Latino Leaders January/February 2023

Latino Leaders proudly presents:

• For the first time ever: Index 200 of largest Latino owned companies: - page 14

• Foreword by Eduardo Tobón, BMO - page 15

• Interview with Dr. Veronica Muzquiz Edwards, InGenesis – page 44

• Guillermo and Adriana Perales: They share their secrets of working together and growing a successful business – page 50

• Best Companies 2023: 25 companies who are opening their culture to diversity – page 54

• Tyson: DEI is driving success – page 57

THE INDEX200 OF THE LARGEST LATINO OWNED COMPANIES.

WITHOUT INFORMATION is very difficult to picture things. The financial, labor and business power of the Latino business owners community will be rightly understood and dimensioned when we are aware and know who are the players and what do they represent for the US economy.

This is precisely why we decided to embark in the difficult and complicated process of gathering the basic data of Latino owned companies across the Country to build the first ever Index of Companies. There have been other lists in the past (like the wellknown Hispanic Business 500) and their absence was felt in many ways by organizations, chambers, the banking community, deferral agencies and many other entities that need to relay in information of the biggest Latino business in the Country. The coming back, through our Index200 is paramount for all of them to get the big picture of the economics of the ever-growing Hispanic community.

200 seemed a good number to start but our goal is to grow it over the years to get to 500. It is also important to understand that our first Index200 is not perfect, despite the big effort our editorial team, lead very effectively by Andrea Piña and Chief Researcher Bill Sarno. There would be companies that are not yet identified to be listed, however, this team spend months making sure ALL the companies listed, deserved to be classified and included. So, there might be not all of them, but all of them are.

We want to recognize the work, ideas, and initiative that our sponsor and friend Eduardo Tobon, Director Economic Equity Advisory Group at BMO infused into the project. BMO became a fantastic partner for this first effort, and we most say we’re very proud of have them involved. When we were looking for the right partner to launch this initiative, BMO came and became the great supporter of this effort, that will benefit many.

The Index200 will live in the cloud over time and will be updated periodically based on tips, new submissions, corrections, and new information we collect. This online presence will be the virtual presence of the idea of creating a community of companies, all of them working to advance themselves but collectively working to create a sense of pride, economic power, and proof of the big contribution the Latino business community makes to the US and the greater global economy.

Jorge & Raul Ferraez

Publisher Jorge Ferraez President and CEO Raul Ferraez

Administrative Director Lawrence Teodoro Editor

Andrea Pina Andrea@latinoleaders.com

Writters

Bill Sarno

Daniel Sanchez Torres

Elsa Cavazos

Joanne Rodrigues

Luana Ferreira

Business Development Manager

Cristina Villaseñor cristina@latinoleaders.com

Art Director Fernando Izquierdo

Editorial Art & Design

Carlos Cuevas

Luis Enrique González

Moisés Cervantes

Human Resources Manager

Susana Sanchez

Administration and Bookkeeping

Claudia García Bejarano

Executive Assistant to the Publishers

Liliana Morales

Digital Media & Design Manager

Wendy Zacarias

Events Coordinator

Isabela Herrera

For advertising inquiries, please call 214-206-9587

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino (ISSN 1529-3998) is published seven times annually by Ferraez Publications of America Corp., 11300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 300, Dallas, TX, 75243, February/March 2023. Subscription rates: In U.S. and possessions, one year $15.00. Checks payable to Ferraez Publications of America, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Latino Leaders, 15443 Knoll Trail, Suite 210, 75248 Dallas, TX, USA.© 2001 by Ferraez Publications of America Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the consent of Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino. The periodical’s name and logo, and the various titles and headings therein, are trademarks of Ferraez Publications of America Corp.

(214) 206-4970

It is with great pride that we release this first edition of 2023. It presents the first-ever Index of the 200 largest Latino-owned companies. It may sound simple, but this is an enormous landmark in the history of Latino entrepreneurs, as it demonstrates our community's impact on the prosperity of the US economy. Once again, generations of Latinos trailblaze the path of success with their stories of hard work and resilience. The other part of the edition focuses second highly relevant theme: top companies for Latinos to work. DEI has been a recurring theme in HR discussions for some time now, but it is essential to take conversations into concrete and tangible actions -these companies have demonstrated to do so. They have showcased a deep commitment to incorporating Latino talent into their corporate ranks. It is undoubtedly a celebratory edition; congratulations to all featured and may success continue to guide your path.

MY HERITAGE IS MY STRENGTH

INTERVIEW WITH ALEX MELGAR CEO OF AMBASSADOR SERVICES

3. How has your business evolved? What are some short- and long-term goals?

AM: Ambassador Services grew exponentially over the past years through dedication, hard work, and with the right team together. e business and my career has evolved along the way; I recognize three stages in my career, the "I" stage, this stage is when I was doing it all, I acted as the only decision maker. e "we" stage, this stage allowed other members of the organization to take a more control roll, and the "they" stage, this stage provide the opportunity to everyone in the organization to make a decision, to be a CEO of something. Now, with a growing business, the challenges have become di erent and I need to rely on a leadership team that will make the right decisions with integrity and a shared long-term vision of the future.

4. Have you had any mentors in life? Who inspires you the most?

1. What was your childhood like? What experiences growing up in uenced who you are today?

AM: My values and ethics come from the example of my parents. I was born in El Salvador, surrounded by a united family; my parents worked hard to provide for us and educate their children. Since childhood, I learned the meaning of hard work and that discipline and commitment would allow me to obtain excellent results.

As a kid, I was exposed to the business world; my parents owned small businesses, where I was allowed to participate in small activities like moving boxes and organizing storage. As a teenager, they let me take more involvement roles in the family business; my parents will always encourage my siblings and me to share opinions and constructive feedback regarding the business operations. e exposure to the struggle and hard work required to run a family business was fundamental to my growth as an entrepreneur.

2. How did your professional career start? What have been the most relevant milestones?

AM: My professional career started very young when I was still a teenager. With the help of my parents and partnerships with other teenage friends, I had the opportunity to run my rst business in El Salvador; that experience taught me the importance of good partnership, time management, and leadership. In 2005, a er three years as an immigrant in the United States, I had the opportunity to retake my entrepreneurial career; I faced many new challenges, including language and business culture.

Continuing education and mentoring from professionals in the industry have positioned our company and myself to be recognized as a leader in the industry. I understand what it takes to build a business from the ground up, demonstrated by the growth achieved in recent years, earning company awards such as the Inner City 100 Fastest Growing Business nationwide in 2019 and 2020, along with the Houston Business Journal Top 100 Businesses in 2020 and 2021. Most recently, in September 2022, the Houston Business Journal honored me as one of the Most Admired CEOs.

I always encourage other entrepreneurs to continue engaging with others with the same mindset, solidifying their business careers with the support of mentors and continuing education.

AM: I had the opportunity to meet extraordinary leaders across my business path. I had terri c mentors from who I learned, mentors that showed me the way, providing advice and sharing their experience, in uencing and guiding me through my journey as an entrepreneur. I am grateful for them.

I recommend surrounding yourself with highly experienced people who bring hands-on industry knowledge. Also, I advise that you look hard at ways to improve your current model, be open to receiving constructive feedback, and ensure all organization members have the tools they need, train and develop your sta , and foster teamwork and collaboration.

5. What in uence has your Hispanic background in your life?

AM: My heritage has allowed me to grow and thrive, I am grateful and honored to be a Latino; from humble beginnings, from being the only employee of my organization, and now as a business owner, I can create jobs and provide the opportunity to grow for hundreds of employees, give back to the community and positively and actively contribute to the Economy. As a Latino, I feel privileged to represent a model of what can be achieved with perseverance and dedication. e Latino community has vision, technological know-how, education and bilinguality, and by far the most diverse minority in the U.S. I know that with dedication and perseverance, anything is possible.

6. Share any future plans you have. How do you see yourself in 10 years?

AM: We are preparing for the future today by creating innovative processes and resources for our company to be ahead of the game and ready for the modernization and many disruptions in our industry. My goal is to develop and expand on the Tech world with visionary ideas on Fintech that will generate more bene cial options for optimization in various processes and business needs along with the tech revolution. I know the future won't stop surprising us, but we have to be ready and ahead in order to keep thriving.

Integrity Images F. Izquierdo

I KNOW THE FUTURE WON'T STOP SURPRISING US, BUT WE HAVE TO BE READY IN ORDER TO KEEP THRIVING.

CENTENARIANS: COMPANIES THAT HAVE ENDURED THE TEST TIME

Ralph de la Vega

COMPANIES that are over 100 years old are rare. ey have passed the toughest test of all. e test of time. How did they do it? What lessons can we learn from these companies to ensure long-term success? How did they deal with the tremendous change over the last 100 years and balance the needs of all stakeholders?

We have experienced an incredible amount of change during the last 100 years. Signi cant inventions include the commercial jet airliner, the personal computer, the Internet, smartphones, television, and GPS (global positioning system), to name just a few. You add to that globalization and demographic changes, and you must ask yourself, “how did these organizations survive and thrive amidst such signi cant change?”

