WASHINGTON, D.C.
A RECAP OF THE HACR LEADERSHIP PIPELINE PROGRAM AND STEM INITIATIVE
MARTIN MUNDO
FEATURED IN WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES
MARTIN MUNDO WALMART
CORPORATE OBSERVER
VOLUME 18, NO. 4, 2015
EMPLOYMENT • PROCUREMENT • PHILANTHROPY • GOVERNANCE
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO
DEAR HACR STAKEHOLDERS, This is the final issue of Volume 18 of the
than 20 corporate leaders through this series and shared their
Corporate Observer. As we close out 2015
personal accounts of the path to success, as well as what their
and prepare for HACR’s 30th anniversary we
companies are doing to attract and retain more Hispanic talent. This
highlight in this issue the successful launch
final installment of the Walmart Leadership Interview Series features
of a new professional development program
Martin Mundo, Daisy Auger-Dominguez, and George Herrera. Each
targeting mid-level Hispanic executives, the
one of these corporate leaders shared their story for success and
HACR Leadership Pipeline Program (LPP). I
offered advice for how others could follow in their footsteps. A special
am happy to report we had a great turnout
thank-you to Leslie Froelich with the National Association of Hispanic
for the LPP and are thankful to have had the
Publications, for her help completing these interviews.
support of Prudential Financial to help make the LPP successful.
Finally, among this year’s milestones is the move to a new office. As
Issue 4 of the Corporate Observer includes the recap of the LPP
of December 14th we took up residence in a new, larger office. HACR
along with the recap of the STEM Initiative. This research conference
has been very fortunate this year to celebrate these milestones and
brought together leaders from academia, Corporate America, and
we look forward to celebrating our 30th anniversary with you in 2016.
the nonprofit sector to discuss hot topics and trends in STEM. Once
Happy Holidays.
again, we are thankful for the support provided by the General Motors Foundation, without which the STEM Initiative would not have been possible. Issue 4 also includes the final installment of the Walmart Leadership
Cid D. Wilson President & CEO
Interview Series. Over the last several years we have profiled more
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ignacio Salazar Ser-Jobs for Progress National, Inc. HACR Board Chair Dr. Juan Andrade United States Hispanic Leadership Institute HACR Board Vice Chair Ronald Blackburn-Moreno ASPIRA Association, Inc. HACR Board Treasurer Amy Hinojosa MANA, A National Latina Organization HACR Board Secretary Margaret Moran League of United Latin America Citizens HACR Immediate Past Chair Angel Zúñiga American GI Forum of the United States The Honorable Linda T. Sánchez Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute The Honorable Lincoln Díaz-Balart Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, Inc.
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Sonia Lopez Cuban American National Council Dr. Antonio Flores Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Martha Montoya National Association of Hispanic Publications Janet Murguía National Council of La Raza Cecelia Espenoza National Hispana Leadership Institute Rafael Fantauzzi National Puerto Rican Coalition Thomas Savino National Society of Hispanic MBAs Javier Palomarez United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
CORPORATE OBSERVER The Corporate Observer is a publication of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR). HACR’s mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America at a level commensurate with our economic contributions. Cid D. Wilson President & CEO Vanessa Bowling Ajavon Executive Assistant, Operations Emma Etheridge Director, Programs Dr. Lisette Garcia Senior Director, HACR Research Institute Kevin Klich Director, Administration Eric Lopez Manager, HACR Research Institute Cecilia Majors Manager, Corporate Partnerships Sarah Negris-Mamani Manager, CEF Program Ariana Solis Gómez Manager, Communications Elia Quintana Director, Development
2015 HACR LPP RECAP
2015 HACR LEADERSHIP PIPELINE PROGRAM RECAP The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) held its first annual Leadership Pipeline Program (LPP) on November 2nd and 3rd at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. Hosted by Prudential, the HACR LPP was created to provide Fortune 500 and HACR Corporate Member companies a forum to develop mid level Hispanic executives. The one and a half day convening consisted of leadership development workshops and business sessions, featuring subject-matter experts and thought leaders in the areas of corporate governance, management, leadership, personal branding, and employee resource groups. The LPP kicked off with breakfast and an opening session featuring a short presentation on HACR, its mission, and work from HACR President and CEO, Cid D. Wilson. LPP attendees were joined by the HACR STEM initiative participants for this opening session. Immediately following the conclusion of the opening session LPP participants began their breakout business sessions. Dr. Juana Bordas, president of Mestiza Leadership International, welcomed LPP participants with an overview of the program and Latino culture. Following Bordas’ welcome, the first business session, “Practical Genius Playbook” was presented by best-selling author of Practical Genius and diversity manager at Google Inc., Gina Rudan. Rudan walked LPP participants through her steps to finding and expressing their practical genius. Next, renowned executive leadership professor at the Columbia Business School, Dr. William Klepper, led the “Business Case Study – Nonprofit (for value) Board Engagement” business session. The interactive case study focused on the Wounded Warrior Project, covering best practices in executive leadership and governance within the nonprofit and for value sectors.
