BUILDING ON THE LEGACY OF WOMEN TRAILBLAZERS

By Jo-Carolyn Goode, Managing Editor

Each time a woman stands up for herself she stands up for all women,” said famous poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou.

Houston has a bevy of women who stand up for women every day. They stand in the gap for those who can’t stand on their own. They fight for those without power. Changes have been made because of their work and sacrifice. Women’s History Month honors the strides that these women make every day that influence the lives of our present and our future. More important than these women today are the women that came before them to make their way a little easier. As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we recognized some of Houston’s most prominent women.

M. Helen Cavazos is a human resources and diversity executive with extensive background in a variety of industries to include retail, insurance, financial services, and transportation. Her human resources career includes working at corporate headquarters for McDonald’s Corporation in Chicago and last corporate position was Vice President Human Resources & Diversity METRO Houston. She is founder and president of M. H. Cavazos & Associates, a human resources and diversity management consulting firm. She has channeled her human resources expertise to working with non- profit organizations. She currently serves as Director of Human Resources for AAMA, a non-profit organization that includes the George I Sanchez Charter Schools, and health and human services clinics both here and in Laredo, Texas. Helen has served on national and local boards of organizations that foster developmental and economic opportunities for women and diverse groups. She is active on the Education committee of the City of Houston Mayor’s Hispanic Advisory Board, Executive Committee of Ronald McDonald’s House Charities Board of Houston/Galveston, the Women’s Initiative Leadership of Anti-Defamation League, and serves on the Advisory Committee of ACAP’s Diversity Summit. She was appointed to the HGAC Workforce Solutions Board and serves on the Education, Procurement & Audit Committees. Before Cavazos, there was Frances Perkins, the first woman ever appointed to the U.S. Cabinet as Secretary of Labor from 1933-1945.

Ruby Munoz Dang began her career as a Portfolio Administrator at Garcia Hamilton & Associates. She has held a variety of investment positions at the Firm including Equity Trader, Equity Research Analyst, and Assistant Equity Portfolio Manager. As the Firm transitioned into only fixed income assets in 2002, Ms. Dang focused on growing the marketing and client relations of the Firm. In January of 2014, she was promoted to Director of Marketing and Client Services and became a Partner of the Firm. Since 2002, the Firm’s fixed income assets under management have grown from $200 million to over

$20.7 billion (as of February 28, 2022). Dang leads a team of 15 associates that focus on informing the firm’s client and consultant base with portfolio positioning, market outlook, and firm updates. Furthermore, she is also a member of the firm’s executive committee which is responsible for the budgeting of the firm. She also co-coordinates the Firm’s participation in educational forums and conference presentations. She serves on the Investment Advisory Committee for the Employees Retirement System of Texas Fund.

She previously served as a Trustee for the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County Non-Union Pension Plan & Trust and has spoken on numerous panels and forums related to market and pension issues. Additionally, Mrs. Dang supports Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) initiatives for women and minorities across the investment industry. Before Dang, there was Abigail Adams, the first recorded female investor in American history.

Vannessa Wilson Hendrickson began her career as a real estate agent in 1977. She was the first independent agent to have an exclusive listing agreement with General Homes.She was the first black woman appraiser for the Houston region of the Federal Housing Administration. Continued on Pg. 9