SPECIAL EDITION THE OTHER MEXICAN IMMIGRATION 30
LEGAL, WITH INVESTMENTS, JOB CREATING AND BI CULTURAL CONTRIBUTING. OUR LIST OF TOP COMPANIES WITH A MEXICAN ORIGIN; MORE THAN 200 COMPANIES LISTED.
www.latinoleaders.com
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MOST INFLUENTIAL LATINOS IN ENERGY, OIL & GAS 2019 A THRIVING INDUSTRY AND THE LATINOS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF IT.
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HUGO GUTIERREZ
CEO OF INTERCERAMIC
VICTOR ALMEIDA
MARATHON OIL EXPERIENCED LOBBYIST
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A SUCCESS STORY THAT HAS TRANSFORMED AN INDUSTRY.
January / February 2019 Vol. 20 No. 1
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JORGE GARCIA CASTRO PRODUCER, DIRECTOR AND LATINO FILM TALENT ADVOCATE
CONTENTS
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
FOLLOW US LatinoLeadersMagazine
8 CTCA- It is important to know how to navigate through everything health care. Kathryn Mattson and Michael McMillan spoke on the importance of understanding how health care works. 12 COMERICA- Ignacio Salazar, President and CEO of SER National, has worked to help Latinos. His passion to help the community has led to him become the leaders of one of the most important organizations on the national level. 16 ENERGY- The energy industry keeps becoming more important and detrimental as we move forward towards a greener society. The feature includes the list of the Top Latinos in Energy, Oil and Gas, an overview of Energy based on a panel discussion with top industry experts, and a sit-down interview with Marathon Oil’s lobbyist Hugo Gutierrez. 30 COMPANIES OF MX ORIGIN- Our highlight feature. We take a look at the companies of Mexican origin with operations in the United States or at global level. This section includes a list of the majority of these companies, as well an interview with food program platform Innit Founder and CFO, and the history and evolution of SuKarne, one of the largest exporters of beef, pork and chicken of Mexico. 38 COVER STORY- Meet Victor Almeida, President and CEO of Interceramic, one of the most important companies in Mexico. In his U.S. office in Dallas, our team sat with this leader to discuss the tough moments, as well as the rewarding ones..
43 GUILLERMO HANHAUSEN- Art Collector Guillermo Hanhausen makes an effort to create a captivating experience for art lovers. His collection is a mixture of Latino and Chicano art. Hanhausen explains how our roots and diverse background can be embraced through art. 45 2018 MAESTRO AWARDS- A recap of 2018’s grand event. Each year Latino Leaders recognizes 4-5 leaders that are influential, driven, and with an impressive career trajectory. This night is in celebration of them. 46 SPOTLIGHT- A Latino in Hollywood. Jorge Garcia Castro shares his road to Hollywood. As a Director, he has had the opportunity to work in some of the most prolific production studios. He talks about the road, the challenges, and about Altered.LA, his production company that serves as a creative platform for directors, producers, and storytellers. IN EVERY EDITION: 4- Publisher’s Letter 6- Editor’s Letter 24- De La Vega on Leadership 15- Shafer’s Vault 48- Cellar
42 RAUL ARRIGA AND ROBERT NUNEZ- This Dallas-based duo has one mission in mind: helping Latinos with homeownership. They have combined their skills and knowledge to create a partnership that will benefit the community in achieving the American Dream. Hugo Gutierrez
Víctor Almeida
2 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Hertelendy Napa Valley 2014
Guillermo Hanhausen
Jorge Castro
PUBLISHERS
Publisher Jorge Ferraez
President and CEO Raul Ferraez
Director of Journalism Mariana Gutierrez Briones mariana@latinoleaders.com Administrative Director Lawrence Teodoro Editor Sarai Vega svega@latinoleaders.com Business Development Manager Cristina Gonzalez cristina@latinoleaders.com Art Director Fernando Izquierdo
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST edition of the year. We’re happy to connect with you in our 19th year of circulation. For over 19 years, we’ve been profiling and showcasing the most extraordinary stories of Latinos and leaders; inspiring, motivating, full of lessons and experiences and most of all, full of pride for the accomplishments these leaders have done for them and their communities. For that we feel proud and happy. There is a segment of the economy that is getting more and more attention for Latinos and that is the Energy, Oil & Gas industries. Latino Engineers, Scientists, Professional Executives, Investors and Business Entrepreneurs are creating impressive careers in this field and contributing to this whole industry to make progress. As usual, after looking at our own research on those Latinos setting an example, a pathway and leading, we are left with the notion that we need more; in all different levels, regions and