I have been fortunate to work as an executive or board member for three centenarian companies AT&T1, American Express, and New York Life. Although they serve di erent market needs, they have endured the test of time. Each of these companies has made signi cant transformations during its lifetime. AT&T was founded in 1877 and transformed from a telegraph company to a leader in state-of-the-art telecommunications services using its ber and wireless network. American Express was founded in 1850 and evolved from freight forwarding to one of the largest and most recognized nancial institutions in the world. New York Life was created in 1845 from a re and marine insurance company (the Nautilus Insurance Company) and is now the nation’s largest mutual life insurance company, providing insurance, investment, and retirement solutions.

In my opinion, a company that is sustainable over a long period of time has the following characteristics:

1) Resilient Business Model – a business model that is resilient and adaptable to changes in the market. It clearly understands its customers and how to create value for them.

2) Clear Vision and Values – a clear vision and set of values that guide its decision-making processes. It acts ethically and responsibly.

3) Strong Financial Performance – has a strong nancial performance, which includes revenue growth, pro tability, and positive cash ow. It has a long-term view that takes into account the needs of all stakeholders.

4) Innovation and Continuous Improvement – is constantly innovating and improving its products, services, and operations. It invests in innovation and is willing to take risks to stay ahead of the competition.

5) Engaged and Motivated Employees – a sustainable company has engaged and motivated employees committed to the company’s vision and values. It provides a supportive work environment and invests in employee training and development.

6) Strong Corporate Governance – a sustainable company has strong corporate governance with clear lines of authority and accountability and an independent board of directors with diverse perspectives. It also has an e ective risk management and compliance process in place.

Centenarian companies exist because they take a longterm view of their business and balance the needs of their stakeholders. Most importantly, they innovate and transform when appropriate to take advantage of available opportunities. In doing so, they endure the toughest test of all - the test of time.

1 AT&T was founded in 1877 and underwent a break-up and reformation during this period.

Ralph de laVega is the former vice-chairman ofAT&T Inc. He is the author of the best-selling book“ObstaclesWelcome: TurnAdversity toAdvantage in Business and Life.”He is also a LinkedIn In uencer,posting regularly on leadership and innovation.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND BOARD DIVERSITY

A DIVERSE BOARD in terms of gender, ethnicity, and experience has been shown to result in better decision-making, greater financial performance, and more innovation. However, more than diversity is needed to ensure a successful board. Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial in establishing a positive and inclusive board culture.

EI refers to a person's ability to recognize, understand, and regulate their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. This key attribute is critical to fostering a harmonious boardroom atmosphere and has connections to better decision-making, greater empathy, and effective conflict resolution.

One of the most used tools to measure EI is the EQ-i 2.0 assessment from Multi-Health Systems Inc. This self-assessment measures five key EI competencies and includes a happiness indicator:

Self-Perception: Relates to your ability to know and manage yourself.

Self-Expression: Relates to the way you face the world.

Interpersonal: Relates to your people skills and ability to interact and get along with others.

Decision-Making: This relates to your ability to use your emotions in the best way to help you solve problems and make optimal choices.

Stress Management: Your ability to be flexible, tolerate stress, and control impulses.

Happiness Indicator: Relates to your ability to feel satisfied with life.

These EI competencies provide insight into a director's EI and can help organizations identify areas for improvement.

TalentSmart, a US-based company, analyzed the EI profiles of people in their database, workers from the frontlines to the C-suite, and the average results were surprising, as depicted in the graph below:

The graph shows that the higher you go in an organization, the lower your emotional intelligence. From the perspective of board composition, the following job titles, with potentially lower EI, are the typical candidate pool to join a board of directors: Executive/ VP, Senior Executive, and CEO. Therefore, to realize the benefits of EI and diversity in a boardroom environment, organizations should consider including EI assessments, such as the EQi-2.0, in their director’s selection process. This will help organizations identify directors with strong EI and ensure the board has the skills to manage diversity effectively.

In addition to having directors with high EI, organizations must also foster a culture that encourages open communication and collaboration. Regular board evaluations and feedback sessions can also help identify areas for improvement and provide opportunities for growth and development.

Here are some examples of recent research studies that examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and diversity on boards, along with the authors:

1. "The impact of emotional intelligence on the diversity of board of directors" by A. Smith and J. Johnson (2021)

2. "Emotional intelligence, gender diversity, and corporate social responsibility in boards of directors" by L. Chen and T. Zhang (2021)

3. "The role of emotional intelligence in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace" by J. Lee and S. Kim (2021)

4. "Emotional intelligence, board diversity, and firm performance: Evidence from the US" by H. Park and K. Kim (2022)

5. "The influence of emotional intelligence on board diversity and firm value" by D. Chen and Y. Liu (2022)

Overall, emotional intelligence is key in promoting diversity on boards and improving firm performance. If you are interested in increasing your board’s EI skills, visit the AlliancesHub website to learn more about "The Emotionally Effective Leader" Workshop.

Joe Bacigalupo, MBA, MPEC, ACPEC is a Managing Partner and an Executive Advisor at AlliancesHub International, LLC. AlliancesHub offers Change Management and Strategy Consulting, Talent Optimization and Analytics, Leadership Development, and Executive/ Leadership Coaching services.

ABOUT JOE

Valentina Atkinson, a creator of rich, intimate and expressive ephemeral air quality of expressionist compositions, to render the invisible wisdom of art narratives visible.

By William Hanhausen Courtesy of Valentina Atkinson Carlos Cuevas

MEET VALENTINA ATKINSON

SYNCRETISM OF ARTISTIC DEVOTIONS, WHERE THE SAGACITY SENSE IS VISIBLE.

Her point and justi cation is to create art that honors the relationship between object and the viewer.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Valentina Atkinson, trained as an Industrial Designer that in turn, evolved into a visual artist. She is identi ed primarily for her abstract watercolor compositions. A work best known for her free-spirited use of overlapping elds of watercolor on paper encompassing acrylic, encaustic, gild and ink, in abstract compositions that fall outside of traditional genre resolutions.

Her recent explorations have fostered a hybrid form that collapses the distinction between painting and collage, based on incorporating painted acetate layers over paper.

Re ected in Atkinson’s work is a sense of syncretism of artistic devotions that draws into the aesthetic traditions, visual legacies and experiences associated with her early life in Mexico.

Atkinson currently lives and works in Houston, Texas, and is the proprietor and artistic director of Serrano Gallery.

ARTISTS TO WATCH:

ALESSANDRA ALBIN (MEXICAN-AMERICAN) SCULPTOR.

“It’s a fragment. I don’t want complete pieces; I don’t like them. I have to leave things to the imagination and leave space so you can put your stuff in it. You don’t see the complete piece but you complete it, you, not me. So, that is my fragment and your fragment. If we connect, that’s it, the magic is done.”

GABRIELA MONTERROSO (GUATEMALANAMERICAN) ABSTRACT FIGURATIVE PAINTER. "I always love the initial sketch of a piece. Then as I start adding color, things change. I change my mind then change the colors. Then I change my mind again and nd myself editing in ways to get back to the initial drawing. People often ask me how I incorporate such textures into my art. The answer is: layers and layers of bad decisions that work for the greater good, I suppose.

“I AM DRAWN TO THE VITAL MOVEMENT AND CREATIVITY OF HUMAN BEINGS. MY WORK REFLECTS A MOMENT IN MOVEMENT. A MANIFESTATION OF MY AUTHENTIC SELF, TO RECAPTURE THAT SENSE OF PLAYFULNESS, FREEDOM AND JOY THAT PERMEATES MY CREATIVE EXPRESSION BEFORE INITIATING TO DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF REAL OR PERCEIVED LIMITATIONS.”

02 “Reunion” 2015, wc and ink/paper. 16”x12”

01 “Hilos” 2018, wc/paper. 24”x22”

“WE ARE MORE THAN 60 MILLION LATINOS AND LATINAS IN THE US. THAT’S A GREAT FORCE. THAT WOULD BE A GREAT GOAL, TO WORK TOGETHER ON THE SAME PATH OF RECOGNITION, REPRESENTATION, AND EMPOWERMENT.”

LEADING CHANGE FOR IMMIGRANTS

JAIME LUCERO, PRESIDENT OF FUERZA MIGRANTE, TELLS HIS STORY.

Courtesy of Jaime Lucero/Fuerza Migrante Carlos Cuevas

My story is the classic one of many migrants who come to this country. Most people migrate due the economic circumstances of their home country. When I was 18, it became evident that I couldn’t stay in Mexico and have the positive, productive life I wanted. I decided to leave everything behind and venture into the US.

e work I did as dishwasher when I arrived was challenging and very tough, but I needed to be strong. I didn’t want to change to an easier job because I wanted to show that I could manage it and be successful at it.

is is one of my most outstanding achievements: to show that, as Latinos, we can nd opportunities and capitalize on them, no matter how challenging they are.

