Edition
31 September 1st September 30th
2010
in a city rich in shades, here is a COLOR that includes all...
Plus:
Boston Fashion 101: Know The Local Style Scene
The Top Five Networking Myths What’s Your
Wine Personality? Danielle Evans: Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self
All About Integrity
Reinaldo Lopez CEO and Founder Resource Management Inc.
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All of us at Bentley University join you in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Bentley University leads higher education in the integration of global business with the arts and sciences, information technology, and corporate and social responsibility. We seek dedicated professionals who represent diverse backgrounds, interests and talents — and share a commitment to high ethical standards and a willingness to embrace change.
Please visit https://jobs.bentley.edu for a complete list of open positions. Bentley is an equal opportunity employer, building strength through diversity.
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Contents
S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 0
B u s i n e ss
5 Demystifying the Top Five Networking Myths
10 How Cultural Interactions are Driving Healthcare
B e nc h m a r k s
6 Developing Latino Leadership... Harvard Style
8 Boston Fashion 101: A Primer for the Local Style Scene
Feature
12 Reinaldo Lopez, CEO and Founder of Resource Management Inc., is all about integrity.
E n t e rta i n m e n t
16 TAKERS star Idris
Elba on New Roles and Helping Others
18 Musician Jorge Arce on Finding Your Rhythm
L i f e st y l e
20 What’s Your Wine Personality?
22 Newcomer Danielle Evans’s debut Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self
23 The Painted Man in My Wife the Babysitter Cover Photo by Paul Yem
www.colormagazineusa.com September 2010
3
Welcome
From the P u bl i s h e r
S
In a city rich in shades here is a color that includes all‌ Color Magazine is the premier all-inclusive monthly magazine that highlights and promotes professionals of color.
eptember always seems to
inspire bittersweet memories for me. As a young adult, I looked forward to going back to school, yet I reminisced about the romantic summer days past. Today, as a single mom, I am indeed happy to be getting my two boys back into a formal routine. Yet, this summer for us, has been one of deep connections, healings and a new unit formed. It was a transformative summer indeed! I have always connected September to taking stock of oneself and reflecting on what needs to be done. At the beginning of the year, my resolutions included giving back and investing in people. I am pleased to hear stories of so many others that are doing the same thing, featured among those is Reinaldo Lopez, a perfect example of that commitment. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, consider how you can invest in others. Josefina
CONTRI B UTING WRITERS
4 Copley Place | Suite 120 Boston, MA 02116 (617) 266.6961 sales@colormagazineusa.com Publisher
Josefina Bonilla
josefina@colormagazineusa.com Editor
Michael Chin
michael@colormagazineusa.com Chief Operating Officer
Lisette Garcia
lisette@colormagazineusa.com INTERN
Efi Mavambu Advisory Committee
Greg Almieda Ferdinand Alvaro, Jr. Daren Bascome Mark Conrad Kim Dukes-Rivers Beverly Edgehill Yvonne Garcia Digna Gerena Kimberly Y. Jones Samson Lee Brenda Mckenzie Juan Carlos Morales Oswald Mondejar William Moran Nereida Perez Russel Pergament Carol Sanchez John Sims Eduardo Tobon Leverett Wing Publisher
Color Media Group, LLC Distribution
Joanne Choi is a freelance journalist and also contributes to AsianBoston Magazine. Her passion is staying up-to-date on people and society. She is working on her first novel.
4
Anna Giraldo-Kerr founded Shades of Success, a career coaching firm, to help professionals of color proactively manage their careers. In 2006, Anna’s editorial commentary on immigration and education was awarded national recognition at the First National Ethnic Media Awards.
MAGAZINE September 2010
Natascha F. Saunders is a certified career coach and speaker, focused on our youth. She is an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Career Services at Boston University, Adjunct Faculty for the University of Rhode Island and Education Chair of NAACP Boston.
Desmond Williams is a freelance writer and JUNO magazine columnist. He lives in Brooklyn, NY, is half of a mixed-race couple and father to a rambunctious, comedic and inquisitive kindergartner. Desmond is currently working on a graphic novel, The Painted Man.
Trond Arne Undheim is an entrepreneur, speaker and author. He lives between Boston and London, speaks six languages and has a Ph.D. in sociology. He writes frequently on wine and society.
Jay Calderin is the author of Form, Fit & Fashion, the upcoming Fashion Design Essentials,and an instructor and Director of Creative Marketing at the School of Fashion Design. Jay is currently the Regional Director of Fashion Group International of Boston and the Executive Director of Boston Fashion Week which he founded.
GateHouse Media
Business
Demystifying Networking Myths B y N ata s c h a S a u n d e r s
Myth
#1
You must know the top managers or CEOs in order to network. This is just not true!
In fact, I landed my first job at Neiman Marcus by talking to the sales associates in the store. I set up informational interviews with them because they had something I didn’t, inside knowledge of the company, who is who, cultural norms, corporate structure etc. You must start right where you are. Don’t discount even the young person who rings you up at the cashier, they know HR and you don’t. Plus, you can practice that 60 second elevator pitch and perfect it by the time you meet the CEO and top management.
Myth
#2
You have to be a natural to network, it doesn’t take work. I had a client come in today to
tell me she landed an investment banking Job at UBS in New York. When I started working with her, she was timid and not sure how to network. So we worked on her image, elevator pitch and reasons for wanting to network. Once you have those key elements, then you will build the confidence. It’s not necessarily about you being a natural it’s about you being able to think, write and practice. It’s also something you can learn. Try reading the following excellent books (and look out for my book on networking coming out soon!): Little Black Book of Connection by Jeffrey Gitomer’s and the The Networking Survival Guide by Diane Darling.