experiences. This industry is booming and will still keep having a great impact to offer to our everyday lives and businesses, and Latinos are needed and offered with opportunities. We also want to enter the realm of perception changing. Over the course of all these years interviewing business owners and entrepreneurs, we have witnessed that great influx of business leaders coming from Mexico (among other Latin American countries) and making a difference in the U.S. In an era in which immigrants are not seen very positively, in times in which we have been told that immigrants in this country are rapists, criminals and enter illegally to demand benefits and live out of the US economy, we have found a huge list of examples of Mexican business leaders that have come legally, have brought their investments, have created jobs, pay taxes and above all have transformed their local communities or industries. They reflect exactly what the benefit of immigration should be to any country, and still they’re not been given proper credit. In this edition, you will find the FIRST EVER list of U.S. companies with Mexican origin that have contributed enormously to the economy of the United States for over more than 60 years, some of them even more. This exclusive and relevant research made us realize the contribution that Mexican business individuals have made to the US economy and how important is that segment and the opportunities it brings to all Americans.
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 Mia Carrera mcarrera@latinoleaders.com Executive Assistant Fabiola Tarango fabiola@latinoleaders.com 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, January/February 2019. 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.
Member of The National Association of Hispanic Publications
Audited by Member of
Jorge Ferraez
Jorge Ferraez
Reg. # 283/01
MEMBER OF SRDS
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Latino Leaders The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino 11300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 300, Dallas, TX, 75243 Phone: 214-206-9587 / Fax: (214) 206-4970
EDITORS
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SARAI VEGA TITLE: EDITOR AGE: 31 LIVES IN: DALLAS, TX
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ong overdue! Highly anticipated! Finally here! This edition has been cooking for over a few weeks. Tweeks here, a little tweeks there. But it’s finally. We have been raving about this edition because we are introducing a new feature, Companies with Mexican Origin. As Jorge stated in his letter, we conducted this research because we knew what was being said about Latinos, more specifically Mexicans, was not true. The only way we could argue with the statements was to provide factual information. So, we gathered our team in December and began working scouting for all companies. Once we had a list, we began searching their history, their reach, the number of employees, and, if possible, their revenue. The result? A list of many companies that not only operate in the U.S., but also on a global level. By the way, have you seen our cover? He’s Victor Almeida, a Mexican entrepreneur who established his company here in the U.S. years ago. His company has been on the brink of bankruptcy more than twice, but like a good businessman he’s known how to make the right moves. Besides the feature on Mexican companies, you will also come across the Energy section. It’s very interesting how after three energy editions under my belt, each year is somewhat different. We include many more Latinos in our listing this year and we also had the opportunity to host an Energy Panel with some of the top Latino leaders of the industry. It was a meeting with the mission to discuss the current of state of the energy industry, buzzing topics happening right now, and the ever-present question: What can we do to bring more Latino talent to the Energy sector? Moving on, you will find other strong leaders featured. Leaders like Raul Arriaga and Robert Nunez, who have formed a special partnership and tag-team each other when it comes helping Latinos buy a home. You will also come across our Spotlight leader. That is Jorge Garcia Castro. He a young, Latino Director from California. He has worked behind the scenes on some very notorious films. Now, he is one of the Founders of Altered.LA, a production company that also serves as a creative hub for producers, directors, and storytellers. Lastly, if I may ask, please help us share these stories to your friends and family. And follow us on social media to stay up to date on events that may be happening in your city! Happy Reading! Sarai
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HEALTH
CANCER CARE
A GUIDE TO THE CHANGING HEALTH CARE LANDSCAPE
Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla MD, MSEd, FACP, Vice Chair, CTCA Department of Medical Oncology with patient Dennis T.