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Other topics discussed by Klepper included an overview of organizational missions, strategic objectives, leadership, revenue performance, and board engagement. The joint LPP/STEM HACR Lunch Meeting, sponsored by Prudential featured a fireside chat with Gilbert Casellas, board member at Prudential and chairman of Omnitru Technologies and HACR’s President and CEO Cid D. Wilson. During the fireside chat they candidly discussed Casellas’ personal journey to the boardroom. The discussion aimed to give participants from both programs insights about key leadership traits they consider “must-haves” in order to be successful, career obstacles they may have to overcome, and advice for aspiring board members and C-Suite executives. Following the lunch, Bordas led the next LPP business session titled “Leadership with a Latino Lens”. The session, sponsored by MillerCoors, led participants through leadership principles from a Latino perspective and how tapping into cultural assets can widen the breadth and depth of Hispanics’ leadership impact. Prudential sponsored the final LPP business session of the day, “Defining Leadership in the 21st Century” featuring Michele C. Meyer-Shipp, vice president and chief diversity officer at Prudential and John D. Rosero, vice president, chief legal officer and secretary at Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. The two Prudential executives discussed the skills needed to navigate organizational change in an evolving global marketplace before opening it up for a lively Q&A. That evening, participants networked at the pre-dinner reception hosted by Altria before heading to the HACR Leadership Dinner sponsored by PepsiCo. Albert P. Carey, CEO of PepsiCo North America Beverages, shared his
2015 HACR LPP RECAP
personal journey onto the leadership team of the second largest food and beverage company in the world with the LPP and STEM Initiative attendees during the dinner. On Tuesday morning, Dr. Robert Rodriguez, president of DRR Advisors LLC, and David Solís, national executive for small business centralized sales at Bank of America led the first LPP business session of the day, “Ten Strategies for Promoting Yourself”, sponsored by Bank of America. The interactive session highlighted ten effective strategies for developing the practical skills that will lead to a winning self-promoting strategy. Attendees were engaged in dialogue about how to utilize these skills to build their personal brand and maximize their networks. The final LPP business session, titled “A Conversation with Hispanic Board Directors”, featured a panel of Hispanic board directors including Michael Montelongo, chief administrative officer and senior vice president of public policy and corporate affairs at Sodexo, Inc., Elizabeth Oliver-Farrow, president & CEO of The Oliver Group, Inc., and Patricia Salas Pineda, group vice president of Hispanic business strategy at Toyota Motor North America, Inc., and was moderated by Victor Arias, senior client partner at Korn Ferry. Arias led an engaging discussion on their career successes and struggles that helped make board directorship positions possible. Attendees were able to engage directly with the panelists during a Q&A session after the discussion. The LPP concluded with the Verizon sponsored closing lunch featuring Emilio Gonzalez, executive director of strategic alliances at Verizon. At the lunch, Gonzalez discussed the power of leadership in the information age.
Google’s Gina Rudan.
Bank of America’s David Solís.
PepsiCo’s Albert P. Carey.
Prudential’s Michele C. Meyer-Shipp and John D. Rosero.
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2015 HACR STEM INITIATIVE RECAP
2015 HACR STEM INITIATIVE RECAP The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) held its first research conference focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) on November 2nd and 3rd at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. Running concurrently with the HACR Leadership Pipeline Program (LPP), the HACR STEM Initiative presented a special forum of business sessions focusing on education, recruitment, retention, ERG-led initiatives, and Latinas in STEM among others. Throughout the one and a half day event, the HACR STEM Initiative informed participants of the mechanisms impacting Hispanic participation rates in STEM fields and identified some of the barriers to successful career progression for Hispanic professionals in the STEM pipeline. HACR is proud to recognize the GM Foundation for serving as the HACR STEM Initiative Champion.
of Hispanic education in STEM and identified opportunities for increasing Hispanic representation through education in areas as varied as foreign policy to public and private partnerships.
On Monday, November 2nd the HACR STEM Initiative participants joined the HACR LPP program participants for the kickoff breakfast and opening session featuring a short presentation on HACR, its mission, and work by HACR President and CEO, Cid D. Wilson. Immediately following the opening session, STEM participants began their breakout business sessions.
HACR’s President and CEO Cid D. Wilson, led a fireside chat with Prudential Board Member and Chairman of Omnitru Technologies Gilbert F. Casellas, during the joint lunch sponsored by Prudential. Casellas candidly discussed his career path and offered his advice for navigating Corporate America.
The first STEM business session on Monday, “Identifying Opportunities in STEM Education” was moderated by Mary Ann Gomez, executive director of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute and featured Dr. Frances Colón, deputy science and technology advisor for the Secretary of State’s Office, Catherine Hill, vice president for research at the American Association of University Women, Saif Y. Ishoof, vice president for engagement at Florida International University, and Melissa Moritz, deputy director of STEM at the U.S. Department of Education. The panelists discussed the state
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Next, Carlos Becerra, assistant vice president of federal relations at Florida International University, moderated the “Recruiting Top Hispanic Talent to Your Company” business session which featured Alfredo Ayala, principal lead of research and development at The Walt Disney Company, Maria Medrano, senior manager at the Office of Inclusion and Collaboration for Cisco Systems Inc., and Crystal E. RamónMiranda, technology project engineer for the Deepwater Business Unit at Chevron. The panelists provided insights into their companies’ initiatives aimed at attracting and recruiting top Hispanic talent in STEM and discussed steps that could be taken to help improve talent attraction and retention.
Amy Hinojosa, national president and CEO of MANA – A National Latina Organization, moderated the first of the afternoon STEM business sessions focused on “ERG-Led STEM Initiatives in the Hispanic Community”. This panel featured Beatriz Medina Pratt, manager of security solutions at Cisco Systems Inc., Luz Padilla-Niemann, subject matter expert for the large SUV market at General Motors Corporation, and Dr. Bobby Perez, program manager for the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division at Northrop Grumman Corporation.