I have always felt the need to contribute as much as possible to help our community. Most migrants come from rural areas, which makes it more difcult to achieve what they want. I always knew the importance of education, as it plays a central role in our development, and that it was possible to help, even without resources. For example, we funded Club Azteca when we were not business owners. is rst experience gave me a lot of con dence that we, as a community, can have common goals and work together.

Since then, I have lived in two worlds: the world of business where you need to be ingenious and use all your abilities to thrive, and the world of philanthropy trying to create favorable conditions for the migrant community.

Fuerza migrante: accomplishments and challenges

A er 40 years, I wanted to look back at what I had accomplished. ere were crucial questions in my mind: Why do Latinos continue to be less educated? Why are we so far from having political and economic power in the US and Mexico? Why are we not in a place to achieve immigration reform in either country? How can we advance these issues?

It took me three years to learn more about it. Every week I was in different city trying to answer these questions and understand why we were still behind in education and all the other topics.

I found that most people felt tired, disillusioned, and abandoned. Programs providing help were ine cient when help was desperately needed. at experience helped me realize that we needed something new, something di erent, something we had never done before. A movement to help change things, based on these three years of learning.

at’s when Fuerza Migrante came to life. Fuerza Migrante is a movement to empower the Latino community to actively take the necessary economic and social steps to participate in society. Our founding pillar is education, which we believe is the key to unlock empowerment. According to experts, the average education level of immigrant Mexicans in the northeast of the US is 4th grade, and that is, I believe, the case across all Latino migrants.

To solve it, we have reached out to academicians, universities, and experts to help us create a bigger, more proactive, and inclusive education platform.

As a result of these e orts, we founded e Universidad Fuerza Migrante, inaugurated in May 2022, which is the crown jewel of our movement. It has the support of American and Latino educational institutions that are conscious of the urgent education needs of the migrant community.

e o er ranges from trade certi cations to elementary school, undergraduate graduate degrees, and continuous education.

e University is proof that great things can be accomplished working together. We are not only changing education levels, but through alliances with institutions, experts, and professionals, we are also impacting daily lives.

Values

e values that guide me come from the challenges and circumstances I experienced as a child. I was born in a rural area in Mexico. My dad died when I was six, leaving my mom alone with seven children. My family disintegrated a er my father’s passing. From that moment on, I saw rst-hand my family's needs. I had to go to Mexico City to work when I was 9. ese experiences shape you for the rest of your life.

What I learned from that young age is to never give up. Never give up because if you do, you don’t eat. Every day, extra e ort is needed to keep moving forward.

Legacy as Jaime Lucero

When I think about my legacy, I don't think of it in personal terms. I think about our community. I would like to see an empowered community with opportunities, for whom a growth path is a reality. Our community must believe in itself, and that dreams do come true. at’s what I’d like to leave behind, a mindset for our community.

Long term goals

First, I want to continue empowering our community and consolidating Fuerza Migrante. We are creating the base for the movement, but we need to make it self-su cient. We must create a platform to provide various services and programs to our community for education, commerce, business, and support.

Second, we need to strengthen our relationship with the Latino community in the US. It's essential to understand that we have the same problems regardless of country of origin. We are all migrants, and our challenges are the same. We are more than 60 million Latinos and Latinas in the US. at’s a great force. at would be a great goal, to work together on the same path of recognition, representation, and empowerment.

CHUY GARCIA WANTS TO REBUILD

CHICAGO

Luana Ferreira Courtesy of Chuy Garcia Carlos Cuevas

Congressman Chuy Garcia is running for Chicago Mayor in a crowded race. If he wins the elections in February, Chuy will become the rst mayor with a Latino background, and the community will play a crucial role during his term.

"I WANT TO bring equity to many parts of Chicago that have historically not enjoyed it. I want to rebuild the city and ensure everyone in the area is progressing," says Chuy.

On top of that, Chuy plans to invest in security. "I want Chigaco to shine again, make it safer. We're facing some huge challenges in terms of public safety right now, but Chicago has so much going for it. It is a beautiful city. It has all kinds of ethnic diversity, communities, and great food. It's a world-class city with great architecture and music. ose are the things that I want people to want to visit Chicago in the future. Of course, I want to be a welcoming mayor when elected," says the congressman.

is sense of commitment to the community started before Chuy started his political career in 1986. He describes his journey as the true American Dream, and he could never have imagined that he would become a member of the Congress of the United States when he crossed the border in El Paso.

Chuy arrived in Chicago when he was nine years old in 1965 and was part of a large wave of Mexican-Latino immigrants moving to Chicago. He learned how to speak English at school and grew up in a rapidly changing neighborhood. He also learned how to play so ball, about gangs, and the Civil Rights

"Chicano students became active in university campus a airs and neighborhood issues of education, employment, a rmative action, health care, and housing issues. e ght for the rights of immigrants, immigration reform, and protection of immigrants were always present," he adds.

Over ve decades since he crossed the border, the Latino community still faces challenges. Latino women tend to earn even less than men, and housing is another urgent issue.

" e need for a ordable housing in Chicago is a growing problem. Housing has be-

If elected, Chuy wants his term to be remembered as a period that brought people together and put aside differences and tensions in a post-COVID scenario. "Hopefully, it's a post-racial reckoning, but in the civil disturbances that we've experienced in Chicago and that we made progress giving more people opportunities to advance, we made the city safer and that we made it a place where all of us can freely move around and enjoy everything that we have while we're improving," adds Chuy.

movement in the rst years.

"A er I arrived in Chicago and was very profoundly impacted by it, I learned I was exposed to a lot of social justice issues as a very young person, and I learned about the movement for Latino empowerment, including the farm workers, Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta," says Chuy.

His rst years in Chicago would shape his interest in social justice and the rst steps for his political career. He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he became the president of the Union for Mexicano.

come una ordable, especially for larger families. Latinos tend to have larger families and extended families living arrangements."

On top of that, Chuy adds that as a Congressman, he worked hard to try to make immigration reform become a reality.

However, the greatest challenge has been making the Latino community visible and teaching people about their social roles. Chuy highlights the Latino community is crucial to the whole city.

"Wherever I go, I share that Latinos are a socioeconomic force of vitality and vibrancy."

HE DESCRIBES HIS JOURNEY AS THE TRUE AMERICAN DREAM, AND HE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED THAT HE WOULD BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN HE CROSSED THE BORDER IN EL PASO.

INDEX 200 OF LARGEST LATINOOWNED COMPANIES

is Index is the pride of the Latino Business Community, all of them great stories of success, adventure, risk, hard work and community involvement.

This Index is a snapshot of the business power of the Latino business owners in the U.S. Most of them are private companies, often managed by families, not single individuals. There are a few public companies too, whose stake control is in the hands of Latino families or individuals.

Latino Leaders presents for the rst time ever, the Index200. is is the compilation of the largest latino-owned companies in the United States. To qualify the company-owner/control of operations must come from Latino origin and it has to be headquartered in the United States. Companies are ranked according to revenue size, either estimated or con rmed from 2022. e array of companies displays the diversity of industries at which Latino business acumen is growing and setting the standard for future generations.

As this is the first ever endeavor of this kind, we know that our list might not be perfect. Every company is transitioning a different moment in their history, some were very open about their numbers and others not so much. Nonetheless our research team has handled data with the utmost scrutiny, hoping to make it as accurate as possible.

As we go forward updating all this information in all our print and digital platforms, we are very excited to work together with our Latino community of business owners to improve the statistics.

FOREWORD TO THE INDEX 200

The Latino community is driving almost 75% of the growth in the U.S. labor force since 2010, and added over $2.8 trillion in total economic output (GDP) to the U.S. economy 1 in 2020. The combination of the 200 largest Latino-owned companies is estimated to be over $90 billion in annual revenues. Latino-owned companies are growing faster than most other businesses within their industry sectors, continuing to play an integral role in our U.S. economy.

At BMO, diversity, equity and inclusion are at the core of its purpose to BoldlyGrowtheGood in business and life. In November 2022, BMO announced a more than $40 billion ve-year commitment to support communities within the bank’s U.S. footprint. BMO is empowering a movement to drive nancial progress, racial equity, and full societal inclusion for Latino customers, colleagues, and communities. We eliminate barriers by investing in Latino’s businesses and communities, and by supporting the work to dismantle systemic barriers to equity and inclusion. It builds upon BMO EMpower, a $5 billion, ve-year commitment launched in 2020, which as of October 2022, exceeded its goal, investing and lending over $5.5 billion to address critical barriers faced by minority businesses, communities, and families.

Please enjoy this publication, and we look forward to having you join us at one of our upcoming receptions in Dallas, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles.

Warm regards,

EDUARDO TOBON

DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC EQUITY ADVISORY

GROUP

1Data according to Latino Donor Collaborative 2021 Report: https://www.latinodonorcollaborative.org/original-research/2022-ldc-u-slatino-gdp-report

We are pleased to partner with Latino Leaders in the creation and launching of the Index 200 powered by BMO, which ranks companies with the most ownership of Latino descent in the U.S. by revenue.