In today’s unpredictable health care environment, employers are challenged to provide access to high quality care that is both comprehensive and affordable for employer and employee alike. This can be daunting for business owners as they face myriad financial challenges on a daily basis. Joe Dyton
W
hile health care costs are certainly top-of-mind for most employers, it can be particularly challenging when serious and/or chronic illness comes into play, such as cancer. This scenario may raise new questions and concerns that business owners are not equipped to handle. We spoke with Michael McMillan, Chief Access Officer, Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) and Kathryn Mattson, Director of Small Group Sales and Support, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ), to help employers navigate uncharted territory. Mattson recommends employers start by ensuring their workforce has proper access to information about the health care plans available to them, the benefits included and any supplemental insurance options that may cover chronic illnesses. For example, if certain plans offer early detection screenings for cancer, kidney disease or other diseases, employees should be made aware of those benefits so they may utilize them. Mattson also states that there are many options for business owners to choose from based on their workforce and business needs. Choosing an Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant plan, 8 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
for example, means employees will be automatically covered for cancer treatments or other chronic illnesses. ACA plans also include preventive services at no charge to the employee, including screenings. “It’s critically important for employees to visit their health care provider for preventive services,” says Mattson. “Whether that’s going in for an annual physical, mammogram or routine colonoscopy, they’re covered at no charge for employees in ACA compliant plans.” Many employers also don’t realize the power they have to negotiate preferred care providers into their health care plans. When it comes to some of life’s larger health hurdles, everyone wants the best provider available. McMillan sees this quite a bit through his work with CTCA®. The better a patient’s care is coordinated and the more supported they are, the better their outcome may be, according to McMillan. And a better outcome is great for everyone in this situation. “Cancer is increasingly a chronic illness,” says McMillan. “Understanding that it can be a long-term process and making sure employees have access to the medical care and support they need is key.” With regard to cancer specifically, which is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. and remains a top health care concern, McMillan suggests making sure employees are taking part in oncology medical home, where care is better coordinated. For those unfamiliar with the term, oncology medical home is a patient-focused model that delivers quality, coordinated and efficient cancer care. Employers should ensure this is negotiated within their payer contracts and available to their employees. For instance, CTCA offers its patients care managers or nurse navigators, nurses who serve as point people for patients and coordinate treatment logistics—book appointments, fill prescriptions, follow up on lab results and more. “The employer may not be aware of the need for good coordination and good information and how critical that is to managing an illness that’s increasingly chronic,” says McMillan. “A care manager works closely with the patient to ensure the right things happen. So employers
should be certain that any health care plan in which they invest, and any preferred care provider they use, offers care coordination as part of their service offering.” Employers also need to be prepared to give employees the time needed for necessary treatments and care. While the employee is out, employers can ask the rest of their team to divide up the work or look into bringing in a temporary employee to assist with the workload. This is what Mattson did when one of her employees was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to be out of the office for six months. “We made sure her tasks were covered,” says Mattson. “One of the things I realized as she was going through this experience, was that because we really supported her through the process, it created a loyalty and longevity with our company. That employee went from being a low performer during her time of illness to now one of my top performers. She’s one of the strongest sales reps that I have on the team, and I think we have a good relationship because we were all there to support her in her time of need.” Mattson urges that the time for employers to organize their health care plan is right away, so employees know exactly what benefits and resources the company provides ahead of time, rather than trying to figure things out after a diagnosis. “An employer would be well advised to get ahead of it and say, ‘let’s make sure we understand what’s available for our employees that might be going through this particular situation,’” says McMillan. “If [a business owner] had that conversation in advance so the employee understood that their health plan has a care coordinator and a patient advocate to help them with what needs to be done, it would be reassuring.”