Myth
#3
You have to be an extrovert to be a successful networker! So not true! I have had
so many shy clients (men and women) come to me and say but I can’t network. Well, it’s similar to what I said above you must practice, practice and practice. Would you believe it if I told you my Myers Briggs Type Analysis said I was an INTJ – yes the I stands for Introvert! You’re probably saying there is no way a career coach and networking guide is an introvert, but we all have the ability to step out of our comfort zones in order to achieve what we want.
Myth
#4
Networking takes too much time and it has to be done face to face. Remember the last
time you were on the train and you had a great conversation until you arrived at your stop? Remember the last time you were waiting in line and you struck up a conversation with the next person in line? Well, it only takes you two seconds to say hello and deliver small talk: the weather, the outfit, the neighborhood, the cab that drove by with a sign on it, or I’ve seen you around do you work in the area? Would you believe I met a top pharmaceutical sales rep on Facebook? Would you believe I met an HR executive for the D.C. transportation system on Blackplanet? Would you believe I met a former hip hop writer P-Diddy off Myspace? Just be sure to be polite and courteous in all of your interactions and offer useful information to your contacts – it works both ways. You as well need to be of value to them. Most of the time I just give, give, give without asking for nothing just so I can be in a person’s company and learn from them.
Myth
37
percent of workers polled by Robert Half International said the biggest mistake people make when networking is not asking for help
94
percent of successful job hunters claimed that networking had made all the difference for them according to The Wall Street Journal Between
You need to know tons of people to network. Just start
with who you know: friends, parents, friend’s parents, parent’s friends... and that’s just the beginning. My dentist is married to the sister of the Dean at my former job. I had a client who landed a job at a national bank from sharing with her mechanic that she was looking in that field. Connect with your hairstylist, favorite restaurant owner, former classmates, and don’t stop there.
#5
Networking Facts
60 90 and
percent of jobs are found informally – mainly through friends, relatives and direct contacts. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that 63.4 percent of all workers use informal job finding methods.
Natascha F. Saunders, is a Certified Professional Career Coach for more visit www.natashcasaunders.com or email her at natashchasaunders@yahoo.com
www.colormagazineusa.com September 2010
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benchmarks
LLI participants with David Ortiz
Developing Latino Leadership… Harvard Style b y Ann a G i r a l d o - K e r r
At
first glance, it looked like a typical leadership program in progress at the Harvard Kennedy School. A closer look, though, showed an extra spark in class discussions. There was a bit more spunk in the note taking and hand waving than one could expect in a leadership training workshop. Similarly, lecturers and speakers showed an unusually heightened sense of excitement. Their smiles were broad and encouraging. Their words sounded revolutionary, perhaps even prophetic.
Carlos Gutierrez speaking with students at LLI
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MAGAZINE September 2010
This shared sense of admiration was well warranted. If students wanted to be called in class, it was to answer Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz’s questions. Or if vigorous note taking seemed a bit excessive, it was perhaps to jot down Boston Red Sox David Ortíz’s thoughts on leadership. When David Gergen, Professor of Public Service and the Director of the Center for Public Leadership, shared the highlights of his professional experience as former political adviser to four United States presidents, there was a paparazzi instant when students pulled out their cameras and cell phones to capture the moment. Instructors were equally impressed with the students before them: 28 Latino college seniors nominated by their schools to participate in this pioneering event. Three fourths of participants are the first to attend college in their families. Several grew up in farming communities. Others experienced flying for the first time to attend the program. The common thread among them was their demonstrated leadership ability and academic excellence. And with this sense of mutual anticipation, awe and achievement the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at Harvard Kennedy School launched the inaugural session of the Latino Leadership Initiative. The Latino Leadership Initiative (LLI), Gergen’s brainchild, grew out of the impending need to address the misalignment between the rapid growth of the Latino population and the lack of Latino leadership representation across all sectors of society. According to census figures, by 2050, it is projected that one third of the U.S. population will be of Latino origin. Through generous seed funding of Entravision’s chairman and CEO, Walter Ulloa, planning started in May 2008. Although the main goal of the LLI is to address the issues and challenges of a specific demographic, the planning team decided on an inclusive yet rigorous approach to select participants. “It was a very conscious decision on our part to consider candidates who are Latino and those who may not be Latino but are interested in addressing the challenges of the Latino community,” explained Dr. Andy Zelleke, LLI faculty chair. To facilitate the selection process, LLI partnered with five universities across the country, including University of Massachusetts-Boston. Each school nominated a group of students – representing a diverse range of career interests – with prov-
en academic and leadership accomplishments. All associated expenses – travel, room and board – would be covered for those selected. The year-long program started with a week-long course in June that incorporated 19 classes, group activities and 10 guest speakers. Harvard faculty led class discussions and mentors facilitated small group conversations for each university cohort. The days were long – starting at 7:30 a.m. with a group breakfast and ending around 11 p.m. Curriculum programming was based on the leadership development model created by CPL in 2006, which draws from a set of personal and interpersonal competencies that shape leaders. Class topics ranged from Public Speaking to Negotiations to Power and Influence. Throughout the week-long program, students had time set aside to work on their Leadership Development Action Plans, an individualized and detailed document where students list their top three leadership development goals for the coming year. Class sessions and breakout discussions provided an introspective lens to identify key leadership developmental goals and milestones. In addition, each university team committed to develop and implement a project to benefit their local community. Through the generosity of Houston entrepreneur Farouk Shami, each team will receive seed money towards the implementation of their community project. According to Zelleke, the program was intentionally designed to have a transformative effect in the mindset of these young leaders. Yuliana K. Espinoza, a Loyola Marymount University senior, said her LLI experience “has made me realize that calling yourself a leader doesn’t necessarily mean you are one. To become a leader, you must create your own power, define a purpose and enable others to achieve greatness.” Jesse Anaya, a Universuty of California-Merced senior agreed, “The LLI is a place where you arrive with a vision, if tentative and incomplete, and leave with the feeling that you can do anything.” Despite markedly high expectations, the group was eager and ready to step up to the challenge. During the graduation ceremony LLI Program Manager, Darío Collado asked the group, “are you ready to change the world?” They emphatically replied, “Yes!” Anna Giraldo-Kerr, who recently graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education, writes and coaches about leadership, diversity and entrepreneurship. She can be reached at annagkerr@gmail.com. To read an interview with some LLI participants, search “Latino leadership” at www. colormagazineusa.com.