OUR COMMITMENT TO LATINO ENTREPRENEURS

FOREWORD BY THE UNITED STATES HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) is building a powerful ecosystem to help accelerate Hispanic business growth and prosperity in America. There is a direct correlation of economic opportunity for the exchange of business and adding value through our 5 million Hispanic-owned businesses, 260 Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and our 62.5 million Hispanic Americans. Our overall GDP to the American economy is $2.85 trillion and growing. There are hundreds of committed corporate entities that are focused on increasing their diversity and inclusion investments to target their growth and influence with Hispanic American consumers.

The USHCC is proud to advocate for and support small businesses by providing the tools and resources they deserve. Hispanic-owned businesses account for 86% of new businesses launched in the last 10 years and also represent one out of five entrepreneurs in the United States. Moreover, we know that Latinas create small businesses six times faster than any other group in the U.S. Now is the time to mobilize these dynamic businesses to ensure an equitable seat at every table where big decisions are being made. The future of America’s economy depends on a successful Latino business community.

On a day-to-day basis, we serve the needs of our business leaders, Chamber leaders, and corporate leaders by focusing on the “Three C’s”, which stands for: access to capital, connections, and capacity building. These three pillars allow us to help scale Hispanic-owned businesses to successfully match their services up with Fortune 500 corporations and U.S. government contracts. Our programs and events are aimed at building confidence, preparing our members, building capacity, and educating on the importance of Latino businesses for the American economy. Now, in a post-pandemic era, it is apparent that Hispanic-owned businesses are leading the rebuilding of the U.S. economy. Latinos are on the frontlines building small businesses day in and day out, many of which grow into Fortune 500 firms, thereby creating jobs and generational wealth for our community.

We are proud to partner with Latino Leaders Magazine to recognize the value of the economic impact of the Latino community. Jorge and Ferraez have made it their mission to recognize Latino leaders. They recognize

RAMIRO A. CAVAZOS PRESIDENT & CEO, UNITED STATES HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

how critical it is to acknowledge this Index 200 because they’re serving our communities directly and impacting so many lives positively. Despite the challenges created from the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation costs, these businesses are confident about the future of the American economy, and they are tenacious. The best thing to ever happen to America has been the Latino community and the businesses they own and operate to expand the world’s largest economy for many years to come.

* Rank 1

CARVANA

location:

Auto Retail Phoenix, AZ

Ernest Garcia III (CEO) Auto sales

$13,640,000 carvana.com

** Rank 4

FANJUL CORPORATION/FLORIDA CRYSTALS

Food West Palm Beach FL

Alfonso Fanjul (CEO)

Sugar re ning, real estate

$5,261,000

https://www. oridacrystalscorp.com

** Rank 7

** Rank 2

MASTEC

Construction

Miami, FL Jose Mas Engineering construction

$7,952,000

https://www.mastec.com

HENSEL PHELPS CONSTRUCTION CO.

Construction Eau Claire, WI

Mike Choutka

Construction Management, contractors

$5,676,652

https://www.henselphelps.com

** Rank 5

QUIRCH

FOODS

Food Coral Gables, FL Guillermo Quirch II Food distributor

$4,800,000 quirchfood.com

THE RELATED GROUP

Auto retail Orlando, FL

Frank Rodriguez (Chair) Auto dealerships

$2,900,000 greenway.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Construction Miami, FL

Jorge Perez (Chair, CEO)

Construction, real estate, condos $2,800,000 relatedgroup.com

ARCA CONTINENTAL COCA COLA SW BEVERAGES

Beverages, Food Dallas, TX

Jean-Claude Tissot (President) Beverages distributor

$3,600,000

* Rank 9 Source:

* Rank 6 SUN

https://cocacolaswb.com

Food Service Dallas, TX

** Rank 10

* Rank 11

* Rank 12

GOYA

Food Jersey City, NJ

Roberto Unanue (CEO) Hispanic foods

$1,500,000 goya.com

GENESIS NETWORK ENTERPRISES

Communications

San Antonio, TX

Jay Bock (CEO) Technology services

$1,300,000 genesisnet.com

LOPEZ-DORADA FOODS

Food Oklahoma City, OK

John C. Lopez (Co-founder)/Francisco Gonzalez (CEO)

Supplies meat to global chains

$1,300,000 lopezdorada.com

** Rank 13

** Rank 14

* Rank 15

NEW AMERICAN FUNDING

Finance

Tustin, CA

Rick Arvielo (CEO) / Patty Arvielo (Co-CEO) Mortgages

$1,300,000 newamericanfunding.com

THE DIEZ GROUP

Manufacturing Dearborn, MI

Gerald Diez (Chair, CEO) Aluminum, steel sales $1,265,000 thediezgroup.com

TELEVISAUNIVISION

Media

New York, NY

Wade Davis (CEO)

Media, broadcasting, production $1,200,000 televisaunivision.com

** Rank 16

* Rank 17

* Rank 18

MURGADO AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Auto Retail Miami, FL

Mario Murgado

Multi brand dealerships

$1,010,000 murgadoautomotivegroup.com

PRIDE GLOBAL

Staf ng New York City

Leo Russell

Human resources solutions

$1,000,000 prideglobal.net

NORTHGATE MARKETS

Food Retail Anaheim, CA

Miguel Gonzalez

Retail groceries

$1,000,000

https://www.northgatemarket.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

https://www.crossland.com

AMIGOS MEAT DISTRIBUTORS Food Houston, TX

Max Hurtado (Pres.) Meat products $565,000 amigosmeats.com

INTER-CON SECURITY

Management Services Pasadena, CA

Henry Hernandez Security guard services

$525,000 https://www.icsecurity.com

PEINADO CONSTRUCTION

Construction Frisco, TX Frank Peinado General contractor $508,000 fapeinado.com

FRED LOYA INSURANCE Financial El Paso, TX

Fred Loya Jr. (Chair) Vehicle insurance $502,400 fredloya.com

HUSCO INTERNATIONAL Manufacturing Waukesha, WI Agustin Ramirez Electro-hydraulic controls $500,000 husco.com

ZUMBA Health care Hollywood, FL

Alberto Perez (Owner) Nutrition, tness and mental health centers $500,000 Zumba.com

Antonio, TX

GENUINE HEALTH GROUP Health Care Miami, FL

Joe Caruncho (CEO) Accountable care organization $440,000 genuinehealthgroup.com

TX Robert Rodriguez Restaurants, food franchises $420,000 https://tastyrg.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Nogales, AZ Luis Moreno Sr. Auto, electric appliances and electrical components

Velarde

Los Angeles, CA Jessica Alba

retail Troy, MI Rob Elder (President) Cars, parts, services

GA

Moreno

FL

Service San Jose, CA

Victor Marquez (CEO) Wholesale trade and distributor of mexican products, "El Mexicano" brand owner $305,767

https://www.marquezbrothers.com

Eduardo Diaz (CEO, President) Franchisee Pizza Hut, Denny's, etc. $300,000 eymgroup.com

Dallas, TX Beni Lopez (CEO for USA) Sotware development $300,000 https://www.softtek.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Rank 65

OCEAN BANK

Finance Miami, FL

A. Alfonso Macedo (CEO, President) Commercial banking, insurance

oceanbank.com

ANF GROUP

Construction Davie FL Alberto "Al" Fernandez General Contractor

$225,000 https://www.anfgroup.com

BAY CITIES PAVING & GRATING

Construction Concord, CA

Ben Rodriguez Jr. Engineering, construction $223,953 baycities.us

Construction Fort Worth, TX

Matthew Avila General contractor

$223,000 tsbyrne.com

** Rank 70

Rank 68

69

Management Services Denver, CO Luis Ramirez Transportation/communications/utilities

$222,512 https://agilesourcingpartners.com

RK MECHANICAL, INC.

Construction Los Angeles, CA

Rick L. Kinning

Mechanical and plumbing construction solutions $214,231

https://rkindustries.com

** Rank 71

** Rank 72

Professional Services San Antonio, TX

Geof Edwards (CEO)

Diverse design practice $214,000 Alta-architects.com

ARGENT ASSOCIATES Tech Frisco, TX

Beatriz Manetta Systems integration $206,000 argentassociates.com

C & F FOODS, INC. Food Industry, CA

Manuel G. Fernandez

Packing, distribution of food & produce $201,814

CFFoods

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

** Rank 73

Rank 74

SIETE FAMILY FOODS

Food Austin, TX

Miguel Garza

Mexican-american foods

$200,000 Sietefoods.com

THE POPULUS GROUP

Professional Services Troy, MI

Bobby Herrera

Workforce Solutons

$200,000

https://www.populusgroup.com

MELISSA'S WORLD VARIETY FOODS

Food Vernon, CA

John/Sharon Hernandez Founders

Specialty produce $194,327 melissas.com

Rank 76

TYSON MOTOR LLC

Auto Retail Shorewood, IL

Anthony H. Blake (President)

Dealerships and used car retail

$189,025

https://www.tysonmotor.com

** Rank 79

THE GAMBRINUS CO.

Beverages, food San Antonio, TX

Carlos Alvarez

Beer brewer and distributor

$170,000 gambrinus.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Rank 77

LUDVIK ELECTRIC CO.

