Blend ($20), 2009 Sonoma Carneros Merlot ($34), 2010 Bella Flor - Dry Rosé of Syrah & Pinot Noir ($50), 2009 Sonoma Coast Syrah ($34), 2010 Sonoma Coast Sauvignon Blanc ($22), 2009 Carneros Pinot Noir ($40), 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50), 2008 Napa Valley Dulce Beso (Sweet Kiss) ($40).

Where to get it: By law, they only ship wine to adults 21 and older in the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, LA, IL, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NV, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. For shipping wine to other states please contact Ceja Vineyards. Adult signature is required upon delivery. Case production has increased from 750 cases to 10,000 cases per year, and Ceja wines are offered at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States.

Brief Story of the Winery: Ceja Vineyards is an ultra-premium Latino family-owned winery in the Napa Valley. It was founded in 1999 by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja – first generation Mexican-American immigrants. Their dedication to sustainable agriculture and the gentle handling of the grapes in the cellar can be tasted in every sip of their legendaryestate-grown wines.

Ceja Vineyards has received numerous awards including: The California Latino Legislative Caucus 2012 Latino Spirit Award. The Spirit Awards recognize those businesses/individuals that exemplify the spirit of the Latino community and have contributed to the State of California. Inc. Magazine selected Ceja Vineyards “Entrepreneur of the Year 2004” (one of seven) in the January 2005 issue. In addition, Ceja Vineyards was named “Best New Winery” in 2002 by over 90 of the world’s most prestigious wine writers, case production has increased from 750 cases to 10,000 cases per year, and Ceja wines are offered at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States including the French Laundry.

Who is Amelia Ceja? In 1967, Amelia Morán Ceja immigrated to the U.S. to join her father, a farm worker, who toiled for years in California’s vineyards. Today she’s crossing another border, turning upwardly mobile Latinos into wine aficionados with here subtle blend of viticulture, down-home cuisine and a Web-based marketing campaign.

A strong matriarchal tradition in her family fostered Amelia’s independent spirit, but more than anything, Amelia feels it is

16 • July / August 2013

flavors and her experience with food that have shaped her life choices. Long before the California legislature recognized Amelia as “Woman of the Year” in 2005 for “breaking the glass ceiling in a very competitive business,” the first Mexican-American woman ever to be elected president of a winery was on the frontier of wine. The dynamo behind more than 140 video blogs since 2009 on preparing Mexican cuisine and pairing it with wine, Amelia has introduced thousands to exciting flavor combinations they never dreamed of.

Embracing both her Mexican heritage and American home, Amelia combines the best of what she finds in food and drink, tradition and innovation. “As a minority cellar, we are shaping the wine industry,” explains Amelia, who was honored as the “most outstanding female leader, innovator and visionary in the wine field in the North Bay” by North Bay Business Journal at its 2008 Women in Business gala.

“We’re embracing the best in both cultures and tossing away what doesn’t work,” says Amelia. “I don’t want to be homogeneous; my experience is enhancing my adopted country. We’re making both of our cultures better. Why not share what is wonderful—and keep it?” Salud!

Ceja Pinot & Chardonnay Tasting Notes:Everybody does Chardonnay and Pinot Noir these days and sometimes, it is really easy to get confused and not stand out with your wine. But this is certainly not the case with Ceja wines. First and foremost, the Ceja family has one of the best-ever brand ambassadors that have ever existed: Amelia Morán Ceja. A lady with a fascinating conversation, delectable hospitality and an incredible product to back her up. Her enthusiasm is highly contagious, and it is really hard to not fall for her wines after you know her.

Ceja Vineyards, Napa Carneros Chardonnay 2009 ($34)I first tasted the Chardonnay as many of the Ceja Family friends gathered at a cookout dinner at their home with lemon and garlic grilled oysters. I will never forget it with the setting sun, the warm summer Napa afternoon and the great experience of trying the wine with them. This one is filled with tropical fruit, citrus, melon, kiwi and pear. Good body and acidity, balanced and still enough personality to be a distinguished wine. Nice oak, not overwhelming the fruit flavors, and a buttery and creamy finish.

Ceja Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2008 ($50)This could be one of my favorite wines for lunch. Low in tannins and acidity, flowery and spiced. Perfect for a roast beef sandwich, a steak salad or even some pasta. I love the spiciness of the wine with light peppery and clove notes and violet and plum accents at the peak. It has a great finish, long and pleasant.

Latino WinemakersAmelia Morán Ceja

Ceja Vineyards


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Esai for PresidentBorn to Run:

He’s a contender. Esai Morales steps into the ring to battle for the top job at the entertainment

industry’s biggest union.