2015 HACR STEM INITIATIVE RECAP
The featured panelists discussed the initiatives their companies have put in place in the community to develop an interest in STEM amongst Latino youth. They also talked about the important role ERGs have in providing a steady stream of mentorship, partnership, and communication opportunities to Latinos in Corporate America. Next, Marriott International Inc. Vice President of Multi-Cultural Affairs, Apoorva N. Gandhi and Edie Fraser, CEO of STEMConnector, engaged in a fireside chat on the topic of “Reconceptualizing STEM Employers in a Dynamic Market”. Their discussion aimed to redefine our understanding of STEM employees by examining our preconceptions of exactly who STEM employers are. Attendees engaged in a lively conversation with Gandhi and Fraser during the session. In the final STEM business session of the day, Bo Young Lee, global diversity and inclusion leader at Marsh LLC, helped attendees understand the impact of cultural differences on retention. She discussed the effect of unconscious bias on corporate climate and work culture and how culture can influence our behaviors. She focused on how to develop strategic imperatives and establish action plans for greater retention of top talent. The evening ended with a networking reception hosted by Altria and Leadership Dinner sponsored by PepsiCo. Featured speaker, Albert P. Carey, CEO of PepsiCo North America Beverages, shared his personal journey onto the leadership team of the second largest food and beverage company in the world. On Tuesday, the first STEM business session featured several Latinas in STEM and was moderated by Andre Arbelaez, president of the Hispanic IT Executive Council. Emilia Lopez, managing vice president of U.S. card-upmarket at Capital One and Dr. Esther Tristani, senior scientist at Burt’s Bees were joined virtually by Nereida Perez, vice president and chief diversity officer at Ingersoll Rand. The conversation focused on the issues and experiences of Latinas in STEM disciplines and what stakeholders can do to bring down the barriers that have prevented Latinas from obtaining success in STEM fields. The final STEM business session of the day brought together leaders from various community organizations to discuss the strategies for increasing Hispanic representation in STEM. The panel was moderated by Christopher Guerrero, senior associate at the Ibarra Strategy Group and featured Andre Arbelaez, president of the Hispanic IT Executive Council, Lorena Fimbres, vice president and chief business development officer at STEMConnector and Million Women Mentors, Rosa Mendoza, executive director of the Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership, Richard Morley, CEO of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Antonio Tijerino, president and CEO of The Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Participants of this panel discussed utilizing a multifaceted approach to increase Hispanic representation in STEM involving the education system, Corporate America, and community based organizations.
Christopher Guerrero, Andre Arbelaez, Lorena Fimbres, Rosa Mendoza, Richard Morley, and Antonio Tijerino.
Apoorva N. Ghandi and Edie Fraser.
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WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES
WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES (CONTINUED)
East Division, which includes heavily populated Hispanic markets such as Florida and Puerto Rico. In this role, Mundo presides over general operations for 700 stores across eight regions, including day to day customer care and service that complies with Walmart’s business model of CFF (clean, fast, friendly), as well as merchandising and community presence. Mundo is also responsible for the aforementioned stores’ financial management, including P&L (Profit & Loss), and he also takes an active role in talent recruitment for Walmart.
MARTIN MUNDO BY: LESLIE FROELICH
Mundo’s impressive 21 year career with Walmart began in 1994 in his home country. Not long after he attended the Argentine University of Enterprise in Buenos Aires, Mundo started out as a management trainee for Walmart Argentina. According to Mundo, he immediately “fell in love with the values and the beliefs” of the company and eventually ascended the ranks to chief operations officer, as well as chief merchandising and marketing officer. Considering that Mundo has worked for the same company for over two decades, it comes as little surprise to hear him speak passionately about the events and people who have influenced him over the course of his career trajectory.
WALMART Growing up in a small town outside of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Martin Mundo would probably have been skeptical had someone told him that one day he would be living in the United States, holding a top leadership position for one of the world’s largest corporations. Nevertheless, this is Mundo’s reality today. As senior vice president of operations for Walmart Stores U.S., a position he has held for almost four years, Mundo is directly responsible for all Walmart stores in the South 8
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According to Mundo, a pivotal moment came when he was given the opportunity to leave Walmart. After several years spent moving and opening stores in different areas of Argentina, including Mendoza and Buenos Aires – all amidst the catastrophic economic collapse the country experienced in the early 2000’s – Mundo felt that he was ready for a change and decided to resign. Then fate stepped in, in the form of “amazing leader” Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Pérez, the former president and CEO of Walmart Argentina. After formally submitting his resignation, Mundo recalls a professional game changer, when Pérez requested a meeting with him, one in which he “taught me a nice lesson that resonated with me until today.” Nacho talked to me like he was my father. He told me, “I’m not going to let you go. We’re going to promote you to marketing manager, and if that doesn’t work we’ll put you in merchandising. You
WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES
can’t leave Walmart. You have to do the right thing, you have a career path you need to go after,”’ explains Mundo.
leaders and executives and professional development for Latino employees.
According to Mundo, Pérez helped him to see that “you shouldn’t make a decision based 100 percent on economics. It transformed my life,” he assures, adding that he even had the opportunity to reconnect with Pérez while vacationing in Buenos Aires last year.
Mundo was one of more than 400 associates who attended the event. There, he had the opportunity to meet with board members and other key senior leadership personnel within Walmart, as well as members of the media, such as renowned Univision anchor Maria Teresa Rodriguez, with the purpose of discussing and developing effective strategies to better serve and understand Hispanic consumers and associates.