Construction Aurora, IL

James Ludvik

Electric contractor

$184,397

https://ludvikelectric.com

Rank 78

Staf ng San Antonio, TX

Veronica Muzquiz Edwards (CEO)

Healthcare staf ng, recruitment $174,000 ingenesis.com

** Rank 80

STEVEN CHARLES

Food Aurora, CO

Steven Fabos

Baker, frozen dessert and bakery goods manufacturer

$161,051

https://www.originaldesserts.com

** Rank 81

ATHENA ENGINEERING

Construction San Dimas, CA

Jannie Chiera

General Commercial and ResidentialContractor $160,500

https://athenaengineering.com

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

$154,053

https://www.saundersinc.com

Food Centennial, CA

Samuel Carlos Tamayo Food manufacturing, ready-to-eat products

$157,862

https://www.latortillafactory.com

Staf ng Fitchburg, MA

Reinaldo Lopez (CEO) HR, outsourcing $157,000 rmi-solutions.com

Construction Denver, CO

Auto retail Denver, CO

Mike Shaw (CEO) Dealerships

$155,200

mike-shaw-automotive-group.automotohr.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Miami, FL Luis de la Aguilera (CEO, Pres.)

https://www.trujilloandsons.com

IL

TX

https://www.telenetwork.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

* Rank 119

Rank 120

LACOSTA FACILITY SUPPORT

Management Services Wauconda, IL

Karla Mota Johnson Janitorial services

$108,300 Lacostaservices.com

Staf ng Miami, FL Gustavo Pena/Eugene Holzer Staf ng, consulting $106,408 ascendo.com

GENERAL ASPHALT

Construction Miami, FL

Robert A. Lopez

Asphalt paving $105,000

http://generalasphalt.com

Rank 121

** Rank 122

Rank 123

MERCOM INC. Tech Pawley's Island, SC Stella Mercado (CEO) IT services for government $104,900 mercomcorp.com

TRANSNATIONAL

Food Miami, FL Marcelo Young (CEO) Imported food distributor $104,000 transnationalfoods.com

Construction Carrolton, TX

Zack Cherry Safety $102,000 cherrycoatings.com

** Rank 124

MBAF

Professional Services Miami, FL

Tony Argiz Accounting Firm $100,000

https://mbafcpa.com

** Rank 125

** Rank 126

Food Chicago, IL Francisco (Paco Jr.) Vega (owner) Grocery distributor $99,000 Lagaleraproduce.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company ** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Distribution Long Beach, CA

Kent Ramos

Shell oil distributor $97,563

https://www.ramosoil.com

CINEPOLIS USA Entertainment Dallas, TX Luis Olloqui Movie theater chain $96,800 cinepolisusa.com

HARD ROCK CONCRETE PLACEMENT Construction Phoenix, AZ Elias Lopez Concrete contractor $93,710 hrconcrete.com

PONCE

BANK Finance New York City Carlos P. Naudon (CEO, Pres) Community, minority savings and loan $90,000 poncebank.com

LD PRODUCTS, INC. Distribution Colorado Springs, CO

Aaron Leon Wholesale trade of of ce supply products $96,636 ldproducts.com

V3GATE, LLC Tech

Colorado Springs, CO Oscar T. Valdez Jr IT Services public sector $96,599 https://www.v3gate.com

INSCO DISTRIBUTING, INC. Distribution San Antonio, TX Rudy Trevino HVAC distributor $93,473 https://www.insco.com

WILDFLOWER INTERNATIONAL Tech Santa Fe, NM Kimberly deCastro (CEO, Pres) Computer, software services $90,300 wild owerintl.com

UNIVERSAL DISPLAYS & FIXTURES Manufacturing Lewsiville, TX Francisco De Jesus Commercial display and xture manufacturing $90,000 https://udfc.com

CACIQUE FOODS Food Monrovia, CA

Gil de Cardenas Mexican foods, cheese $88,600 caciquefood.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

VA Tony Jimenez (CEO, Pres.) Federal defense contractor

Bridgewater, NJ Karen J. Martinez (Pres.) Facility support $83,400 bravobuildingservices.com

Services Houston, TX Rafael Andres Diaz-Granados Drilling and Solids Management opertions

FL

Martinez (Pres.)

El Paso, TX Julio Chiu (CEO)

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

COMMERCIAL BANK OF CA Finance Irvine,CA

Ash Patel (CEO, Pres.) Commercial, deposits, loans $72,000 cbcal.com

175

CENTURY METALS AND SUPPLIES Manufacturing Miami Gardens, FL

Misael Rosario (CEO) Metals, industrial products

$71,300 centurymetals.com

* Rank 178

NEXTGEN INFORMATION SERVICES Staf ng St. Louis, MO

Maria del Carmen Jacob Staf ng, talent management $70,000 nextgen-is.com

NAVARRO RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING

Management Services Oak Ridge, TN

Susanna Navarro-Valenti (CEO, Pres.) Environmental nuclear services

$72,000 Navarro-inc.com

Rank 176

Rank 173 APPLIED TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATES Tech Albuquerque, NM Anthony Tenovo Spacesubsystems $70,200 atacorp.com

Rank 179

Food Service Houston, TX

Alex Flores

Produce wholesaler of fresh fruits & vegtables

$68,659

https://www.houstonavocadocompany.com

* Revenue amount con rmed by company ** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Rank 177

INCODE TECHNOLOGIES

Tech

San Francisco, CA

Rodrigo Amper

Online identity veri cation software

$71,450 incode.com

GONZALEZ DESIGN GROUP

Manufacturing Madison Heights,MI

Gary Gonzalez (CEO) Multi-industry automation $70,000 gonzalez-group.com

Rank 180

Food Service San Antonio, TX Gonzalez Family Wholesale distribution - produce $68,463

https://www.rivercityproduce.com

*

THE RELEVANCE OF LATINO-OWNED BUSINESSES

OUR FRIENDS FROM BMO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND VIEWS ON THE MATTER.

GEO SOTO SENIOR RELATIONSHIP MANAGER AT BMO’S DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIAL GROUP

• What industries or sectors do you think are the most promising for new Latino-owned businesses?

ADELA CEPEDA

MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT BMO U.S.

• What is crucial for Latino businesses to thrive in the American market?

A.C.: Latino businesses thrive because our community strongly desires to succeed. Central to our success is opening opportunities for our children and strengthening the center of our focus - the "familia.” O en, due to language and cultural di erences, we do not climb the corporate ladder as rapidly as we wish. We come from very entrepreneurial cultures in the Americas and see opportunities for replicating that in the U.S.

• What role has BMO played in the success of Latino entrepreneurs?

A.C.: BMO has strived to build a board with diverse representation, giving it insights into our diverse communities. Lack of capital is a signi cant reason why Latino businesses o en do not scale. BMO is trying to make a substantial di erence, taking the extra steps to understand the companies and empower them with resources to accelerate their growth. BMO’s EMpower program was robust, with an initial $5 billion commitment. It has been expanded to over $40 billion to re ect the bank's broader footprint with the acquisition of the Bank of the West.

G.S.: e Latino community is at the forefront of entrepreneurship in the U.S., excelling in every industry via their knack for pushing and preserving. While historically, Latinos have formed great companies in the construction, real estate, and food industries, we are seeing more venturing into tech, entertainment, distribution, and manufacturing.

• How do you think Latino-owned businesses di erentiate themselves?

G.S.: Latinos connect easily to non-Latinos and Latinos, more likely to make proactive changes to technology, moving to e-commerce and improving client outreach. What is unique about them is that they always nd new ways to expand outside of the community.

-What would be your advice for a recently immigrated entrepreneur trying to grow a business in the U.S.?

G.S.: Forming relationships with professionals (accountants, law rms, and bankers) that understand their goals to access sources of lowinterest capital. It all starts with good record keeping and taking time to review nancials.

LACK OF CAPITAL IS A SIGNIFICANT REASON WHY LATINO BUSINESSES OFTEN DO NOT SCALE. BMO IS TRYING TO MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE.

Courtesy of BMO Financial Group F. Izquierdo

Powered by

BETSY ERDELYI MANAGING

DIRECTOR AT BMO’S FOOD & CONSUMER GROUP

• What are the main challenges that Latino business leaders face when entering the food & consumer industry?

B.E.: Latino business leaders face the same challenges that are top of mind for any manufacturer concerning the availability and cost of labor, heightened input and freight costs, and driving customer demand. For a Latino business leader that is bringing a Hispanic product to market, they face the added challenge of not only reaching their core customers in the places where they love to shop and beyond but also retaining the next generation in the category and generating business with new consumers outside of their core.

• Latino products have widely penetrated the U.S. market; what are the next steps this industry needs to continue gaining market?

B.E.: e U.S. Latino GDP has grown at double the rate of the broader U.S. GDP and accounts for the 5th largest GDP in the world. In addition, Latinos over-index for preferring ethnically relevant avors that connect them to their roots. ese statistics re ect ample opportunity for continued growth in the market as the Latino population grows. But change continues further as non-Latino consumers prefer ethnically diverse avors that provide additional growth opportunities.