Story by Judi Jordan Photos by Ejen Chuang

lat inoleaders.com

Find them here

www.petroleoenergia.com www.l ideresmexicanos.com

www.latinoleaders.com

EVENTS

THE LATINO LEADERS team invited a new batch of Club Leaders of the Future (CLF) to Chicago to network and be part of the conversation. They had a lively roundtable while chatting about personal experiences. Here’s what our new leaders had to say about the event and Club Leaders of the Future:


June 6, 2013Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers

PRESENTED WITH THE SUPPORT FROM:

ATTENDEES:

CLU

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ADER

S OF T

HE

FUTU

RE

Anabel Galeana AbarcaCongressional Aide5th District, Illinois

Andres BaltazarFinancial Representative//Field DirectorNorthwestern Mutual

Benjamin BernalTrusteeFox River Water Reclamation District

Cristal Garcia Administrative Assistant ASPIRA Inc. of Illinois

Edgar DelgadoContracting OfficerGeneral Services Administration

Emmanuel N. KinardLending ManagerTCF National Bank

Ennedy D. Rivera Esq.Special ProsecutorWysocki & Smith

PHOTOS FOR LATINO LEADERS BY AJ KANE

Gabriel ChavezProgram ManagerExelon Nuclear

Jacqueline Gomez DirectorOffice of Contract Compliance at Cook County

Jesse RuizSecurities GroupDrinkerBiddle&Realth, LLP

Joe GarciaChief of StaffOffice of Senator Martin A. Sandoval

Leonore SanchezDeputy Village ClerkVillage of Maywood

Neredia CoronaAssociate DirectorKraft Foods

Noe FragosoBroker AssociateNorthlake Realtors

Ramon SaucedoRelationship ManagerChase

Ricardo A. GarciaLanguage & Cultural AmbassadorSpanish Ministry of Education

Veronica ArreolaDirectorWomen in Science and Engineering Program: University of Illinois at Chicago

Vicente J. Fernandez VP / Co-FounderSportsManias.com

Victor HerreraExecutive Vice PresidentNational Society of Hispanic MBA’s

Rachel GonzalezEconomics & CommunicationsUniversity of Michigan

Victor Herrera and Joe Garcia

VIcente J. Fernandez, Neredia Corona, and Cristal Garcia

The CLF: Chicago group.

Gabriel Chavez, Benjamin Berbal and Ennedy Rivera chat

“I’m still new to the CLF concept, but I believe that anything that helps upcoming and rising Latino leaders of Chicago come together is a great thing. So many of us want to work hard for our Latino communities and Chicago in general. I’m excited to work with everyone!.”

--- Veronica Arreola

“I think the best part of the evening was when each of shared a bit of our background and what drives us to do what we do. It was a special part of the evening, where each of us could draw some parallels but also see some fantastic differences.”

--- Gabriel ChavezTo read more quotes about this event and learn more about other events, visit LatinoLeaders.com

President and Owner: Amelia Morán Ceja

Property & Vineyards: 113 acres in the Carneros Region.

AVA(s): Carneros, Sonoma Coast

First Vintage: 2001

Current Labels: 2009 Napa Carneros Chardonnay ($34), 2008 Vino de Casa Red Blend ($20), 2009 Sonoma Carneros Merlot ($34), 2010 Bella Flor - Dry Rosé of Syrah & Pinot Noir ($50), 2009 Sonoma Coast Syrah ($34), 2010 Sonoma Coast Sauvignon Blanc ($22), 2009 Carneros Pinot Noir ($40), 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50), 2008 Napa Valley Dulce Beso (Sweet Kiss) ($40).

Where to get it: By law, they only ship wine to adults 21 and older in the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, KS, LA, IL, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NV, NM, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. For shipping wine to other states please contact Ceja Vineyards. Adult signature is required upon delivery. Case production has increased from 750 cases to 10,000 cases per year, and Ceja wines are offered at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States.

Brief Story of the Winery: Ceja Vineyards is an ultra-premium Latino family-owned winery in the Napa Valley. It was founded in 1999 by Amelia, Pedro, Armando and Martha Ceja – first generation Mexican-American immigrants. Their dedication to sustainable agriculture and the gentle handling of the grapes in the cellar can be tasted in every sip of their legendaryestate-grown wines.

Ceja Vineyards has received numerous awards including: The California Latino Legislative Caucus 2012 Latino Spirit Award. The Spirit Awards recognize those businesses/individuals that exemplify the spirit of the Latino community and have contributed to the State of California. Inc. Magazine selected Ceja Vineyards “Entrepreneur of the Year 2004” (one of seven) in the January 2005 issue. In addition, Ceja Vineyards was named “Best New Winery” in 2002 by over 90 of the world’s most prestigious wine writers, case production has increased from 750 cases to 10,000 cases per year, and Ceja wines are offered at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in the United States including the French Laundry.

Who is Amelia Ceja? In 1967, Amelia Morán Ceja immigrated to the U.S. to join her father, a farm worker, who toiled for years in California’s vineyards. Today she’s crossing another border, turning upwardly mobile Latinos into wine aficionados with here subtle blend of viticulture, down-home cuisine and a Web-based marketing campaign.

A strong matriarchal tradition in her family fostered Amelia’s independent spirit, but more than anything, Amelia feels it is


flavors and her experience with food that have shaped her life choices. Long before the California legislature recognized Amelia as “Woman of the Year” in 2005 for “breaking the glass ceiling in a very competitive business,” the first Mexican-American woman ever to be elected president of a winery was on the frontier of wine. The dynamo behind more than 140 video blogs since 2009 on preparing Mexican cuisine and pairing it with wine, Amelia has introduced thousands to exciting flavor combinations they never dreamed of.