“He was a mentor every step of the way, both personally and professionally. I liked the way he conducted business. He always had the right words and advice, he taught me a lot. He even told me I needed to get married” says Mundo, laughing, in reference to a moment years prior, when Pérez encouraged him to propose to his current wife, Mercedes, with whom Mundo now has three young children, Fermin, Paloma, and Eva. As a Latino, Mundo considers himself fortunate to have succeeded in securing a top tier position at the corporate level, but he recognizes that many American companies continue to struggle with the question of how to increase Hispanic representation. “We’re not seizing the opportunity yet,” says Mundo, referring to the dramatic spike in the Latino population that has taken place in the last several decades in this country. “We are seeing a switch, but we are still in a deficit situation, in terms of Hispanics in corporate leadership positions. In this country there is an opportunity to serve the [Latino] community, but I’m not confident we know how to do it yet.”
“I think that we should be proud of who we are. We have a strong sense of culture and beliefs, with demonstrated success around the world…I think Latinos have a good story to tell, and as long as we are well prepared from an education standpoint…we have the opportunity for success.” He remains optimistic, however, that a continual evolution in the nation’s demographic framework will be the impetus for change that Corporate America so desperately needs, in terms of diversity in upper management levels. “We’re not seeing the future yet, we don’t understand that in 20 to 30 years, the U.S. is going to have a mix of Hispanics that is going to be bigger than it is today.” Walmart, for its part, has launched a series of initiatives in order to attract and retain Hispanic talent. This past August, for instance, the company held its first ever Hispanic Forum, a two day event that focused on networking with company
“It was a big investment in Latinos, it was the first time we ever put something together like that,” says Mundo, adding that Walmart has also made external efforts to attract potential Hispanic talent through initiatives such as its partnerships with Southern Methodist University and the Corporate Executive Development Program (CEDP), offered through the nonprofit organization the National Hispanic Corporate Council. The company also famously offers free ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) courses to its associates, with the goal of improving language skills so as to increase the probability of ascending to upper management levels within the corporation. In addition to attending the forum and participating in other educational opportunities, Mundo says that he personally takes an active role in “identifying and mentoring some of the people I believe can do more with the company.” The key to Hispanics obtaining leadership positions at the corporate level, according to Mundo, is a combination of education, intent, and perseverance. “Education is important. Try to get professional exposure at an early age. Nacho once told me, ‘Nobody should be more interested in your career than you.’ You should have a five year plan that shows a clear path toward your future: what do you want to be, where do you want to go? Get into different roles and show the will to do more, to learn, to be curious. Get a good mentor and surround yourself with people who can teach you,” he advises. For Mundo, though, there is no question that over time, Hispanics will continue to find more and more success and challenge the ranks within Corporate America. “I think that we should be proud of who we are. We have a strong sense of culture and beliefs, with demonstrated success around the world, whether in religion, business, or sports. I think Latinos have a good story to tell, and as long as we are well prepared from an education standpoint and willing to sacrifice, we should push the sector, because for me, we have the opportunity for success.”
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HACR COALITION MEMBER NEWS SUBMISSIONS
AGIF OF THE US RELOCATES OFFICE TO PUEBLO COLORADO The American GI Forum (AGIF) of the U.S., the largest Hispanic veterans organization, relocates its national office to Pueblo, Colorado from the previous site in Denver. The move facilitated by National Vice Commander Luis Vazquez-Contes will better serve the needs of the organization and increase veteran services. The new office will provide information, literature, federal, and state government agencies points of contact for veterans’ services. The new location and mailing address is 635 W. Corona Ave., Pueblo, CO 81004, telephone (719) 299-4838. Additionally, the AGIF, as a Veterans Service Organization, is coordinating with the Department of Veterans Affairs the expansion of its Veteran Service Officers Program that will eventually cover all the states where it has chapters. The plan is to have at least one Veterans Service Officer in each state to do the intake of information required on disability claims forms and assist veterans with other benefits forms. Moreover, the AGIF will soon be revamping its national website, but in the interim information can be obtained at www.agifco.org or www.agiftx.org. The American GI Forum is a coalition member of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility.
CHCI’S NEXTOPP AIMS TO EDUCATE, EMPOWER AND CONNECT MORE LATINO YOUTH IN 2016 Since launching in fall 2014, CHCI’s NextOpp platform has assisted more than 32,000 Latino students, young professionals, educators, and families looking for educational and career development opportunities around the country. NextOpp’s innovative online database includes more than 900 scholarships, internships, fellowships, and pre-college programs that help make students more competitive in the workplace. Its robust system provides tailored results for students based on their unique profile, location, and interests. Users can create an account to save multiple searches, add items to a favorites list, and receive email reminders about application due dates. The site also includes valuable bilingual resources on preparing for and paying for college,
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helping to further inform students, and their families on their journey to higher education. CHCI needs your help to increase the number of opportunities available for Latino students. Please share any fellowship, internship, or scholarship opportunities provided by your company or organization and get connected to the most powerful database of talented young Latinos looking to achieve the American dream! Send your companies opportunities to Marie Hughes Chough at mhughes@chci.org and access the CHCI NextOpp database by visiting www.chcinextopp.net.