• In your perspective, at what stage of the industry cycle are the 'nostalgia products' categories? Do you think they are at a mature or still growing stage? Why so?

B.E.: Recently, nostalgia products have had traction across broader consumer products. consumers readily accept retro and vintage trends and take the opportunity to buy products that remind them of their childhood or past generations. Opportunity for growth in this sector remains.

HENRY DEL CAMPO, SENIOR RELATIONSHIP MANAGER AT BMO’S DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIAL GROUP

• What values do you see as a common denominator for Latino entrepreneurs?

HDC: ere are two common denominators prominent amongst Latino entrepreneurs - the willingness to collaborate and perseverance. is inherent willingness to collaborate makes Latino entrepreneurs successful and builds the foundation for sustainable business enterprises. Another common attribute amongst Latinos is perseverance with a healthy dose of grit. In many cases, I have seen Latino entrepreneurs fail at various business ventures before they nally develop a successful one. Determination and tenacity o en make up the DNA of so many successful Latino entrepreneurs. is character trait is o en passed on from generation to generation.

• What advice would you give to the new generation of Latino business owners?

HDC: Given today's ultra-competitive marketplace, one should always look for new ways to di erentiate themselves and their business. Steer clear of complacency even if business is going well. ere is likely a competitor looking to gain a competitive advantage by replicating your successful business model with a slight touch of ingenuity. I also believe in exploiting untapped markets to the greatest extent possible. Many of the new diverse markets we see today are ripe for development. We have seen entrepreneurs across the age spectrum take advantage of these markets by positioning themselves with unique product o erings. is approach to innovation is fundamental, especially when looking to position a company for future success.

STEER CLEAR OF COMPLACENCY EVEN IF BUSINESS IS GOING WELL.

THE LATINO COMMUNITY IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE U.S., EXCELLING IN EVERY INDUSTRY VIA THEIR KNACK FOR PUSHING AND PRESERVING.

HEALTH HAS NO BOUNDARIES

What opportunities have allowed you to grow your company exponentially?

VE: Our expertise in caring for vulnerable populations shows in our years of success. For more than two decades InGenesis has developed a distinguished healthcare portfolio, including direct patient care and missioncritical solutions. Because we want to improve lives and make a di erence, we also developed a notable suite of di erentiators that de ne and reinforce our distinctive role in the public health industry.

We have two service lines:

1Comprehensive Healthcare Solutions, which includes medical management, and emergency shelters.

2 Healthcare Workforce Solutions including surge and emergency sta ng of clinical, allied health, and other professionals.

"HEALTH IS THE ONLY THING THAT HAS NO LANGUAGE OR BOUNDARIES --THAT IS OUR PASSION."

A conversation with VERONICA EDWARDS

CEO OF INGENESIS

Courtesy of InGenesis

What challenges have you faced being a Hispanic-owned company?

VE: InGenesis supports thousands of associates working in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and our healthcare professionals have traveled to over 30 countries. We are one of the largest companies in our industry, however, some assume we are a small business because of Latina ownership.

Our approach to successfully overcoming this challenge is to share data-driven case studies highlighting the magnitude and scope of our corporate experience. It’s rewarding when clients compliment our analytics and appreciate our sector-speci c portfolio.

What has been the key to your success?

What have you done di erently from other companies in the same industry?

VE: ought leadership. Today I serve as president of the Healthcare Standards Institute, an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited standards developer and an ANSI-accredited certi cation body for Healthcare Organization Management. We aim to develop a domestic portfolio of standards such as telehealth and blockchain for provider credentialing.

I also serve as chair of the International Organization for Standardization, leading collaborative initiatives in healthcare organization management with National Standards Bodies (NSB’s) and global liaison organizations (i.e., e World Health Organization (WHO)). Together, the goal is to develop management system standards and other technical documents such as quality management, infection prevention management, patient-centered sta ng, and pandemic response.

Finally, I was recently elected as the chair of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank San Antonio branch board of directors, promoting solid nancial systems and a healthy economy.

What are the core values of your company? How do you help your employees thrive?

VE: I am amazed by our healthcare professionals who inspire us with their sel ess heroism to achieve better patient outcomes.

InGenesis has three core values that our employees developed: Imagination: Our ideas lead to endless possibilities.

Integrity: Make authentic commitments to doing the right thing.

Impact: Improve lives and make a di erence.

As part of our journey to earn a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program Award, InGenesis worked hard to develop a mission, vision, and values that aligned with our data-driven market objectives. Our e orts, which were recognized by the Quality Texas Foundation for Performance Excellence, contributed to our resilience pre and post-pandemic.

What would you have done di erent if you had the opportunity to travel back?

VE: My doctorate, research interests, thought leadership roles, and philanthropic initiatives align with emergency management. If I had a time machine, I would have started my journey sooner --- and helped to develop more initiatives earlier in my career to support medically underserved populations and under-resourced communities.

What would you advise new generations of Hispanic business entrepreneurs?

VE: Appreciate and learn from successful entrepreneurs, align with executive mentors, and remember to study the SBA data to understand why an entrepreneurial adventure is statistically challenging.

HELPING OTHERS IS OUR DNA

INTERVIEW WITH EDUARDO ‘ED’ SANCHEZ, CHAIRMAN, LOPEZ-DORADA FOODS

1. What opportunities have allowed you to grow Lopez-Dorada exponentially?

McDonald’s has been our number one supporter from day one – quite literally, Lopez-Dorada would not exist without them. ey were one of the rst in their industry to champion and embrace diverse-owned business partners to be a part of their system. From there, we ran with every opportunity we had. Our exponential growth over the years is the result of consistently delivering quality products at a competitive price, hiring and fostering the best talent and forming successful business partnerships. For example, our partnership with Tyson Foods enabled the growth of our poultry business. Today we supply major brands like Costco, Walmart and many others. ese brands know that, as an established McDonald’s supplier, we have the capabilities to meet any company’s stringent health and safety protocols, and high quality and volume standards.

2. What has been the key your success? What have you done di erently from other companies in the same industry?

Being a family-owned company is a key contributor to Lopez-Dorada’s success because we are all invested in seeing the business thrive. We can make decisions quicker and take on a certain level of risk that major corporations can’t. As a family, people-focused company, we’re also very big on building deep, meaningful relationships with our customers that extend beyond standard vendor transactions. Customers have come to value our input whenever they’re exploring new products, with Lopez-Dorada playing an active, collaborative role in their innovation process.

3. What are the core values of your company? How do you help your employees thrive?

Our values are deeply rooted in being a people-focused company and fostering an inclusive culture. Our work-

Courtesy of Lopez Dorada Foods Carlos Cuevas

force is very diverse and the average worker tenure is 10 years, with some having been with us for 30+ years. Most of our management and leadership teams have plant experience and rose through the ranks from within the organization. Without

knowledge and lack of people management skills. Financial knowledge you can acquire through schooling, but people management skills are honed over time through experiences. Also don’t be afraid to take risks. While some risks may fail, it’s still a success if you’re

our employees, our success simply would not be possible. at’s why we’re focused on providing competitive wages and bene ts as well as opportunities to grow, including education reimbursement, mentorship and training programs. In fact, we have a two leadership programs. One is a work-study program for underserved youth in the community where students rotate through di erent areas of our company to gain valuable work experience. Our second program is dedicated to helping standout Lopez-Dorada employees hone their business and people skills for future advancement within the company. Helping others – whether it’s employees or the community – is simply in our DNA. We’ve supported other diverse-owned suppliers navigating McDonald’s complex supplier network. Lopez-Dorada is also helping to foster the next generation of food manufacturing leaders through partnerships with local universities. Personally, I sit on several nonpro t boards including Ronald McDonald House Charities Global Board of Trustees. Our success allows us the opportunity to pay it forward and make a meaningful impact in every community we touch.

4. What advice do you have for new generations of Hispanic business entrepreneurs? Learn, listen and absorb as much as you can from those around you. Most businesses fail because of two reasons: lack of nancial

able to learn from it and apply it to future scenarios. Lastly, keep an open mind. Never did I think that my rst job as a McDonald’s restaurant employee would lead me to where I am today. I kept an open mind and took some calculated risks along the way thanks to a whole lot of learning and listening.

01 Ed standing in front of a Lopez Dorada facility.

02 Ed working the kitchen on Founders Day in 1988, Madrid, Spain.

03 Madrid Spain, standing next to the Montreal restaurant painting. The restaurant was special because it was a protected building, and we were recognized by the city for preserving the original facade.

04 They are committed to the highest industry standards and supporting the customers’ brands.

MOST BUSINESSES FAIL BECAUSE OF TWO REASONS: LACK OF FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE AND LACK OF PEOPLE MANAGEMENT SKILLS. FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN ACQUIRE THROUGH SCHOOLING, BUT PEOPLE MANAGEMENT SKILLS ARE HONED OVER TIME THROUGH EXPERIENCES.