At Boston Medical Center, our diversity sets us apart. As a central component of the greater Boston area, our commitment to serving individuals with various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds is an essential part of who we are at Boston Medical Center. We know that by bringing together differences — a rich variety of traditions and viewpoints — we can remain truly engaged in providing the utmost service to our community. In fact, we offer our patient population on-site, person-to-person interpretation services in more than 30 languages, 24-hours-a-day. This same commitment to diversity encompasses our careers. Within our strong, all-inclusive workforce, you have the opportunity to discover the full potential of your own personal and professional strengths. You belong with the best. At Boston Medical Center (BMC), you can join a team of individuals who don’t simply strive for excellence – they set the standard for it. Visit our website to discover opportunities and enjoy an exceptional career at BMC – The Exceptional Choice: www.bmc.org/hr/taleo
True diversity knows no exceptions: EOE.
benchmarks
Boston Fashion 101 A primer for the local style scene B y J ay C a l d e r i n
As
fall returns and Boston is buzzing with students coming back to school, there is no mistaking that among professionals, fashion is once again a priority. A ‘grass is greener’ mindset that focuses on what’s happening in fashion elsewhere makes it easy to forget that Boston has a thriving fashion scene of its own. An introduction for some, a refresher for others, the following is a quick reference guide to the abundance of fashion experiences to be had, right in your own back yard.
A Culture of Fashion
From Runway to Retail
More than ever before, fashion is considered worthy of space at major cultural institutions. Salem’s Peabody Essex Museum recently hosted the awe inspiring collection of fashion icon Iris Apfel. Exhibitions at the American Textile Museum regularly explore cloth, culture and couture. The Massachusetts College of Art and Design was host to a collection of works by celebrated fashion designer Mary McFadden. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston struck an artistic blow for fashion with their Fashion Show exhibition in 2006. The museum continues to show its respect for the art of fashion with exhibits this fall like Avedon Fashion 1944-2000 and Scaasi: American Couturier.
If you’re in need of a little retail therapy, you can shop until you drop in Boston and beyond. Newbury Street is home to everything from Urban Outfitters to Chanel, with each of those stores actually serving as anchors at either end of the street. Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg and Donna Karan are just a few of the international designer brands that share the eight block stretch with important local boutiques like Alan Bilzerian, Riccardi, Serenella, Matsu, Calypso, and Betsy Jenney of Boston. Copley Place, Natick Collection, Legacy Place and The Mall at Chestnut Hill also offer high-end shopping experiences, as does the Boston-based online boutique Rue La La. For the thrill of a bargain, the Wrentham Village Premium Outlets serve up both savings and style. A little further north, Kittery Outlets in Maine continue to be a shopping destination for the thrifty fashionista.
Haute Tech Couture
Boston
Fashion Links
www.mfa.org www.newbury-st.com boston.fgi.org www.bostonfashionweek.com
Above: The Launch 2009: Elena Sanders Photograph © Tracy Aiguier; Right: Donyale Luna, dress by Paco Rabanne, New York, December 1966 Photograph Richard Avedon Photograph © The Richard Avedon Foundation
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MAGAZINE September 2010
Anyone who has experienced a winter in New England is familiar with Polar fleece, also known as microfleece. That fabric was created at Malden Mills (Polartec, LLC). Local innovations like this one are not an uncommon occurrence. The area has a rich history as a center of manufacturing for textiles, clothing and shoes. It also boasts some of the most creative scientific minds in the world. Massachusetts Institute of Technology for instance, is no stranger to fashion. Fusing technology and fashion was the theme of a series of shows called Seamless, which challenged what we wear to perform in some way that improved the quality of life.
A Fashion Education The success of television programs like Project Runway have been credited with influencing an increase in enrollment at fashion schools across
the country. In Boston, and throughout the area, many of the schools that offer an education in fashion design experienced that surge. A few of those schools include; Bay State College, Fisher College, Framingham State College, Lasell College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Mount Ida College, Rhode Island School of Design and School of Fashion Design on Newbury Street. In addition to fashion design, many of these schools and a host of others offer coursework in merchandising, marketing and communications for fashion. As a result the region is turning out the next generation of fashion professionals in record numbers.
Couture Connection Fashion Group International was founded in 1930. A small sampling from the list of founding members sounds like a who’s who of powerful fashion professionals, not to mention a very influential First Lady. Some of those legendary women where Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein, Lilly Dache, Edith Head, Claire McCardell, Carmel Snow and, of course, Eleanor Roosevelt. Boston became one of the first FGI satellites shortly after its inception. Since then FGI has grown to become a well respected global organization. Originally conceived as an association for women, membership is now open to men as well. FGI of Boston has become a touchstone for local fashion professionals, offering networking opportunities and access to resources for its members and the community.