CORPORATIONS PARTNER WITH HACU TO OFFER SUMMER INTERNSHIPS The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is partnering with American Student Assistance, BBVA Compass Bank, Chick-fil-A, Inc., Deloitte, LLP, Federal Reserve Bank Dallas, Federal Reserve Minneapolis, General Electric, Inc., Goldman Sachs, Inc., Hormel Foods Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and Sodexo, Inc., to offer corporate internships to college and university students under the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP). HACU corporate partners will provide 10-week summer internships to students pursuing degrees in accounting, agriculture, business administration, computer science, finance, hospitality management, human resources, information technology, management information systems, management, supply chain management, marketing, statistics, culinary arts, economics, and engineering (mechanical, electrical, nuclear, aeronautical, software, civil, and industrial). The internships provide Hispanic and other minority students with opportunities to develop career and professional skills while receiving financial support to help motivate them toward graduation. More than 11,000 students have been placed in internship assignments since the inception of the program in 1992. Internship applications will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2016. For more information about the internship program or to apply, visit www.hacu.net.
HACR COALITION MEMBER NEWS SUBMISSIONS
LATINOS LIVING HEALTHY: FERIA DE SALUD IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS On November 14th, over 2,300 Texans attended LULAC’s Latinos Living Healthy: Feria de Salud in Brownsville, Texas. Participants benefited from a variety of free health services including screenings for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and HIV. In addition, attendees were provided free flu shots, dental check-ups, and consultations for mental health. LULAC is committed to bringing health services to underserved areas of the country. This was the first time the heath fair was held in Brownsville, Texas, where nearly one in three residents is diabetic.
‘La Opinion’ in Los Angeles and the weeklies, ‘La Raza’ of Chicago and ‘La Prensa’ in Orlando walked away with a total of 14 Marti awards. New research across the country is under way to understand our readership as it is estimated that over 15.5 million readers pick up and read our products every month.
Children participated in numerous interactive sports activities. To further encourage health and wellness, free samples of local fresh fruit were distributed to attendees. In addition, audiences enjoyed performances by Texas valley native Bobby Pulido and his father, Tejano legend Roberto Pulido. The event’s presenting sponsor, Toyota and supporters such as Walgreens, The Coca-Cola Company, Pfizer Prescription Pathways, and Southwest Airlines support LULAC’s Latinos Living Healthy initiative, which to date has served over 90,000 people in California, Puerto Rico, Washington, D.C., and Texas.
THE NAHP RENAISSANCE The National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) under new board leadership, is experiencing a renovation unprecedented in its history. Whereas print media in general faces difficulties, business is booming for the Spanish language press and digital. This year at its convention in Dallas there were more entries into the Jose Marti Awards -our Spanish language version of the Pulitzer Prizes than ever before. Membership in the organization has increased by 20 percent over a year ago and new, strong Spanish language print publications are affiliating in places like North Carolina, Michigan, and even Arkansas and Omaha. Women owned publications are the fastest growing segment of our industry. Miami’s venerable ‘Diario Las Americas’, under new leadership, has become a leading innovator in the marketing and distribution of its property. Impremedia, owners of 4 flagship entities; our 2 largest dailies, ‘El Diario’ in New York,
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DAISY AUGER-DOMÍNGUEZ BY: LESLIE FROELICH
leading a variety of diversity staffing strategies, initiatives, and programs across the corporation. Prior to joining the technology giant in July of 2015, AugerDomínguez served as vice president of talent acquisition and organization & workforce diversity at the Disney ABC Television Group. There, she was in charge of strategizing and implementing diversity and inclusion practices across The Walt Disney Company’s global entertainment and news television properties, television stations, and radio stations. According to Auger-Domínguez, the variety of positions she held over her 12 year career at Moody’s Corporation, which specializes in credit ratings, research, tools, and financial analysis, “prepared me very nicely for the career I have now.” Joining the company as a credit risk analyst, AugerDomínguez soon ascended the ranks and became manager of philanthropic programs, where she implemented global corporate citizenship initiatives. Eventually, she rose to the position of global head of diversity and inclusion and vice president of talent acquisition, where she launched and led the company’s first global diversity and inclusion function.
GOOGLE, INC.
As the United States continues to experience unprecedented demographic and cultural shifts, the time is ripe for women and minorities to capitalize on these changes and advance to obtain leadership positions in Corporate America. And that is where Daisy Auger-Domínguez comes in. You could say that Auger-Domínguez has made a career out of creating these types of opportunities in the workplace. In her current role as global head of diversity staffing at Google, for instance, Auger-Domínguez is responsible for 12
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In addition to her daily professional responsibilities, AugerDomínguez also serves on the board of the Council of Urban Professionals. As well, she has received numerous recognitions and accolades, including a ‘Latino Trendsetter’ award, a NYC Council Community Involvement Award, an El Diario/La Prensa’s Latinas Destacadas Award, and the Andrew Heiskell Community Service Award. AugerDomínguez was also a U.S. Embassy of Spain Young Hispanic Leader in 2002, and was also named a Coro Fellow for Leadership in Public Affairs in 1998. Throughout Auger-Domínguez’s impressive career, one aspect never seems to change: the desire to succeed personally, as well as orchestrate changes that will not only benefit a company but its employees as well. At Moody’s Corporation, for example, the series of promotions that Auger-Domínguez earned put her in the
WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES position to help manage the company’s philanthropic efforts globally, an experience she describes as “an incredibly rewarding goal, being able to grow the company’s philanthropic efforts across the country and internationally.” Another career highlight occurred several years later, when Auger-Domínguez picked up and moved her family to Los Angeles, after being given the exciting opportunity to relaunch the diversity and inclusion efforts of entertainment powerhouse Disney ABC. It was no small feat, assures Auger-Domínguez, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, but the hard work and challenges eventually paid off. “We were able to elevate the conversation and drive a cultural shift at the company,” she says, adding that this, above all else, is the facet she most enjoys about her line of work. “I love to be an architect of change, I love to build programs that create impact for businesses and people. I’m passionate about it and I believe it to be my mission.” Perhaps part of the reason for Auger-Domínguez’s dedication to diversity and inclusion from a business and talent lens is because she herself has experienced its benefits. At Moody’s Corporation, she explains, Senior Vice President Nicole Johnson wanted to diversify the public finance department with people who brought different perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds, and in the process she gave Auger-Domínguez a chance she did not anticipate. “I wasn’t everything they were looking for on paper, but she saw potential. She saw something in me that others wouldn’t have,” says Auger-Domínguez, who found not only a mentor figure in Johnson but a source of inspiration for her future
“Latinos are poised to take on more leadership roles in companies. Across all disciplines, Latinos and other diverse talent are well suited to solve the challenges we face today. I believe – and my recommendation for everyone, not just Latinos – is to have an open mind to reinvention, to seek out the next business opportunity.”