Embracing both her Mexican heritage and American home, Amelia combines the best of what she finds in food and drink, tradition and innovation. “As a minority cellar, we are shaping the wine industry,” explains Amelia, who was honored as the “most outstanding female leader, innovator and visionary in the wine field in the North Bay” by North Bay Business Journal at its 2008 Women in Business gala.

“We’re embracing the best in both cultures and tossing away what doesn’t work,” says Amelia. “I don’t want to be homogeneous; my experience is enhancing my adopted country. We’re making both of our cultures better. Why not share what is wonderful—and keep it?” Salud!

Ceja Pinot & Chardonnay Tasting Notes:Everybody does Chardonnay and Pinot Noir these days and sometimes, it is really easy to get confused and not stand out with your wine. But this is certainly not the case with Ceja wines. First and foremost, the Ceja family has one of the best-ever brand ambassadors that have ever existed: Amelia Morán Ceja. A lady with a fascinating conversation, delectable hospitality and an incredible product to back her up. Her enthusiasm is highly contagious, and it is really hard to not fall for her wines after you know her.

Ceja Vineyards, Napa Carneros Chardonnay 2009 ($34)I first tasted the Chardonnay as many of the Ceja Family friends gathered at a cookout dinner at their home with lemon and garlic grilled oysters. I will never forget it with the setting sun, the warm summer Napa afternoon and the great experience of trying the wine with them. This one is filled with tropical fruit, citrus, melon, kiwi and pear. Good body and acidity, balanced and still enough personality to be a distinguished wine. Nice oak, not overwhelming the fruit flavors, and a buttery and creamy finish.

Ceja Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2008 ($50)This could be one of my favorite wines for lunch. Low in tannins and acidity, flowery and spiced. Perfect for a roast beef sandwich, a steak salad or even some pasta. I love the spiciness of the wine with light peppery and clove notes and violet and plum accents at the peak. It has a great finish, long and pleasant.

Latino WinemakersAmelia Morán Ceja

Ceja Vineyards

Connecting Leaders, In spiring the Future

Story by Amy Howell HirtPhotos by Ray Jackson

The University of Texas at El Paso’s President Diana Natalicio shows the

way to the future of successful Latinos.

Building a

Bigger Future

t’s hard to believe that Diana Natalicio, the first female president of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), ever struggled with self-confidence. She was appointed to the Na-tional Science Board by President Bill Clinton, and appointed to the Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans by President George W. Bush. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. And she was a Fulbright Fellowship recipient: Except, she almost wasn’t.

“For two days I kept it a secret. I thought I could just de-cline, and no one would know,” Natalicio says.

During her 25 years as president of UTEP, Natalicio has har-nessed her understanding of feeling like an underdog to help

students, the university and the region turn their perceived liabilities into assets, then achievement.

Charting a new course

Many of the students at UTEP, including the 77 percent who are Mex-ican-Americans and the 5 percent who commute from nearby Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, face the challenges that come with being the first in their family to attend college – from limited finances and educational prepara-tion to language limitations.

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It’s a situation that Natalicio knows all too well. She watched her father – who never finished high school – struggle to keep their small, family-owned retail dairy afloat in St. Louis as the industry changed and milkmen gave way to supermarkets.

Although both of her parents saw the value of education, for a working-class family, the path was to attend a vocational high school and prepare for a job – not college. And so Natalicio followed the “secretarial track” and assumed a post-graduation job as a switchboard operator – for a month.

“It was so boring. I was thinking, ‘Is this going to be my life?’ And I just thought, ‘It can’t be,’” she recalls.

She made the decision to attend college and pursue her dream of becoming a teacher, and chose St. Louis University because it could be reached via public transportation.

Despite feeling like an under-prepared undergraduate – many of her classmates had attended St. Louis Uni-versity prep schools – Natalicio tackled the curriculum, putting in extra time studying while working in the after-noons as a secretary. Her efforts paid off, and Natalicio graduated from the honors program.

Despite that success, Natalicio says she still wasn’t all that confident.

“I kept thinking maybe I’d get just this far and then fall off. When you don’t start with confidence, it takes a while to get accustomed to it,” she says.

Overcoming fear

That accomplishment led to a defining moment in Natalicio’s life. Honors graduates were asked to apply for graduate school scholarships. Although Natalicio had plans to teach in St. Louis, she felt obligated to, in some way, repay the university for taking a chance on her. So she submitted applications, and was offered a Fulbright Fellowship to study Portuguese in Brazil.

“I was scared but decided, I’ve got to do this,” she says.In 1961, Natalicio left the U.S. as a 21-year-old who had

never been on a plane, and returned as someone with a new perspective on the world, and herself.

“I don’t know whether it was the warmth of the Brazilian people or the fact that I was away from whatever made me lack confidence, but I became a different person,” Natalicio

says. “I could laugh at myself. When I was at St. Louis University, I was much too afraid of making a mistake to laugh at myself.”

After receiving a doctorate in linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin, Natalicio came

to UTEP in 1971 as a temporary professor of linguistics. She immediately related to the students, many of whom came from nearby low-income and Latino families.

“They’re earnest, they’re hardworking, they understand the importance of education in their lives, which is what I understood, and I could see how they needed the same kind of encouragement that I did at a certain point. They want to succeed but are afraid of failing,” Natalicio says.