Celebrating Style This year Boston Fashion Week is scheduled for September 24th thru October 1st and takes place at venues throughout the city. The week has become an eagerly anticipated tradition since it began in 1995. Part of its appeal is that established professionals as well as aspiring newcomers from around the globe, who call Boston home, share the spotlight for this weeklong celebration of style. The official schedule is packed full of runway presentations, educational programming, exhibitions and of course parties, where everyone can see and be seen in the latest fashions. Boston is about smart fashion and smart fashion is about balance. Global fashion concerns are certainly here to stay in one way or another, but a return to regionalism is the answer to retaining control over how we personally interpret and adopt fashion. Any wardrobe that reflects individuality is bound to include one-of-a-kind items that can only be acquired locally. Our regional reputation for innovation is at the heart of the renaissance that local the fashion community is experiencing. It is an exciting time to be creating and collecting fashion in Boston.
Homegrown Design There is something for everyone when it comes to local fashion design talent. Sometimes referred to as the father of Boston fashion, Alfred Fiandaca remains a respected presence on the local fashion scene, while seasoned designers like Denise Hajjar and Daniel Faucher figure prominently as well. More recent additions to the list of designers championing local style are Daniela Corte, Michael DePaulo and Jeff Lahens of ECC Genuine Bespoke, who is one of the areas few menswear designers. Shubhra Bhattacharya Chandra, Shelley Chhabra, Nirva Derbekyan, Daniel Hernandez, Prajje Jean-Baptiste, Andrea McLean of Drea Designs and Sam Mendoza are among those making a names for themselves in Boston.
From Top to Bottom: Designer Jeff Lahen Photograph © Tracy Aiguier; Designer Daniela Corte Photograph © Dom Miguel Photography; Designer Sam Mendoza Photograph © Tracy Aiguier; The Launch 2009: Millie Bautista Photograph © Tracy Aiguier; The Launch 2009: Nara Paz Photograph © Tracy Aiguier; Daniela Corte Show Boston Fashion Week 2009 Photograph © Boston Fashion Week
The Next Generation An innovative pilot program called The Launch was responsible for bringing five new faces – Millie Bautista, Pavlina Gilson, Nara Paz, Eddi Phillips, Elena Sanders – to the attention of the press and the public in 2009. This year during Boston Fashion Week, Victoria Dominguez, Aey Hotarwaisaya, Laura Kane, Sara Marhamo, Samira Vargas will be the focus of this industry effort to mentor and encourage up and coming designers.
www.colormagazineusa.com September 2010
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Business
How Cultural Interactions Are Driving Healthcare By Joyce Beach-Small D i r e c t o r, C o r p o r a t e D i v e r s i t y P r o g r a m s Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
W
hat is the future of health-
care in America? While none of
us can be certain what effect the changing policies will have on our nation, we do know that the healthcare industry is changing rapidly, and we have been challenged to provide affordable, high quality care. With the changing demographics and evolving marketplace, we are increasing our focus towards understanding the multicultural needs of our customers.
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MAGAZINE September 2010
At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA), we have implemented a climate assessment process internally known as I.D.E.A. (Inclusion and Diversity Environment Assessment), which takes an in depth look at knowledge, behaviors and attitudes about diversity and inclusion in participating departments. The process involves the completion of a confidential survey by each team member, participation in focus groups followed by one-on-one interviews, and HR data background reviews. Once the various stages have concluded, we use the resulting information to create an accurate picture and calibrate where each department is at currently. Through focused dialogue and in close partnership with the senior leaders for each area, we then customize recommendations to fit the departmental findings and set in place a multi-year implementation plan. The implementation itself is also assessed a year later with a comprehensive survey, to validate its effectiveness. The I.D.E.A. maximizes each leader’s results in working with diverse teams. We have received positive feedback from the participants, particularly with respect to how the managers have engaged their team members, and consequently many participants have taken the initiative to begin doing some of their own people process improvements that result in a more inclusive and productive climate for all. Engaging All Generations is a leading edge initiative currently underway thanks to a partnership with the Sloan Center for Aging & Work at Boston College. BCBSMA is one of five companies that have been recruited to take part in the pilot of the Sloan Center’s Executive Innovation Lab, which focuses on leveraging generational diversity to enhance business solutions. Each of the participating companies has nominated one of their own executive-level representatives to lead an internal team whose goal is to create a prototype solution to a business opportunity that pertains to age diversity. In BCBSMA’s case, our goal is to create a more effective and engaging model in our case management area for how to better engage our multigenerational membership. We anticipate long-term success with this program, and have already seen shifts in how we approach innovation. Soon, these prototypes may lead to enhancements on how we interact with members and providers of all ages on a daily basis. At BCBSMA, we know that in order to be more effective in a multicultural marketplace, we need to be extraordinarily inclusive and culturally proficient in diversity. To help us achieve this business goal, we have adopted a third initiative to better improve our cultural competency as an organization. In order for our clientfacing personnel to be more effective in the services they provide to our clients, they must gain a deeper understanding of our members and providers. We offer a Cultural Competency Certificate Program – an online module for employees to complete at their leisure, after which they participate in a debriefing session. During this module, the participants learn how to communicate clearly in cross-cultural interactions and discover various approaches in dealing with people of different cultures. We can all benefit from better understanding the various cultural complexities of the marketplace. In learning how to better engage and understand our members, providers and associates, we can provide higher quality interactions, ask those powerful questions, and best of all - be prepared to meet the challenge of affordable accessibility in healthcare.
go getter
aka Anthony, Verizon Wireless
I’m proud to work for a company that’s on top of its game – it gives me the ability I need to grow my career. [ Here you get to see just how far you can take it – and I have the total rewards to prove it. ]
At Verizon Wireless, we are focused on the success of our customers, our company, and our team members. Our medical, dental and vision coverage starts on day one, our 401(K) matching beats industry standards. That, along with award-winning training, great opportunities to network, and unlimited career paths to pursue means you can truly own your future. Join Verizon Wireless, where we have a career for anywhere you want to go, and everything you are.