BUILDING TRUST: THE SECRET BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF OCEAN BANK

1. What opportunities have allowed you to grow your company exponentially?

AAM: Our growth, particularly over the past several years, has come from being very disciplined in adhering to our business plan. We have a solid presence in commercial real estate, which has been a strong part of the South Florida economy. We know the market and have longterm relationships with developers and contractors. Real estate loans were the main thrust of our record $1.8 billion in new loans issued in 2022.

2. What challenges have you faced being a Hispanic owned company?

AAM: Being a Hispanic owned company has been more opportunity than challenge. Ocean Bank was founded by immigrant entrepreneurial businessman.   e Bank looked to establish a market where there were unmet opportunities – the emerging business community made up of Cuban exiles and other Hispanics. Professional bankers who were themselves immigrants became the driving force of the bank. Personal relationships—doing business with people you know and whose character you trust – was tremendously important in building the bank.

3. What has been the key your success? What have you done di erently from other companies in the same industry?

AAM: We pay particular attention to our client’s needs and work with them through both good and bad times. For instance, when COVID devastated the hospitality industry, we were very aggressive in restructuring loans to allow those clients to survive. It proved an excellent strategy for both out clients and for Ocean Bank. Our focus on customers has resulted in many of our clients being multi-generational. Relationships that started decades ago continue to thrive with clients’ children and grandchildren. Our branch managers are constantly “on the road” visiting clients.

4. What are the core values of your company? How do you help your employees thrive?

AAM: Being a successful business is more than the nuts and bolts, the spreadsheets or asset and liability management. It’s about your commitment to the community, about your relationship with your employees and customers. We provide opportunities for employees to improve themselves through education and training, and we promote from within. We look to our employees and customers as essential members of an extended family.

Our core values are embedded in our Mission and Vision Statements. Be a recognized banking leader through:

• Superior customer service

• A meaningful and rewarding experience for our employees

• A commitment to enhance the quality of life in our community, and

• Providing our shareholders a favorable return on their investment

5. If you had the opportunity to travel back, what would you have done di erently?

AAM: Hindsight is perfect. Probably everyone in the nancial industry wishes they had foreseen the nancial industry meltdown of 2008. We all learned from that crisis and now the entire banking industry is better for it.

6. What would you advice new generations of Hispanic business entrepreneurs?

AAM: Always maintain a positive attitude. Look for opportunities and act on them.

A. ALFONSO MACEDO

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - OCEAN BANK

“BEING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS IS MORE THAN THE NUTS AND BOLTS, THE SPREADSHEETS OR ASSET AND LIABILITY MANAGEMENT. IT’S ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS.”

Courtesy of Ocean Bank

THE SECRET BEHIND SUCCESS

A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH GUILLERMO PERALES, CEO OF SUN HOLDINGS, INC.

Q What opportunities have allowed you to grow your company exponentially?

A I think that being able to diversify among di erent brands, and segments has been the key factor for our expansion. Most of the brands go through ups and downs, and we have tried to gain as much as possible from every situation – especially trying to do better or improve during the hard times.

A er COVID, we've entered a lot of new brands like Papa John's, Applebee's, IHOP, Taco Bueno and McAlister’s. Fortunately, we have been able to grow each brand independently. at's probably the main reason why we have escalated so quickly.

Additionally, if you're only in one or two brands, usually franchisors impose a lot of restrictions, and limit the growth. erefore, the fact that we're in di erent brands has helped us a lot.

Another key factor has been building our own franchise, Taco Bueno. It's also been a great experience, because now being a franchisor, we're able to grow our brand as fast as we can. We are building as many restaurants as we can, freely. We don't have to depend on anyone else.

Q What have been the pros and cons of working together as a couple in the same business?

A Many pros, I mean, my wife is a very intelligent woman, she's an engineer, and she has her own mind. And one of the key things over the years for me was to let her shine by herself. She runs our T-Mobile division. Sometimes we do get together and decide to-

gether on some of the bigger decisions, but she has total control on the day to day.

e same applies to me and the restaurants division, I make all the decisions. at freedom is the main reason why we don't get into arguments or disputes.

Q What are Adriana’s top qualities?

A Adriana is very detail oriented, smart and with very good people/ interpersonal skills. Whenever she puts her eye on something, she does not stop until she gets it done. I've always admired that, and I think I could learn from her as I'm not very detail oriented.

Q What are the core values of your business and how do they mirror the values of your family?

A I would say the core values represented in the company and in our family are hard work, respect, perseverance, and entrepreneurship. Hard work is obvious, as without it we would be where we are. Respect is key for business and personal -from the business perspective we need to respect the guidelines of each brand and for our personal life, we need to respect our everyday decisions. Entrepreneurship is something our kids have grown with. I still don’t know if they will go into our family business, but it is something that they have learned throughout their life. Perseverance is essential to keep growing and thriving, it is also closely knitted to entrepreneurship and hard work.

Photo: Courtesy of Sun Holdings, Inc.

I would say the core values represented in the company and in our family are hard work, respect, perseverance, and entrepreneurship.

THE INDEX200 AT A GLANCE

Company name Source of Information

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

name Source of Information

Company

* Revenue amount con rmed by company

** Revenue amount estimate based on research of public information

Company name Source of Information

Company name Source of Information

BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR LATINOS

e quick advancement of Latino talent keeps companies at their toes for new strategies to increase diverse workforce in their organizations. As every year, this section will display some companies who have the deepest commitment for Latino talent to thrive. ey have demonstrated substantial e orts to open their corporate culture to everyone, making sure their employees feel proud, included, appreciated and admired, thus bringing their business succeed at the same pace as their Latino talent.

We are proud to include new names, as well as continue to see old friends keep up to their standards. Congratulations to all!

ABM Industries Inc.

Facility Management

Employees: 127,000

Diversity: 70.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Carnival Cruise Line

Travel & Cruise Industry

Employees: 30,000

Diversity: 40.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition:

ERG in place:

McKesson

Healthcare Employees: 49,000

Diversity: 74.50%

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

BlackLine

Software

Employees: 1,161

Diversity: NA

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Charter Communications

Telecommunications

Employees: 93,000

Diversity: 49.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

General Motors

Automotive

Employees: 88,435

Diversity: 34.80 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

BOK Financial

Finance and Insurance

Employees: 4,825

Diversity: 32.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Chipotle

Restaurant

Employees: 97,661

Diversity: 67.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Granite

Construction

Employees: 6,398

Diversity: 41.33 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board:

Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

IBM

Information Technology

Employees: 270,000

Diversity: 21.30 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Navy Federal Credit Union

Financial Services

Employees: 20,700

Diversity: 40%

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

NVIDIA Information Technology

Employees: 12,543

Diversity: 63.40 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Stanley Black & Decker

Industrial

Employees: 53,100

Diversity: 33.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

The Hershey Company

Manufacturing

Employees: 16,500

Diversity: NA

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Merck

Pharmaceutical

Employees: 26,544

Diversity: 32.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

New York Life

Financial Services

Employees: 11,227

Diversity: 75.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Progressive

Insurance

Employees: 55,000

Diversity: 35.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

The Andersons, Inc.

Agriculture

Employees: 2,300

Diversity: 18.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Tyson Foods, Inc.

Food Production Employees: 139,000

Diversity: 64.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Nicklaus Children's Hospital

Healthcare Employees: 4,000

Diversity: 83.00%

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Microchip Technology, Inc.

Semiconductor

Employees: 22,142

Diversity: 43.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

NuStar Energy

Storage & Transportation of Liquids

Employees: 1,190

Diversity: 32.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Southwest Airlines

Transportation/Airline

Employees: 55,000

Diversity: 40.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

The GEO Group, Inc.

Government Contractor

Employees: 13,887

Diversity: 94%

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

Wesco International Inc

Electrical Distribution / Supply Chain

Employees: 18,000

Diversity: 25.00 %

Latinx in Csuite Or Board: Latino Talent Acquisition: ERG in place:

STRENGTH DERIVED FROM INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE

A CONVERSATION WITH PAUL DAVIS, VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION OFFICER

Courtesy of Tyson Foods Carlos Cuevas

1. Briefly explain your strategy for attracting diverse talent.

PD: Tyson Foods uses multiple channels to recruit diverse talent such as association with Minority Serving Institutions (Colleges and Universities), current team member referrals and recommendations, and our eight business resources groups (BRG) that o er diverse groups a sense of belonging and celebrate their unique culture with our team members, these are LatinX, enABLE, Asians & Allies, PRIDE, African Ancestry Alliance, Women’s BRG, Leaders of Tomorrow and Veterans. We also have a liations with organizations speci cally focused on the recruitment of underrepresented populations, including but not limited to:

• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

• Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR)

• Women's Meat Industry Network (WMIN)

• Leadership Education for Asian Paci cs (LEAP)

• American Corporate Partners Mentoring Program (ACP)

• National Sales Network (NSN)

of cultures, ethnicities, educational experiences, languages, backgrounds and lived experiences that our team members represent. We also build team member engagement and con dence.

3. What are the main challenges employees from diverse backgrounds face when entering your corporate culture?

PD: We see that team members might see challenges in learning where they t or how they can contribute, feeling included in critical conversations as an established norm and valued for what they have experienced before joining the team.