Building a bigger picture

While teaching was Natalicio’s first love, she was driven by the privilege of helping transform students’ lives, and the gratitude she felt toward faculty at St. Louis University who had kick-started her own transformation. She saw that, in order to truly support students’ aspirations, there were larger hurdles that she needed to address, which could only be done from administrative roles within the university.

As chairwoman of the modern languages department, then dean of liberal arts and then vice president for academic affairs, she helped build opportuni-ties, like establishing internship programs, study-abroad relationships and other experiences “that more affluent students in other settings might have exposure to – but for first-generation Latino students, it’s our responsibility to create those for them,” she says.

“They’re earnest, they’re hardworking, they understand the importance of education in their lives, which is what I understood, and I could see how they needed the same kind of encouragement that I did at a certain point. They want to succeed but are afraid of failing,” Natalicio says.

UTEP turns 100 in 2014. To cel-ebrate, the university launched a website, www.utep100years.com, to share stories, display photos and count down the centennial.

Here are few facts about this University:

•78% of enrolled students are Latino. •The student-faculty ratio is 21:1. •UTEP is a Tier 2 university.

UTEP Campus, taken by Alex Valentin.

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Although Natalicio never harbored aspirations of becoming president of UTEP, when the opportunity came to help the university – and El Paso – realize its own potential, she went for it.

“I think I was not the front-runner initially,” she says of the Board of Regents’ selection process. “All my lack of confidence could come back into the picture. But I strongly believed the university had to take a turn and adjust how we thought about ourselves, and I think it sounded like I had a very clear notion of where we needed to go and how to get there.”

The power of a new perspective

Among issues such as changes in funding models, UTEP’s largest stumbling block on the way to success was a negative self-perception, which Natalicio felt well-equipped to address.

“We complained a lot about how we were treated, and had a whole list of perceived liabilities – we’re on a border, we have a low-income community, we’re in a different time zone (and) far away from the power center (the University of Texas). So the real challenge was to convert those liabilities into assets – every single one of them.”

Throughout her 25 years as president, she has done exactly that. By taking advantage of federal programs for institutions with a large population of minority students and grants from agencies including the National Science Foundation and National Insti-tutes of Health, Natalicio has helped develop UTEP into a nationally known research institution with 89 doctoral programs – compared to just one when she took office.

“Once we had a chance to prove ourselves, the quality spoke for itself,” she says.

Now that the school is ranked No. 7 in the nation for “social mobility” (recruiting and graduating low-income students, according to Washington Monthly magazine ratings), Natalicio has her sights set on de-veloping the potential of El Paso and the larger Paso del Norte region, by transforming the community’s image of itself and encouraging UTEP grads to stay in their hometown and pay it forward.

“Many of them are the first in their family to go to college,” Natalicio says. “They have younger siblings, they have family here. If they could earn good wages here, they would stay.”

“Once we had a chance to prove ourselves, the quality spoke for itself,” she says.

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Diana Natalicio was awarded a Latino Leaders Maestro

award in Dallas early this year.

To read more about the

award, go to page 74.

New AmericA AlliANce Celebrates 13th annual

Wall street summit

In the mIdst of one of the longest federal shutdowns in history, the New America Alliance (NAA) stood committed once again to leading the process of Latino empowerment and wealth building by presenting the 13th Annual Wall Street Sum-mit at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City, convening Ameri-can Latino, corporate, public sector and community leaders.

At the Welcome Reception and Dinner, NAA recognized the dedication of four founding board members, The Honorable Roel C. Campos and Moctesuma Esparza, who have served for the past 3 years as NAA Inc Chair of the Board and NAA Insti-tute Chair of the Board, respectively; and we welcomed incom-ing NAA Inc Chair of the Board Frank Herrera, Jr. and incoming NAA Institute Chair of the Board Ana Maria Fernandez-Haar.

For the first time, NAA featured the U.S. Mayors Forum and Luncheon: Economic Development in America’s Cities, which highlighted cities and the work of mayors who understand first-hand what it takes to revitalize the nation’s economy. The Honor-able Mickey Ibarra, Latino Leaders Network Founder & Chairman, moderated this insightful discussion with The Honorable Angel Taveras, Mayor of Providence, RI; The Honorable Manny Diaz, Mayor of Miami, FL from 2001-2009; and the Honorable Anto-nio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles, CA from 2005-2009.

American Latinos, the country’s largest minority group, con-tinue to be key to U.S. economic recovery and expansion; however, diversity efforts lag in the corporate boardroom and executive suite. This was the focal point for day two’s closing session, Driving Diversity on Corporate Boards, co-hosted by the Hispanic Associa-tion on Corporate Responsibility and co-sponsored by Herbalife. The dynamic speaker line-up included session moderator and HACR President & CEO Carlos Orta, California State Teachers’ Employees Retirement System Chief Investment Officer Christopher J. Ailman, Wal-Mart Independent Director and Member of the Audit Commit-tee The Honorable Aida Alvarez, and Valor Equity Partners Chief Executive Officer & Chief Investment Officer Antonio J. Gracias.

NAA CEO Maria del Pilar Avila presented the induction of NAA


Member Guillermo Bron, Pine Brook Managing Director, into the 100K Club. In 2010, NAA established the NAA 100K Club to recognize NAA members who have contributed $100,000 or more to the organization over their member-ship period. To date, 31 members have been inducted to the Club and collectively these leaders have invested over $4 million in the mission of the NAA. Outgoing Board Member Victor L. Maruri was also recognized for his leader-ship and dedication as NAA Inc Board member since 2004.