Not too long ago, the word cancer was heard only in whispers. Today, people not only talk about it, they survive and even thrive after cancer. Better still, many have found that with lifestyle changes and early detection screenings, they can prevent it. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is committed to helping you in the fight against cancer. From mammography screening right in the community, to workshops on cancer prevention, to world-class cancer treatment, we’re dedicated to getting you and your family on the road to better health.
Careers For Everything You Are www.verizonwireless.com/careers
To learn more, call 617-632-4860 or visit www.dana-farber.org/community
Verizon Wireless is an equal opportunity employer, m/f/d/v.
Image: lung cancer cell.
WHO WILL BE YOUR NEXT GENERATION EXECUTIVE?
One focus: a shared commitment to improve the lives of cancer patients worldwide.
The only program designed to prepare multicultural leaders of color for executive-level roles. Applications now being accepted! Session begins October 4, 2010. Learn more at: www.thepartnershipinc.org/train/senior_executives.html
Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company is developing an extensive pipeline — among the top in oncology worldwide — with more than 17 compounds for a broad range of solid and hematological cancers. Come to where lifesaving science meets lifechanging opportunities. At Millennium, you’ll help develop breakthrough treatments that can make a difference in patients’ lives. All in a dynamic, collaborative environment where you can be yourself — and do your best science. To learn more or apply, visit us at millennium.com. Millennium has opportunities in the following areas:
Comparative Medicine Finance n Information Technology n n
©2010 Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All rights reserved.
n n
Medical Affairs – Oncology Regulatory Affairs
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MAGAZINE September 2010
Reinaldo
Lopez All About Integrity
www.colormagazineusa.com September 2010
13
Resources Management Inc. is the largest homegrown professional employment organization (PEO) in New England and the 41 st largest Hispanic owned business in the country according to Hispanic Business Magazine. Not bad for a company that began with the founder cashing in his life insurance policy so he could keep his word and cover some of his clients’ claims. That level of integrity has made the family-run company, which outsources human resources and employee benefits work, into a multimillion dollar business. And wherever Reinaldo Lopez does business, the community seems to benefit as well: September 17, 2005 was declared Reinaldo Lopez Sr. Day in Fitchburg, Mass., the location of his headquarters, in 2007 he was named Jacksonville’s (Fla.) Business Man of the Year and he has received several recognitions for his “dedication” and “invaluable service” to the various communities he has touched.
construction company. I sold that business then joined a company that was, then called, an employee leasing company which I had never heard of before. That industry evolved into what we do now. This is back in 1992, the industry evolved into the PEOs, which deal a lot more into the human resources side. CM: What qualities allowed you to become the top salesperson in the company? RL: Quite frankly, hard work. It wasn’t that I was intelligent or a great salesperson. I was very honest and people could tell that, but it was how
(Paul Yem)
CM: Tell me about growing up in Puerto Rico and then coming to America. RL: I was born in Puerto Rico I lived there until the age of nine. When I came to the United States I went to elementary school in Springfield Mass. I came to live with my Mom who was a migrant worker in the Tobacco Farms. She used to work six days a week in the tobacco farms, get up at four o’clock in the morning get home at five o’clock at night and then cook and do laundry. She showed me that you have to work hard if you want to achieve anything. And she did a good job of doing that. I went through the public school system in Springfield, and attended Wilbraham Academy on a full scholarship. CM: How important was getting that scholarship when you look back? RL: It was a lot of money and it was something that people in my environment usually didn’t get. I think it was a good thing for me because it exposed me to a totally different type of world. Most of the kids that attended the Wilbraham Academy were very well-to-do. Many of them from out of the country, one of them was a prince of Thailand at the time and there were also some Sheiks from Saudi Arabia. It was an interesting crowd. [Laughs.] CM: What were your work experiences prior to RMI? RL: I worked for a company called Simplex Time Recorder and they sold time and attendance systems and fire alarms. I worked as an outside sales person and accomplished quite a bit there. I was actually, with over 300 sales reps, number one in the company, a pretty big honor. From there, I started my own company, and I was the sales person for that company, and we basically had a maintenance and janitorial slash
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MAGAZINE September 2010
hard working I was. Continuously, I would achieve higher than most of my counterparts because of the fact that I chose to go and work. CM: What exactly does a PEO do? RL: A PEO is basically a human resources organization that will do coemployment with its clients by shifting the administrative responsibilities from the client worksite to the PEO. We serve as an offsite HR company. CM: PEOs were not common in the Northeast in 1995 when you started. What were the implications when you first started, going into a market with less competitors, compared to now when the market has filled out? RL: They weren’t common at all. Now, They’re fairly common, and it’s gotten so much easier. At the beginning we had to educate the marketplace in order to provide our services and many people actually thought what we were doing was illegal. Massachusetts doesn’t have any licensing requirements so it wasn’t recognized – for example in New Hampshire or Florida a license is required. We had to do a lot of market education of the process. With the arrival of many other PEOs in Massachusetts it’s become a lot easier to market because the service is now very recognizable, many people do understand the relationship. CM: What made you want to start REI? RL: Quite frankly, the company that I sold for, based out of Albany, New York, was a really bad player. They took the money and ran. Basically what I did was cash in my life insurance policy and pay for some clients’ workers compensation bills and taxes. That’s how I started. I had no intention of doing it myself as an owner. I kind of got forced into it and I’m very happy
now that it happened, to the extent that we have been quite successful at it. CM: What made it possible to go from a small, homegrown business to a multi-million dollar company? RL: The state of Massachusetts is probably the greatest educator out there, there are very stringent with their laws but they were very helpful with educating us. I also chose to surround myself with people who are better than I am, that have a lot more expertise than I do. That’s really what has made us a success, the people who I work with. It has made our success a lot easier. We have learned a lot along the way and we’ve made some mistakes. But if you show integrity and you stand by your word, you deliver what you promise, usually people will understand when you do make a mistake. CM: What would you do differently if you could go back to when you were starting the business 15 years ago? RL: That’s a good question. I’m not sure that I would turn down investment money. [Laughs.] I think we probably would be a lot larger if we had accepted investment money. I do like to be in control and I do like to make the decisions based on advice from my associates, and that’s probably why I didn’t accept any investment money prior. CM: At this point what will it take to expand your business into more markets across the country? RL: Basically what we need is to find an infusion of cash. So that we can go ahead and subsidize our growth. So far, what we have accomplished has been done with strictly organic growth, our own money, which is great because we are debt free. But at the same time we probably could have accomplished a lot more if we had accepted investors.