career as well. “She taught me to look beyond the edges of a resume. That’s always been a driving force for me.” Another person of impact in Auger-Domínguez’s professional life was Walter Stafford, Professor of Public Policy and Planning at the Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University, where Auger-Domínguez received her
M.P.A. Stafford, who passed away in 2008, was a noted scholar and ardent advocate on race relations and gender issues. For Auger-Domínguez, “he was someone who taught me about the intersections of race, class, and gender, and he really helped me find my voice. After I graduated, he would ask me, ‘What impact are you driving with your work? Whose lives are you changing?’ That really stuck with me. It’s always been my mantra. Now, I work to drive change,” assures Auger-Domínguez. Statistically speaking, technology firms such as Google have not traditionally been known for diversity in the workplace, a fact that Google brought to light when it publically released data about its employees last year. According to this study, seven out of 10 people who work at Google are men, and Latinos make up just three percent of the workforce. “We shared our data externally for the first time,” explains Auger-Domínguez. “Our mission is to increase access to information, and slowly but surely we are seeing a change.” It is estimated, for example, that Google spent $115 million on diversity initiatives in 2014, and in 2015 that number was planned to reach $150 million. One such initiative is education driven. In the past two years, Google has doubled the number of universities from where it recruits, with a focus on schools with diverse student bodies, including Hispanics, and an emphasis on computer science programs. According to Auger-Domínguez, the strategy is working. “We are looking for talent in places we haven’t looked before. We cast a bigger net, and we found we had overlooked some schools with a large population of underrepresented minorities,” she says. “We increased the number of schools where we recruit from and, as a result, we have increased the number of underrepresented minority hires.” As a successful Hispanic in a top tier leadership position, Auger-Domínguez recognizes the positive impact she can have in her corporation, and she is constantly striving to help fellow Latinos at her company to realize their potential as well. “As a Latina I seek out opportunities to provide support and mentorship where needed. I’ve made myself available and supportive to help others achieve their full potential,” she assures, adding that she is also involved with one of Google’s over 20 Employee Resource Groups (ERG), known as the Hispanic Googlers Network (HOLA). For Auger-Domínguez, groups like these are vital to harnessing the strengths and abilities that Hispanics bring to Corporate America. “Latinos are poised to take on more leadership roles in companies. Across all disciplines, Latinos and other diverse talent are well suited to solve the challenges we face today. I believe – and my recommendation for everyone, not just Latinos – is to have an open mind to reinvention, to seek out the next business opportunity.” CORPOR ATE OBSERVER
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IT CAN WAIT SAYS BIENVENIDOS TO MEXICO As part of its commitment to Mexico, AT&T is introducing our It Can Wait campaign to the market. We’re calling on all drivers — keep your eyes on the road, not on your phone. This public safety campaign was announced with a virtual reality tour, public awareness advertising, and a pledge campaign in Mexico City. In new research from AT&T, more than 9-in-10 (92 percent) urban Mexicans said they read, send messages, or engage in other smartphone activities while driving. Nearly a quarter (24%) do it “all the time.” These findings will help us drive awareness of the dangers of smartphone use behind the wheel. And encourage lifesaving behavior change. Visit www.PuedeEsperar.com.mx to learn more.
FUND BOOSTS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA The Ford Driving Dreams Tour presents motivational pep rallies, essay contest, and scholarships to 5,000 northern California students. During a recent Tour, held this past October in San Jose, former NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez inspired students with his story of resiliency throughout a 12-year pursuit of his STEM career. Nationally recognized empowerment speaker Roy Juarez, Jr. also motivated students to overcome obstacles with his powerful story of overcoming homelessness as a teen. Designed to help Latino youth graduate on time and pursue higher education, Ford Driving Dreams also engaged middle school students for the first time in the U.S. through an essay contest which encourages them to reflect on their studies and future careers. Launched in 2012 by Ford Motor Company Fund, Ford Driving Dreams has reached more than 30,000 students in the U.S. and Panama. Ford Driving Dreams initiatives, including the Tour, have delivered more than $3 million in educational resources such as scholarships, college preparedness, tutoring programs, parental engagement, and motivational activities. The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics recently recognized the Ford Driving Dreams Tour as a “Bright Spot in Hispanic Education” for its support and commitment to Latino
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educational attainment and excellence. Ford Driving Dreams partners include LULAC, U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI), Cuban American National Council (CNC), and ASPIRA.