The closing of this year’s Wall Street Summit included the recognition of Ricardo E. Morales, First Deputy Comptroller of New York City, with the NAA Pension Leadership Award. With more than 30 years of legal and high-level executive experience in the private and public sectors, Ricardo pro-vides ethical leadership, legal expertise, transparency and accountability within a highly complex, multi-stakeholder, financial, administrative and public service environment. With the commitment of Comptroller Liu and his wisdom in elevating Ricardo’s leadership as his Deputy Comptroller, the New York City pension system was reorganized with an expanded team and new programs, opening the door for diverse managers to do business with the New York City pen-sions. Ricardo has masterfully collaborated with leadership at all levels, from trustees to the investment team and external constituents to restructure process and programs setting a national model for addressing diversity in investments.

Following NAA tradition and having worked for 14 years to promote the leadership of Latinos on Wall Street, business and government, the NAA Wall Street Sum-mit showcased the gradual evolution on Wall Street and Corporate America acknowledging the market value and contribution of the American Latino community and a push towards greater inclusion. We look forward to the 14th Annual Wall Street Summit and NAA’s 15th Anniversary to take place in New York City on November 18-20, 2014.

“restoring eConomiC groWth, Job Creation and ProsPerity in our nation”


Ricardo Bekin, Fernando Guerrero, Victor Miramontes, Cyril Meduña, Rafael Ortiz, Juan A. Sabater.

Roberto Llamas, EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer, Univision.

Henry Cisneros, Iris Martinez, Felix Ortiz. Anna Maria Chávez, President and CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA.

Frank Herrera Jr., Maria del Pilar Avila, Roel C. Campos, Ana Maria Fernandez-Haar, Moctesuma Esparza.

Monica Lozano, CEO, ImpreMedia & Publisher and CEO, La Opinion.

Ricardo Garcia-Amaya, Brian S. Cohen, Murat Aktihanoglu, William Crowder, David Rose, Pedro Torres Picón.

Christoper Ailman, Carlos Orta, Aida Alvarez, Antonio J. Gracias.

Anthony Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

John C. Liu, Comptroller, New York City.

FutureWhat were the criteria used to choose San Jose Chiapa for the new Audi plant? What are the main advantages of this location?In investigating a new location for a plant in North America, Audi evaluated numerous factors such as site conditions, infra-structure, terrain, availability of suppliers, logistic connections, quality of life, security, and climate. San Jose Chiapa – which is centrally located, positioned close to esteemed universities and technical colleges, and offers ideal logistics links – met the various requirements of the Audi global growth strategy and was ultimately selected as the ideal location for the new plant.

From Volkswagen’s experience in Puebla, what are the benefits of working with Mexico?There are several benefits of working with Mexico, which will help Audi achieve its long-term growth goals and strengthen the brand’s position in the North American market. Mexico is part of several free-trade agreements, which offers the best tax and financial conditions and will give us a definitive competitive advantage. Mexico has an excellent track record as an automo-tive manufacturing location in North America, and its well-developed infrastructure, existing supplier networks, and high potential of well-educated employees make it the ideal location for our new plant.

Planting a

Scott Keogh discusses the new Audi San Jose Chiapa, Puebla, Mexico plant.

It has been reported that the new plant will be the most modern in the Audi production network for its efficient use of resources and production methods. What are some of the in-novations?The new plant in San Jose Chiapa will act as a lead plant for our technologies in developing modern production methods, using new materials and joining techniques, and with regard to electric mobility.

Which models/components will be produced in this plant, and what markets will they be available in?Audi will build the successor to its current Audi Q5 crossover model for the global market at the plant in San Jose Chiapa.

What are the short- and long-term goals for the new plant? Can you share some of the strategies that will help you reach them?The new plant in Mexico will play a central role in helping Audi strengthen its international competitiveness and achieve the brand’s long-term goals, including increasing annual vehicle output by around 50 percent between now and the end of the decade. By 2020, we aim to produce two million cars per year.


Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America, stepped into the top management position at Audi on June 20, 2012, leading its efforts to become the leading premium brand before 2020. Keogh has responsibility for all U.S. activities, and his vision has been instrumental as Audi continues to achieve unprecedented levels of growth. The new Audi plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico, will soon give Audi a boost in its effort to become the world’s biggest automaker. Construction of a $1.3 billion factory with a capacity of some 150,000 cars a year is underway, making the Mexico plant instrumental for Audi to reach its goals. Here Keogh discusses with Latino Leaders the benefits of working with Mexico and why this relationship is key for Audi’s future.

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Through the Mexico plant, Audi can produce in North America in-dependent of U.S. dollar currency swings. What does that mean in terms of economics?The San Jose Chiapa plant will help us reduce our exposure to exchange-rate fluc-tuations. For example, if the U.S. dollar were to weaken by even 10 or 20 cents in the long term, having a production facility in Mexico would allow us to improve our earnings by up to a quarter billion euros per year. When manufacturing costs and sales revenues are both denominated in dollars, we minimize our risk.