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CM: What kind of core values do you hope remain as you pass the business on to your children? RL: Basically, keep your word. If you promise something, deliver it. Associate with people with dignity, treat people fairly and compensate them correctly. Those are the things that will help you be successful. Be honest, do what you say you are going to do, and treat other people – I would say most of our people are treated like family because they are the ones that have made us a success. CM: Is it hard to work with your children? RL: Extremely. [Laughs.] Only because I am probably more demanding of my own children than anybody else. I think if you ask them, if it’s easy to Color Magazine work your father, they would say, ‘Extremely difficult!’ 127125
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CM: In addition to stressing ethical business practices, you also stress giving back to the community. RL: We have a certain responsibility to our communities. If things are going to get better not only for Latinos but for everybody, we need to be responsible citizens and help each other out when we can. If we are in the community and helping build it up and contributing to it, then it becomes a stronger community. And when that happens we will benefit too. CM: Do you do any mentoring? RL: I do, but mostly with people who come to my office, and I’ve offered this many, many times, anybody who wants to start a business I give them my time pro bono. We are more than happy to help anyone who wants to start a business and not charge them for the advice. I also get personal satisfaction, knowing that somebody else is now benefitting from some of the experiences I’ve had over the years. I’ve had people help me over the years, so we pass it on.
IO #
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Featuring “Dining with an Author” A fun night of great food and conversation with one of Boston’s authors The Atrium at Davio’s (Stuart Street Entrance) 6:00 – 9:30 PM For more information: Donna@raisingareaderma.org www.raisingareaderma.org
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entertainment
Idris Elba Veteran actor looks to take on new roles and help others
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By John Black
ith more than 50 film and television roles on his resume, including the iconic bad guy role of Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell on the hit HBO series The Wire, Idris Elba may not be a household name, but he certainly is a recognizable character actor, the kind that makes audiences watch anything he’s in because they never know what “that guy from The Wire” will bring to the part.
Idris Elba stars in TAKERS (© 2010
Columbia Tristar)
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MAGAZINE September 2010
And that’s just the way he likes it. “I never want to be pegged as the guy they want for a particular kind of role. I could have made a career doing a series of roles that were just like Stringer Bell from The Wire, but I just didn’t want to,” Elba said. “When it comes to picking a role to play, it’s a matter of saying no more than saying yes, and waiting for right part. My agents all want to see me do more so we all make more money, but to be honest I don’t think I would have the range I do as an actor if I didn’t stick to my guns. I’m not famous, but that’s not why I act in the first place, so I’m comfortable with that.” Staying just outside the brightest glare of the Hollywood spotlight has given Elba a unique opportunity to not only study and perfect his craft, but to study and absorb all that is going on around him on a movie or television set, giving him the kind of education for the business of show business that you can’t get in school. “One of my first jobs after I sign on to do a film is to speak to the director and speak to the writer to get a sense of their vision of the film,” Elba said, “then I speak to the costume designer because that’s how I decide who this person is when I put the clothes on.” Experience has shown Elba that, to be successful, an actor has to be prepared, and that means a lot more than simply learning the lines from the script. “You almost never get any rehearsal in films anymore. There’s just no time, so you have to learn to rehearse by yourself and build your character alone because once you’re on the set it’s time to go out on the dance floor,” he said. “When I get to the set, I always try to at least read the scene with the other actors so we can hear what we’re talking about and understand it. Then it’s up to the director to put it on its feet.” While he still plans to act, Elba said he is gradually making the career shift to working behind the camera to direct his own projects and produce projects for other artists. “It’s definitely a natural progression for me. I’ve been an actor for a long time and the next stage is production,” he said. “Producing will help me find the kind of roles I’m looking for, because a lot of the roles I’m offered now just aren’t challenging enough or exciting enough. I also want to find young writers that have great material and work with them to help them realize their vision. “I want to find people who are passionate about something, and do whatever I can to help them make it happen.”