4. What strategies or resources do you have in place for the advancement of diverse talent?

ues, aspirations, and sustained impact on the community, organizations and the industry, talk to current and former team members about the culture, leadership, values, and commitments to their personal and professional growth. Read the past few years of our earnings reports and be ready to join an inclusive team where our di erences drive our success.

2. What do you think are the main benefits for the company when increasing its diversity percentage?

PD: As we increase our diversity percentage, we create an inclusive workforce where our di erences strengthen our ability to innovate, move beyond challenges and execute with excellence; and drive substantial results by leveraging a variety

PD: We have a variety of resources in place including but not limited to our eight BRGs listed above, intentional trainings on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, internal “Team Talks,” a [live/ web-based] quarterly series hosted by our executive leadership with open Q&A and demonstrated behavior by our leadership, third-party consultation with industry experts on critical subjects, team member surveys with published results and actions taken and we provide team members with translation services, free ESL classes and free education through Upward Academy Online.

5. What advice would you give to talent wanting to join your team?

PD: I would encourage those seeking to joining Tyson Foods to research our val-

OUR DIFFERENCES STRENGTHEN OUR ABILITY TO INNOVATE, MOVE BEYOND CHALLENGES AND EXECUTE WITH EXCELLENCE; AND DRIVE SUBSTANTIAL RESULTS BY LEVERAGING A VARIETY OF CULTURES, ETHNICITIES, EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, LANGUAGES, BACKGROUNDS AND LIVED EXPERIENCES THAT OUR TEAM MEMBERS REPRESENT.BREATH.”

THE ART BEHIND ATTRACTING DIVERSE TALENT

McKesson shares some insights regarding the importance of being a diverse company

1Brie y explain your strategy for attracting diverse talent.

At McKesson, we strive to re ect the diverse communities we serve – so our strategy goes beyond talent attraction. To hire, develop and promote across all diversity dimensions and career levels we anchor to our corporate values.

And in doing so, we accelerate belonging in the workplace where everyone can succeed by being themselves.

Our people create and maintain a vibrant and inclusive culture where everyone brings their authentic self to work. We’re committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive workplace to make Team McKesson more aware, more creative, and stronger.

We also recognize health outcomes are in uenced by many factors. So, we aim to positively in uence social, environmental, and economic conditions for our team members, and by extension the communities where we live and work.

The Professional Association of Latinos at McKesson, known as the PALMa Employee Resource Group, is entering into its 8th year of existence. The National ERG stands at 600+ members strong with a localized chapter presence across our major hub locations.

2 What do you think are the main bene ts for the company when increasing their diversity?

Increasing diversity for the sake of diversity does not, in and of itself, reach the mark. However, when companies can bring balance of diversity into the workforce that represents the markets and communities where they live and work –innovation, creativity and market connections organically grow. And that is good for the community and for business.

3What strategies or resources do you have in place for advancement of diverse talent?

Our people are at the core of our purpose as a company – ‘to advance health outcomes for all’ – and our diversi ed talent, skills and experiences will help us get there. We believe we have no greater charge than enabling our leaders to create an environment that supports McKesson’s aspirations to be the ‘Best Place to Work in Healthcare’ and ensure our employees have equal opportunities for growth and advancement. us, we invest in developing strong leaders who embrace our di erences through ‘inclusion leadership’ training for all our employees.

We also invest heavily in internal development programs, as well as partnering with key organizations for external immersive experiences, to further the career journeys of our talent pipelines.

We encourage our employees to identify in the way they feel most allows them to be who they are. We track self-identi cation anonymously and at the aggregate level. And by these identi ers, 74.5% percentage of employees view themselves in one or more of these categories.

Latinos in C-Suite or Board:

• Corporate Board Member

Maria Martinez

• Corporate Board Member

Dr. Richard Carmona

•EVP, Chief Information & Technology Of cer

Nancy Avila

4 What are common challenges that employees from diverse backgrounds tend to face when entering the corporate environment? How is it di erent with your company?

Culture is a dynamic thing and when an environment is not well equipped to welcome and embrace di erent perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds – it can be di cult for people to feel like they are connected to it. For us, it is crucial that we take a wide lens in how we look at diversity across the many lived experiences and dimensions of how people see themselves. In other words, to truly bring themselves to work, we must accelerate belonging where possible.

5 What advice would you give to talent wanting to join your team.

Reach out to any member of Team McKesson to learn why we value caring, belonging, and being a purposedriven organization. Our website showcasing diversity, equity & inclusion, as well as our careers page, share more information about how we bring these elements to life in our pursuit to be the ‘best place to work’ in healthcare.

BY FRANCISCO ARIAS

MAKING HISTORY WITH LEBRON JAMES AND

OPUSX ORO OSCURO BELICOSO XXX (4.6”X 49)

It was an incredible night. e entire arena was buzzing with anticipation as we all watched LeBron James take the court to break the record for the highest scoring player in NBA history. I had been a fan of LeBron since his rst days in the NBA and was thrilled to witness this historic moment.

At hal ime, in preparation for a historic moment I lit up a fabulous OpusX Oro Oscuro Belicoso XXX and I had one of those wow moments while savoring the taste of this immaculate cigar as I looked up at the night sky. In the third quarter I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment as I watched LeBron break the record.

As the game ended, I found myself in a state of awe. I had just witnessed one of the greatest players of all time achieve something remarkable while enjoying one of the greatest cigars of all time, feeling satis ed that I was part of this historic moment that I will never forget.

OpusX Oro Oscuro Belicoso XXX is a super-premium puro since its composed of the highest quality binder, ller, and wrapper tobacco cultivated in the heart of the Dominican Republic.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Dominican Republic

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Cutter: Full Guillotine

Pre light cold draw: Di erent sensations that include cacao, and chocolate.

First ird: Starting with notes of sweetness, vanilla, and spice, with a fantastic retro hale.

Second ird: A pleasant pro le of cinnamon, and nuts.

Final ird: Aromas of cedar balanced against slightly stronger earth notes.

Overall Experience:

Oro Oscuro wrapper has been pampered to be extra-aged and fermented, giving the cigar a robust, balanced, and dark nish.

Combustion: A 60-minute smoking experience

Strength: Full body, with a solid 9 in a scale of 0 to 10

Pairing: Macallan 30yr Sherry Cask Whisky

GOOD PICKS TO KICK OFF THE YEAR

Kistler Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay Rams 2019.

• Since I was a beginner in the world of wine, I was always impressed by Kistler, although it was a bit expensive at that time. When I could finally afford it, it was one of the wines that met 100% of my expectations; Always elegant, fresh, and of great structure. This 2019 of the Hyde Vineyard is even more elegant and refined. It is like a California Burgundy, with notes of pineapple, green apple, cheesecake, vanilla, and lemon zest. It is a clean wine, complex but easy to know and appreciate. A real treat!

Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux 2015.

•One of my best white wines EVER! From the first sniff, it shows elegance, sophistication, and complexity. It also unveils grapefruit and white peach notes, followed by white pepper and a cascade of flowery notes, on a silky structure. It is medium-bodied with some mineral hints. Tropical and flower notes keep evolving forever on a very long finish. It held a special place in my cellar, but this Sunday with family, it was the right time to open it. I didn't drink it with any food, perhaps some cheese and crackers. The wine was so good that it was worth drinking alone.

San

Felice

PUGNITELLO Toscana 2018.

• Back to my Italian euphoria of wines with this savory and succulent one with lots of fruit, licorice, and plum notes. Bright, fruit candy flavors and vibrant. Medium to full-bodied and well-balanced showing sweet tannins and blueberry hints. This is my first time tasting this Pugnitello varietal which has been resuscitated as a wine varietal by this Aczienda San Felice. Great discovery!

La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 Rioja 2005.

• Rioja is as good as it gets!! Soft tannins, nutty notes, and succulent red ripe fruit show off this palatable and ever-trusting traditional value from la Rioja Alta! At 15 years old, it drinks with fantastic brightness, fruitiness, and sublime character. It is a real jewel from Rioja, always mature, with lots of licorice, plum, and cherry on a silky and complex array of pleasant notes that keep evolving.

Drouhin Oregon

RoseRock "Zéphirine"

Pinot Noir 2019 Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregón.

• Dark rosé in color with nuances of flowers, sweet spice, and plum. Ample, silky, balanced, and discreet but not austere at all. It is elegant, Burgundy-styled with no excess of oak and vanilla, present in some West Coast Pinot Noirs. This is more subtle and sophisticated, showing red fruit, cherry pie, and violet aromas. This is an excellent expression of the traditional French Drouhin style made in Oregon.

Three Brooms Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Marlborough

Nueva Zelanda.

• It has a delicious fresh grapefruit, key lime, and banana approach. Medium-bodied with guava and specific floral hints. Fresh and zesty with an outstanding balance and juicy white fruit finish. I would have a glass of this wine every night before dinner; enchanting and vibrant, with enough attraction to make you pour a second glass.

Jorge Ferráez @ JFerraez_Latino @ferraez.wine Luis E. González

LATINO LEADERS