It is estimated that Audi will cre-ate 3,800 jobs in Mexico. How are workers in San Jose Chiapa being trained to maintain the quality Audi is known for? What skills do Mexican workers bring to the table?Globally, Audi has a single quality standard that every production facility and every sup-plier must meet. Similarly, staff in all Audi factories around the globe are trained and qualified to the highest requirements.

What are the latest innovations regarding Audi’s clean diesel technology? With the recent introductions of the 2014 Audi A7, A6, Q5 and A8 TDIs, as well as the updated Q7 TDI model, Audi for the first time features a full lineup of TDI clean diesel vehicles in the U.S. Each TDI vehicle delivers up to 30% better fuel economy and 12% to 30% lower carbon dioxide emissions than gasoline engines, resulting in longer range and fewer trips to the fuel pump.

Audi continues to bring state-of-the-art solutions to diesel. The new TDI models fea-ture a host of innovations, including reduced weight, a new turbocharger and chain drive, reduced friction, a new crankshaft and new oil cooler, and more.

With Audi TDI, you get the best of all worlds: superior efficiency and top-notch performance, as well as leading technology and design.

What do you consider to be the main asset of the Audi brand?Audi is known for not only producing some of the most stunning vehicles on the road, but for its deep-rooted commitment to top-of-the-line performance, intelligent technol-ogy, superior driving dynamics, the utmost safety, and uncompromised quality.


Expansion KingCarlos Menendez

helps identify the future for MasterCard

Since September 2010, Carlos Menendez has served as group executive, Global Credit and Debit, for MasterCard Worldwide. In this role, he is responsible for expanding the company’s consumer credit products, with a focus on develop-

ing competitive differentiation globally while deploying solutions at the local market level. He is also responsible for the innovation, commercialization and development of market strategies for the

global portfolio of MasterCard debit products. His extensive consumer banking experience—spanning Europe, the Middle

East and the Americas—combined with his impressive resume and education credentials, which include a

BA in Economics from Harvard University, allows him to play a critical role in growing Master-

Card’s credit and debit businesses around the world. Here this global leader shares

his thoughts:

Latino Leaders: For many Latinos, attending Harvard Uni-versity is a dream. What was the experience like?Carlos Menedez: Harvard was a fantastic experience and opened the doors to a broader world for me. The breadth and diversity of the people,

their backgrounds and experience, and the variety of classes to explore, was

really eye opening and showed me that the world was much bigger than I had experienced. This was especially true in the pre-internet and pre-global travel era where we all did not really have access to so many different types of experiences as readily.

LL: What is your greatest inspiration?CM: My parents were definitely my greatest inspiration. They experienced tremendous losses after being exiled from Cuba, but like many immigrants of this country, their desire was to move their family forward. They strived to instill in us that hard work would lead to accomplishments, especially insisting that the best education possible would help us succeed in life. I was also blessed with a few dedicated teachers and counsel-ors, in both elementary and high school, who mentored me and opened my mind to new opportunities.

LL: What is the most important lesson of your life and how do you apply it when making business decisions? CM: To me, perseverance, together with a positive attitude, are the key to success in life and business. Success in anything, be it personal or business related, does not come easily. It requires one to keep pushing and work tenaciously to accomplish what is desired. Rarely does something work right away. Success comes when you apply all of yourself from the start. Every issue requires constant analysis to get a clear understanding of how one can adapt to the challenge and then reapply oneself. Success is the summation of this continuous process. In the business world, in particular, there is no “coasting.”

72 • December 2013 • January 2014

Latin

o L

ea

de

rsLL: Why did you decide to partner with MasterCard?

CM: I joined MasterCard three years ago because I wanted to be part of the company’s innovative technology, which I consider is changing the world. We have a range of technology products enabling people to have full access to their finances, whether traveling on business, shopping at home or vacationing in a dif-ferent part of the world. I wanted to be part of a company that was laying the technological foundation for the world’s increasing mobility and connectivity we see developing around us.

LL: What do you enjoy most about your current position? CM: I relish the challenge of identifying future needs, of pre-dicting where the world will head next and creating products that will satisfy those needs, benefit consumers and even fos-ter economic growth. I travel about 80% of the time, regularly experiencing most of the world, and that helps me take an idea blossoming in one place and adapt it to another. I enjoy seeking out and building upon those global innovations and seeing how they can drive business further.

LL: What would it represent for MasterCard to really im-pact the Hispanic market in terms of economic growth? CM: For MasterCard, successfully reaching the Hispanic market would mean replacing cash as their primary method of payment, which would dramatically reduce the 85% of the

world’s transactions in cash. At the most fundamental level, Hispanic consumers use our products just like everyone else: to buy food and gas, to go out with their friends and family, to pay bills, shop on the Internet. The key to marketing to the Hispanic consumer is to recognize the similarities with other cultural groups and to deliver products at scale, while adapting the message to make it more relevant.

There is not one product to serve all these segments’ needs. We need to adapt our existing products to serve the sub seg-ments within the young and underserved for example, be that mobile, prepaid, debit or credit. Similar to the thousands of different types of computers, laptops, tablets and phones, our breadth of products and platforms meeting the needs of each sub segment is what will help drive our success.