SM
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entertainment
Jorge Arce:
Find Your Rhythm By John Black
orge Arce has many titles on his resume: musician, actor, dancer, director and, perhaps the one that ties all his talents together, educator. In everything he does, Arce makes a conscious effort to teach his audience about not only his own culture, but about the universal culture he believes we all share no matter where we were born. ¶ “You may think you have nothing in common with me, this man from a working class neighborhood in Puerto Rico, but you do,” Arce said. “It may be buried deep, but if you open yourself up to the music and the stories you’ll discover something about how much we all have in common.” ¶ Arce’s enthusiasm for his culture is infectious. After only a few minutes of talking with him you want to sign up for one of his classes or go on one of his cultural tours of Puerto Rico. An award winning teacher, with a Master of Education Degree from Harvard University, Arce knows that it’s not enough to just lecture people or give them a list of books to read. The most important thing he tries to pass along to anyone he meets is a curiosity about the world around them and a hunger to learn more. ¶
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MAGAZINE September 2010
“It doesn’t matter if I’m talking to you on the phone or standing on the stage in front of thousands of people, I want to make that connection with you. I want you to find that spark,” he said. “People are always looking at what makes us different from each other. They think they’re from Europe or from America and so they don’t have anything in common with people from Africa or from the Caribbean. That’s just their head talking, the intellect. That’s not the real truth.” ¶ To get to the truth he is searching for in everyone, Arce uses music, music from his native land and music that he’s learned and shared with people as he’s traveled the world. It is music, he said, that’s the key to finding that universal place he wants to lead us to. Music and dance. ¶ “It’s so good to see people dance. It’s such a release for them,” he said. “I’ve been around the world and I don’t care if you’re Irish or Italian or Latino or another culture you can name, there’s a rhythm there that you can’t deny. You’ve got to work it from the inside. Don’t think about it. Don’t worry about doing it right or not. Just move. Feel it inside you and move.”
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LIFESTYLE
What Is Your Wine Personality? B y T r o n d A r n e Un d h e i m
W
hile you may not be able to express it in fancy words, I imagine you know your wine personality. Dig deep. What are you trying to accomplish? In my first stab at establishing an informal branch of wine psychology, I propose that you are either individualist, populist, communalist or post-modernist.
The Individualist If you mostly think about yourself, you are an individualist. Wine for you is pleasure, enjoyment and fun, specifically your fun. In short, you find it subjective, emotional, but ultimately, unequivocal. You like the way a certain wine tastes, makes you feel, and you always trust your gut feeling. The wine connoisseur is an important individualist sub-type. Just so you know, if you actually bother to try to analyse individual components of the taste experience you fit the bill. You cannot help but constantly look for the expressions of terroir, appearance, complexity, acidity, balance, intensity, fruitiness, length, uniqueness or varietal character. You have an ideal image of the right mix of all of these and more. However, watch out. According to Adrienne Lehrer, a linguist and author of Wine and Conversation (2009), you cannot really know what others are talking about when they talk about wine. The reason is that the adjectives we all use are simply too subjective.
The Populist If you appreciate wine that critics like, you are likely a populist. You believe the market should decide what wines are the best. Just like you quickly scroll to the most read section of The New York Times online, you pick wines that are tried, tested and popular, no risk involved. You only buy the best selling wine on display, applying a set of standardized, pseudo scientific formulas loosely derived
from the cognitive domain. In short, you put your trust in the 100-point rating scale developed by Robert M. Parker, wine consumer advocate since 1978, and used by most American wine critics in the last few decades. This can work, too. At least you are appealing to some outside authority. The Capitalist is a populist sub-type. If you obsess over value for money on the low end or high end, you are a capitalist. Capitalists buy mostly Wine Spectator Magazine’s wine picks rated above 90/100 and under $20 or they are interested in investment grade wine (IGW) rated above 98/100 at $500+, and stick to Bordeaux wine from a small set of first tier producers. According to the book Investing in Liquid Assets (2008), Latour, Margaux, and Petrus have historically been good investments.
The Communalist If you get a headache over whether your guest or gift recipient will like a wine, you are a communalist. Being sensitive to cultural and social factors, you might posses strong emotional intelligence. You
know that successfully exchanging gifts and sharing experiences are important. You constantly try to empathize with the other person. What is their wine preference? What do they expect? How will my wine choice fit the situation? The pragmatist is an important communalist subtype. If you appreciate a highly versatile wine that matches a variety of foods, you are a pragmatist. You always have a Champagne in the fridge, since it can be served with almost anything, or indeed on its own. You would pick Merlot over Cabernet, or Pinot over Zinfandel, any time.
The Post-modernist If you appreciate wine with a good story behind it, you are indeed a post-modernist. You have given up on the long narrative of history as an objective, unfolding process leading somewhere. You focus on local stories that make sense to yourself. You relate to vintners who used to be doctors or stock brokers but found the meaning of life in the wine fields. Or, you can only respect family businesses
Wine Personality Resources These sites point to places where you might learn a thing or two about your wine personality, get inspired to explore new directions and take more risks with wine. If you want me to come and speak on the sociology and psychology of wine or have any feedback on my column, you can always email me at trond@colormagazineusa.com.
l Alice Feiring (leading natural wine advocate): www.alicefeiring.com l Berry Bros & Rudd (Britain’s oldest wine merchant): www.bbr.com l Chambers Street Wines (NYC’s best wine store): www. chambersstwines.com l Decanter (UK wine magazine): www.decanter.com l Federal Wine & Spirits (top Boston wine merchant): www.federalwine.com l Gordon’s Fine Wine & Liquors (MA’s best wine store): www.gordonswine.com l NewBordeaux (latest trends): www.newbordeaux.com l Jancis Robinson (leading wine critic): www.jancisrobinson.com l UC Davis Viticulture & Enology (education): www.wineserver.ucdavis.edu l Vinography (list of wine blogs): www.vinography.com/wine_blog_list.html l Wine Enthusiast (magazine): www.winemag.com l Wine Spectator (magazine): www.winespectator.com
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MAGAZINE September 2010
Trond’s Picks
Alsace One Pierre Sparr (2008, $12, 87/100) This versatile surprise from Alsace, a French wine region still undiscovered by Americans has nice, floral aromas such as rose petals. This is a crisp, dry and fresh fruit fusion with citrus and hints of the Tropics. Pierre Sparr makes the wine from a grape varietal blend of Muscat, Sylvaner, Edelwicker, Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, a bold choice.