“TOP TEN LÍDERES” IN LOS ANGELES Hispanic Executive, a magazine for and about Latino business leaders, chooses a class of “Top Ten Líderes” each year. These individuals are selected based on their success in the business world and their contributions to their communities and their stories are told in the pages of a special issue of the magazine. This year, Hispanic Executive honored these individuals at a private dinner presented by Northwestern Mutual. In the fourth installment of Hispanic Executive’s Uniting Powerful Leaders series, magazine staff brought honorees together on Nov. 11 at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Among those honored were the issue’s cover star, Dr. Cynthia Telles, director of the Spanish-speaking Psychosocial Clinic for the Department of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine; Lucino Sotelo, chief marketing officer, U.S. Personal and Commercial, BMO Harris; Gerardo Rodriguez, executive director of the Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce; Peter Villegas, vice president of Latin Affairs at the Coca Cola Company; Ernest Cordova, chief security officer, Accenture Federal Services; and Miguel Santana, city administrative officer of Los Angeles.
DIVERSITY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS Macy’s, Inc. was presented with the prestigious Muriel F. Siebert Leadership Award for extraordinary diversity of its board of directors by the Women’s Forum of New York on Nov. 19. The award was accepted by Terry J. Lundgren, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. Macy’s, Inc. is considered to have among the strongest and most diverse boards in Corporate America. Currently, six of Macy’s directors are women (43 percent of the total board of 14 members). Among Macy’s directors are four members who are ethnic minorities (Black, Hispanic, and Asian-American). “We are very proud of the strength of experience and knowledge that each of our directors brings to the board
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table. They help our business to reflect our very diverse marketplace of customers, of whom about 70 percent are women,” Lundgren said. “Our directors constantly challenge us to be a better company with a long-term view for serving emerging customer needs and creating shareholder value. Diversity at every level is a strength of Macy’s, Inc., and we are proud of the guidance we receive from these extraordinary individuals. Through this award today, all public companies are encouraged to accelerate progress in making boards more diverse.”
TARGET TO ENSURE MARKETING EFFORTS RESONATE WITH ALL GUESTS This holiday season, Target’s goal is to ensure its broader marketing efforts resonate with all guests. In addition to integrating diverse and cultural insights into the campaign, Target will have Spanish-language broadcast spots and social media content for the #SinTraduccion campaign to deepen a cultural connection. The company also built Hispanic insights into its holiday campaign. While all of its guests are particularly focused on kids’ toys, home decor, and apparel during the holidays, insights show that Hispanic guests in particular have more celebrations and tend to purchase more special occasion apparel for kids, shoes, and accessories at Target. Target also sees that its Hispanic guests typically have a larger network of family and friends and as such, have a larger gifting network. They spend the most on family, but also spend more than non-Hispanics for co-workers and teachers. They also experience a longer holiday shopping season, beginning with Thanksgiving and ending in January with Three Kings Day. At the end of the day, it’s all about ensuring Target’s broader marketing elements resonate with each of its guests.
organizations that reflect the marketplace we serve and that leverage the diversity of our employees, suppliers and community partners. We fully embrace diversity as a competitive edge critical to our future in an increasing competitive, multicultural, and mobile ecosystem. While there is always room for improvement, I am very proud of what we have accomplished in terms of diversity and inclusion along four corners: 1) leadership, 2) employment/ recruitment, 3) supplier diversity, and 4) philanthropy designed to further STEM careers. Leadership: We have one of the most diverse Boards of Directors, with seven out of 13 members being women or people of color. Recruitment and employment: More than one-third (36 percent) of Verizon employees are people of color. We also recruit far and wide seeking out a diversity of top talent from colleges across the country. For more information, about supplier diversity and philanthropy, please go to: http://www.verizon.com/about/ news/ verizon-senate-lets-continue-conversation-diversity.
VERIZON TO SENATE: LET’S CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ON DIVERSITY Earlier this month, Magda Yrizarry, Verizon’s chief diversity and talent officer, participated in a panel discussion on diversity and inclusion in the digital economy and technology industry, as part of the Senate Democratic Diversity Initiative. The following is an edited, excerpted version of her remarks. At Verizon, diversity is an essential part of our strategy for success. We have carefully developed inclusive CORPOR ATE OBSERVER
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multidisciplinary management company that Herrera himself founded. The firm specializes in marketing, communications, corporate diversity, public affairs, event planning, and research. In addition to his daily responsibilities there, Herrera also takes an active role with hospitality leader Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, where he holds a variety of positions including independent director of the Board of Directors, as well as chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee, and member of the Audit Committee.
GEORGE HERRERA
BY: LESLIE FROELICH
In 1998, Herrera was named president and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), an organization which advocates on behalf of nearly 4.1 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. According to Herrera, whose tenure with USHCC lasted until 2004, he is the first Latino of non-Mexican descent – he traces his own roots to Chile and Puerto Rico – to serve as president in the organization’s almost 40 year history.