LL: What is your main goal?CM: For my work to reflect the integrity and level of commit-ment that would serve as an example to my team at Master-Card and my children at home: to work hard and make their own mark in the world.

On the evening of October 24, 2013, Dallas’ most elite and recognizable Latinos gathered at the Renaissance Hotel to recognize the excellence of five recipients of the 8th Annual Dallas Maestro Awards. This year’s awardees included: Diana Natalicio, President of the University of Texas at El Paso; Eduardo Najera, Former NBA Player and Texas Legends Head Coach; Erwin Cruz, M.D. , Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School; Darren Rebelez, Chief Operating Officer for 7-Eleven; and Alfredo Duarte, President and CEO of Taxco Produce.

Presented with the support from:

DALLASMAeStro

Community Service: Diana Natalicio

Leadership: Eduardo Najera

Medicine and Scientific Excellence: Erwin Cruz

Professional Achievement: Darren Rebelez

Entrepreneurship: Alfredo Duarte

74 • October / November 2013

PHOTOS FOR LATINO LEADERS BY ANDREw BuckLEY

EvENTS Maestro

DALLASOctober 24, 2013Renaissance Hotel

In addItIon to the 2013 awardees, the host committee of past recipients of the Dallas Maestro Award also attended a VIP reception to enjoy wine and meet the new Maestros. The night was filled with inspirational stories of determination and the will to succeed, defining the meaning of a true Maestro.

One of the recurring themes of the evening was the urge to inspire future generations of Latinos and help them to suc-ceed. As Dr. Natalicio mentioned, schools like UTEP are con-tinuing to build the foundation for these goals to be reached. Natalicio with guests.

Jaime Orozco, Associate Director of Sales and Marketing for Mi Sueño Winery

Eduardo Najera with Jorge Ferraez on stage.

Juan Alzate

Photos by: Andrew Buckley

The awardees: Diana Natalicio, Eduardo Najera, Erwin Cruz, Darren Rebelez and Alfredo Duarte

During her 25-plus years as President, UTEP has grown to be one of the state’s front-running research institutions. Eduardo Najera confirmed to the audience that his career didn’t end after leaving the NBA– it only began a new chapter. As a head coach, he now passes on invaluable lessons to his players through experience. He also values the new opportunities he has had to give back to the communities that helped him get where he is today. He even joked with Dr. Natalicio about hiring him as the new head coach of UTEP with guarantees of another championship.

Stories of triumph were present as Alfredo Duarte explained that, as a young boy, he never dreamed he’d be selling pro-duce for a living. Nowadays, he operates his own interna-tional produce company that transcends borders between the United States and Mexico. As a veteran, Darren Rebelez, attributed many of the lessons he learned in the military to his success as a corporate officer. Hard work, dedication and discipline helped set his path from an early age to rise to the top of 7-Eleven’s corporate ladder. Erwin Cruz also cited the importance of discipline when he explained to the audience his upbringing and his mother’s guidance. Now as a premier neurologist and professor, Cruz has the ability to teach stu-dents as well as continue his education through research.

76 • June 2013

76 • October / November 2013

EvENTS

Guests enjoying the reception.

Albert Reyes, President and CEO of Bucker International with wife, Belinda Reyes.

Darren Rebelez

All the awardees.

Erwin Cruz

Alfredo Duarte

The evening concluded with a reception featuring the wines of Mi Sueno Winery, allowing guests to network and reflect on the stories of this year’s Maestros. Latino Leaders would like to thank our sponsors for helping make the ceremony so remarkable: Southwest Airlines, Northwest-ern Mutual, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Texas Health Resources, Ford, ING, Yum Brands and Shore.

Najera, Natalicio and Cruz.

create wealth One Leader at a time

list of Attendees:

www.latinoleaders.comfor more of the discussion, visit:

Adam García Associate crAton

Alonso Arellano ceo nopAltillA

Art Gastelum president GAtewAy science & enGineerinG, inc.

Bricia Lopez partner GuelAGuetzA restAurAnt

Iris Zuñiga coo youth policy institute

Jackeline Cacho vp findinG productions

Maria Contreras-Sweet

ceo proAmericA BAnk

Marisol Camelo owner cAmelo Jello

Martha Montoya founder and ceo los kitos

Mina Pacheco vp director At credit suisse

Moctesuma Esparza ceo mAyA cinemAs

Monica Lozano publisher and ceo lA opinion

Rafael Sweet Attorney pettit kohn inGrAssiA & lutz pc

Rosie Rodriguez entrepreneur reAl estAte / mortAGAGe consultinG

Sal Mendoza svp city nAtionAl BAnk

Santiago Pozo founder and ceo ArenAs Group

August 21, 2013 Ritz-Carlton

On August 21st, a group of Los Angeles’ most successful Latinos met for a luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton to discuss wealth creation and accumulation in the Latino community. Guests included familiar faces as well as some of this year’s 101 Most Influential Latinos.


presented with the support from:

events wealth creation SerieS :

LOs ÁngeLes

As the discussion ensued, one of the main themes was influencing the younger generation by exposing them to the success of their Latino predeces-sors. Moctesuma Esparza, the CEO of Maya Cinemas and film producer, stated that he would put magazines like Latino Leaders in every school in the country so the students can see examples of inspiring ideas and see that it is possible to become successful and wealthy as a Latino in America.