Sonoma Cuvee Pinot Noir Russian River Valley (2007, $ 20, 87/100)
The floral, spicy bouquet reveals a strongly aromatic, fruity, and powerful wine. One could call it the Arnold Schwarzenegger of Pinot Noirs. The relative coolness of Russian River Valley have just barely kept the varietal characteristics before they zoom over towards more familiar Zinfandel-esque intensity.
Hanzell Chardonnay Sonoma
(2005, $65, 91/100) This concentrated, intense wine tastes of overripe pear. Although almost tropical in character, hints of apple, anise and almond are refreshing, and the oaks is balanced, regaining a certain elegance. It is a terroir-driven wine and that isn’t timid and competes favorably with many old world top tier wines. The only complaint about this Californian super Chardonnay, is that it leaves nothing to be desired.
dating back centuries, because they remind you of what the world has lost. If you traveled somewhere, you love the wine they had, especially when you get home. You seek out interesting wine labels and read them intensely and Google the wineries before you drink the wine. The naturalist is an important sub-type of the post-modernist. If you prefer organic or bio-dynamic wine, you are a naturalist. You belong to the Whole Foods crowd who swears to responsible consumption at the expense of your wallet but to the benefit of the environment and your body’s longevity. Very admirable.
workexcellencelife Carmen Vega-Barachowitz, MS, CCC-SLP Director of MGH Department of Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders & Reading Disabilities Recipient of the 2009 Ernesto Gonzalez Award Recipient of the Boston Business Journal “2010 Champions in Health Care” Award
MGH’s Ernesto Gonzalez Award Acknowledges and Celebrates Latino Heritage Month The Massachusetts General Hospital celebrates Latino Heritage Month with various events, including the presentation of the annual Ernesto Gonzalez Award for Outstanding Service to the Latino Community. MGH’s Dr. Ernesto Gonzalez was the first recipient for his contributions to Latino patients, families and the Latino community. This award, named in his honor, recognizes MGH employees who have made significant contributions to improving the experience of Latino patients, families, visitors and/or employees within MGH and the community at large.
The Massachusetts General Hospital not only offers unparalleled opportunities for fulfilling work, but we also support and celebrate employees who reach out to serve our surrounding communities.
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Conclusion So, where does that leave us? Are you an individualist, populist, communalist, or postmodernist? Do you combine them? Well, it may depend on your wine needs: do you want to store it, drink it, or give it away? Either way, make sure you know what a good wine is. Never be intimidated. Don’t choose only one wine personality, be at least bi-polar.
By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead: EOE.
LIFESTYLE
Review:
Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self B y J o a nn e M . C h o i
N
ewcomer Danielle Evans has already been published (Paris Review, The L Magazine, Pheobe) and anthologized (Best American Short Stories 2008), so it’s not too surprising that such a young author’s first book has created so much buzz. Her debut work, Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self (Riverhead Books, available September 23rd) is a short story collection with modern plot references, a confident tone that doesn’t falter or over-explain as she effortlessly draws you into each world she weaves. ¶ Throughout the book her characters’ sense of acute longing infuse the stories with a touching sense of fragility, often buried under outward bravado. In interviews, Danielle Evans’ pleasant and articulate voice comes across as self-possessed, poised; she is an astute observer of people whose own childhood made her have to adapt to new homes every few years. She writes like a twenty-something with an old soul. ¶
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MAGAZINE September 2010
Harvest, one of the best stories from Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, is a story about young women in college straddling the worlds of childhood and adulthood; they are starting to carve out their personal identities. They are also making choices for love, money or some combination of the two. The emotions and relationships between the women are complex and, as in real life, seldom as simple as they seem on the surface. In Harvest, Evans seems to ask, what does it take to renounce parts of your past and why does it feel good when you do so? In Robert E. Lee is Dead and Virgins teenagers cleverly plotted, acted out at times and, along the way, compromised more of themselves than they intended. Erica and Jasmine, the two young black girls in Virgins, face the hyper-sexualized culture that young people face and the “terror and power that comes with that” according to Evans in an interview with Foggy Clarity. Someone Ought to Tell Her There’s Nowhere to Go introduces you to Georgie, a veteran who served in Iraq. He tries to find his place; unfortunately, he ends up hurting the very people he wanted to reconnect with. It is powerful in its theme (the road to hell is paved with good intentions) and its subject, the displaced veteran who can’t quite fit back into society. Snakes is another case study in honesty, the different ways kids and adults can use both truth and lies for their personal agendas. Evans appears on an upward trajectory with her distinct voice and surrounding buzz. She is currently working on a novel, The Empire Has No Clothes. Fans will be waiting to see if she can continue to hone her fresh and honest storytelling that explores the ever-important themes of sexuality, gender, race and socio-economic status. I would expect nothing less.
LIFESTYLE
THE PAINTED MAN IN: MY WIFE THE BABYSITTER
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