WYNDHAM WORLDWIDE President; leader; creator; director. These are just a few of the words that can be used to describe George Herrera, a Brooklyn-born entrepreneur named by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the country. One look at his impressive career trajectory and it is not difficult to understand how Herrera came to receive this prestigious designation. Currently, Herrera serves as president and CEO of the Herrera-Cristina Group, Ltd, a Hispanic-owned, 16
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Herrera’s professional life began in 1975, after the opportunity emerged for him to work alongside his sister, Elizabeth Burgos, and her husband, David Burgos, at their company, Burgos and Associates, Inc., a management and financial consulting firm for small and minority-owned businesses. After an automobile accident claiming David’s life, Herrera assumed the role of president from 1978 to 1998. During this same time period, Herrera decided to branch out and take his business expertise into the competitive world of media. The impetus for this venture came after Herrera felt himself becoming “extremely impatient” with what he describes as “programming depicting Hispanics as illegal immigrants, high school dropouts, and drug dealers.” “I wanted to develop a national television show whereby I would be able to portray the positive contributions Hispanics were making across all sectors of American society,” explains Herrera. In September of 1998, Herrera’s brain child came to fruition with the creation of ‘Hispanics Today,’ a nationally
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syndicated television show which is viewed by more than 30 million viewers on NBC, CBS, and ABC networks throughout the United States. In addition to these impressive accomplishments, Herrera has also earned numerous professional accolades, including being named a fellow of The Wharton School e-Business Program at the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. According to Herrera, this opportunity came about thanks to a $125,000 contribution from Verizon on his behalf during his tenure at USHCC. “They tapped me as a candidate they wanted to sponsor as part of diversity and inclusion efforts, and that allowed me to attend Wharton. I always want to thank Verizon for having that faith in me,” said Herrera. Herrera was also recognized by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 30 future leaders for economic empowerment of minority communities in the nation. For Herrera, his brother-in law was not just family, but rather he served as a significant mentor in his professional life. Herrera also found a key mentor figure in Earl Graves, the founder and publisher of Black Enterprise magazine and a nationally recognized expert on black business development. Herrera met Graves shortly after becoming president of USHCC. “He told me, ‘You aren’t going to be
“I became a big advocate of cultivating a message for Corporate America, which was: if we’re good enough to do business with you and spend money with you, we should be good enough to sit in the board room with you…”
there forever. Where do you see yourself transitioning? How will you leverage that position so you can still be a force and an advocate for the Hispanic community?’ He was seeing the tremendous void of minorities that existed back then within corporate board rooms, and that stuck with me,” explains Herrera. “I started cultivating relationships and doing research, and I started seeing that it was true. There was a big void in corporations, particularly for the Hispanic business community. I became a big advocate of cultivating a message for Corporate America, which was: if we’re good enough to do business with you and spend money with you, we should be good enough to sit in the board room with you.”
According to Herrera, the general reaction he initially encountered was at once disappointing and indicative of a deeper problem within the business community. “I started getting the typical response about there not being enough Hispanics to fill those types of positions. But my thought was, when you want to sell more products to me, you have no problem finding me,” says Herrera, who explains that this struggle continues today, despite the impact the dramatically increasing Latino population has had on the country’s economy. In the case of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, Herrera assures that “diversity and inclusion are in our DNA,” thanks in large part to the culture created by Chairman and CEO Stephen P. Holmes, who has helped the company to receive national accolades for its practices, including its place for the third year in a row on DiversityInc’s annual ‘Top 50 Companies for Diversity’ list. According to Herrera, the company has created several programs and initiatives in order to attract and retain Hispanics. For example, during Hispanic Heritage Month, Wyndham Worldwide hosts an annual career management and networking event for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA). There, “we disseminate information about employment opportunities and we do on-site interviews. That’s created an enormous pipeline for us,” assures Herrera. “That is one mechanism we hold dear to our heart because it allows us to get in front of a lot of Hispanic talent who have an interest in pursuing hospitality.” The company also has a 24-member global executive diversity council, chaired by Holmes, and Herrera says that Wyndham always seeks to “exhaust all opportunities internally” for Hispanic associates, as well as it continuously strives to “provide upward mobility” for minorities through a variety of leadership and mentorship programs For his part, Herrera has made it a point to analyze and improve diversity and inclusion practices at Wyndham Worldwide – from the standpoint of both suppliers and employment – through the creation of quarterly reports. “Any time there is a VP position and up available, they tell me so I can circulate my resources to get as many diverse candidates as possible. It’s always a dialogue,” says Herrera, who also collaborates with nonprofit organizations in the name of minority employment and advancement. George resides in Virginia with his wife Linda and has three daughters: Jennifer, Nicole, and Cristina.
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Effective Monday, December 14, 2015 the HACR office address will change to:
1220 L Street, NW Ste. 701, Washington, D.C. 20005 Main Telephone Number: (202) 682 - 4012
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR WALMART LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW SERIES (CONTINUED)
Froelich earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Hispanic Linguistics from The Ohio State University (OSU). Prior to attending OSU, Froelich spent a year in Argentina as a Rotary Youth Exchange student. She resides in the Cleveland suburb of Avon Lake, with her husband, Nick, and her daughters, Elizabeth and Maggie.
THANK YOU! GRACIAS! !
LESLIE FROELICH
Leslie Froelich is a national award winning journalist who currently works as a freelance writer for the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), as well as providing Spanish to English translation services for Cox Media Group (CMG). Froelich worked as a reporter for Mundo Hispรกnico newspaper, a CMG subsidiary, for five years in Atlanta, covering a variety of beats including business and finance, health, entertainment, community affairs, and sports. During this time, Froelich received both Gold and Silver Jose Marti Publishing Awards, which are presented by NAHP, as well as a Gold award from New America Media, which recognizes excellence in journalism within ethnic media outlets.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
CORPORATE MEMBERS BENEFACTORS
2016 HACR PROGRAMS APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 2016 HACR Corporate Directors Summit™ Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 2016 HACR Corporate Executives Forum™ Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. APRIL 29 - MAY 1, 2016 HACR Corporate Achievers Summit™ Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C APRIL 30-MAY 3, 2016 HACR Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C.
MAY 2-3, 2016 24th Annual HACR Symposium: The Power of Hispanic Inclusion™ Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. MAY 3, 2016 HACR CEO Roundtable Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C. MAY 3, 2016 HACR 30th Anniversary Gala Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C.
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