“In my own story I didn’t have any used proration nor mentors; I was self-made. And although I felt discriminated against, I had to put myself together and be self initiated,” Alonso Arellano, CEO of Nopatilla, said. Arellano harped on the idea that young Latinos need mentors and leaders to lead by example.

Furthering the idea of mentorship, Santiago Pozo, Founder and CEO of the Arenas Group, mentioned that “if these kids grow with no motivation, we don’t have a future not only as a community, but as a country. These kids are the future of the U.S., therefore they need to be able to create wealth if we want this country to be wealthy in the future.”

All in all, the call to action estab-lished at this meet-up of leaders was clear: invest in ourselves, inspire the young generation and take initiative to do something to brighten the future of those that need motivation.

Story by: Emilia Gaston | Photos by: Ejen Chuang

Monica Lozano, Rafael sweet and santiago Pozo.

Moctesuma esparza, Monica Lozano, Jackeline Cacho and Rafael sweet.

Moctesuma esparza

Maria Contreras-sweet with Jorge Ferraez.Alonso Arellano.

Reception. Maria Contreras-sweet.

sal Mendoza Mina Pacheco.

Pio Cesare Barolo “Ornato” 1995 (from the cellar of a collector)Region: Piedmont, Italy Varietal: Nebbiolo Price: $ 78Aromas: Minty, peppery, ripe red fruit Flavors: Plum, licorice, earthyImpression: Round, Structure: Soft, wide and balancedDrink with: Pasta with venison red sauce Why I loved this wine? Classy, incredible aromas My Rating: 90 pts.

Chateau de Camensac 2009 (Bought at Total Wine & More)Region: Haut Medoc Bordeaux Varietal: Bordeaux Blend Price: $ 45Aromas: Red fruit, pepper, truffle Flavors: Currant and spice Impression: Elegant, firm and succulent Structure: Balanced, harmonious Drink with: Steak, game in dark sauces Why I loved this wine? Beautiful renowned Bordeaux at affordable level My Rating: 89 pts.

Joseph Drouhin Beaune “Clos de Mouches” 2009 (A gift from a distributor)Region: Beaune, Cote Beaune, Burgundy, France Varietal: Chardonnay, mainly Price: $ 125 Aromas: Pineapple, white flowers, vanilla Flavors: Cit-rus, grapefruit, white truffle Impression: Silky, elegant Structure: Perfect roundness Drink with: Delicate dishes, fish with light sauces, shellfish Why I loved this wine? Wonderful palate, impressive My Rating: 93 pts.

MacRostie Pinot Noir Wildcat Mountain Vineyard 2007 (Bought at Costco)Region: Sonoma County, California Varietal: Pinot Noir Price: $ 47Aromas: Roasted coffee bean, spice Flavors: Red fruit, flowery, plumImpression: Silky Structure: Balanced, little rough yet Drink with: BBQ, Christmas menus Why I loved this wine? Toasty, fruity, cherry like notes are great! My Rating: 88 pts.

www.twitter.com/JFerraez_Latino

is Drinking What Jorge Ferraez


TASTINg

MMy good friends Ignacio Delgadillo Sr. and Jr., founders of Delgadillo Cellars in Napa Valley, were generous enough last fall to send me a verti-cal of their 5 vintages so far: from 2001 to 2005. I knew that the 2004 vintage was sold out and they were getting great reviews, so I figured it would be a good idea to do a vertical like this:

“Historical, never before done publicly”- Ignacio Jr. told me. A vertical is a fantastic experience; it allows you to go deep inside into understanding a wine and its winemakers. It also allows you to unveil the secrets of a region, a vineyard or an AOC. I sincerely was im-pressed with the consistency, for a start. Big, tannic, concentrated, caramel, black fruit, vanilla and peppery accents were common along them all. Subtle accents on fruit, and chocolate were less defined in each of the vintages. Perhaps my two favorites were the 2005 and 2001, in that order, but all of them were fantastic.

On another very different occasion, we got to-gether to taste some good, high end mature Bor-deaux. You can only afford this if you have gener-ous friends and a private cellar to host it, not only because of the scarcity of the wines, but to be able to get the perfect environment as well. From those that were definitively outstanding were a Chateau Gru-aud Larose, Saint-Julien 1986 showing beau-tiful balance and fruitiness, a Chateau Reiussec, Sauternes 1983, whose golden brown aspect was a fantastic prelude to violets, honey and cinnamon notes. And perhaps, the star of the night was a deli-ciously silky, fruity, elegant and almost indescribable Mouton-Rothschild 1996. Wow! One of those experiences you never want to forget.

On a recent interview with a sommelier, he con-fessed to me that his moment with wine came over a bottle of “Pavillon Blanc” from Chateau Margaux (vintage not recalled). Since then I have been on a search for that wine to taste it. So until I find that white Bordeaux, I found a fantastic white Burgundy in a restaurant that was generously offered to me from a good friend: LEROY Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Chemevottes” 2007 which was absolutely fantastic: white flowers, citric, silky with loads of orange and tangerine peel and hints of tropical fruit in the background. Unbelievable!

What is a Vertical Tasting? A vertical tasting is where someone tastes different vintages of the same wine type from the same vineyard.

TASTINg

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