Kathryn Mattson
Director of Small Group Sales and Support, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
Michael McMillan
Chief Access Officer, Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Outside of care quality, cost is another important factor that business owners must consider, and health care providers such as CTCA and insurance companies like BCBSAZ are tuned into those concerns and work behind the scenes to find ways to make health care less of a burden. “Cancer Treatment Centers of America has done a lot of work to provide lower-cost outpatient settings for chemotherapy and radiation therapy so the benefits can be used as effectively and efficiently as possible,” says McMillan. “That’s very important when you think about delivering value to an employer. You make sure the employee has the services that are needed in a convenient location, and the employer is paying for those services in the most efficient way possible.” Mattson discussed how BCBSAZ is also taking measures to make it easier for employers and members to navigate the health care system. “The health care landscape is constantly evolving,” says Mattson. “I’ve been in the health insurance space for more than 20 years, and I’d say, in the past 10 years in particular, things are changing at lightning speed. At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, we make it a point to evolve and change so we can meet our customers how and where they want to be met.” For more information on navigating the health care landscape, visit: cancercenter.com or azblue.com. JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 9
COMMUNITY
FINESSE: TAKING THE HIGH ROAD My mantra “Don’t get mad, get motivated” has always guided me and recently, I had the opportunity to dialogue about its power with 1,000 women in technology. There are few things more rewarding than sharing my journey and the bits of wisdom I’ve gained along the way with a room full of diverse women who are blazing their own trails. That’s what I was able to do during a Women of the Channel event, where we had real talk about the joys and challenges we face. We all know that the numbers aren’t always in our favor. Women in the U.S. earn more degrees than men, but only earn 35 percent of the undergraduate STEM degrees, according to the Brookings Institution. Statistics like this exist throughout industries for so many groups, as those of us in the Latino business community know all too well. That’s where “Don’t get mad, get motivated” comes into play. Instead of getting caught up in the negativity, make it fuel you and go rock it! The more you buckle down and focus on being crazy good at what you’re good at, the more you’ll excel. Then, you can reach back, open doors for others, and change those stats for good. While building Pinnacle Group into the fastest-growing woman-owned company in the country, that’s been my mission. I’ve worked to open doors for minorities and women in business and more recently, to expand opportunities for women and girls in STEM fields. That’s why I joined forces with the Global Leaders Organization (GLO) as a leader for Latino markets. GLO is a powerful virtual community and in my role, I’m able to connect business leaders worldwide with the resources that they need to succeed. It brings me great pride to be part of a robust digital platform, which offers access 10 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
“RATHER THAN GET DISCOURAGED, WE CAN SEEK OUT 21ST CENTURY SOLUTIONS” ABOUT NINA G. VACA: Nina Vaca is Chairman and CEO of Pinnacle Group, the fastest-growing woman-owned company in the country. Vaca is one of the few Latinas in the nation serving on corporate boards. In addition to her business leadership, she has served as a civic leader and philanthropist, working relentlessly to expand opportunities for minorities and women in business, especially in STEM fields for women and girls. In 2014, Vaca was appointed by the White House as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship and in that capacity has traveled extensively to inspire entrepreneurs worldwide.
to partnerships to raise capital and access to critical networking – both online at WithGlo.com and in-person at GLO events. This gets to the heart of the motto “Don’t get mad, get motivated.” Rather than get discouraged, we can seek out 21st century solutions that empower us while lifting up our community. It all comes back to approaching life with resilience and a positive mindset. In an interview recorded at the Women of the Channel IT leadership event, I expanded on that theme even more. To see the chat, head to my social media platforms and look for link that says, “Pinnacle Group CEO Nina Vaca On The Power of Finesse.” In the video, I share that sometimes, we aren’t just confronted with passive barriers, we’re directly challenged by unconscious bias or negative action. We’ve all crossed those bridges. In my own life, I’ve encountered it as a CEO, a board member, a woman, a Latina, a mother. Instead of getting upset or trying to make a point, though, I respond with finesse, meaning I stay classy and let people save face. It’s about taking the high road, but it’s also about getting better results and building credibility that will serve you a lifetime. Credibility is everything and it’s shaped by consistent behavior. Being known as an advocate for others and as a person of integrity is much weightier than getting the last word. So, the next time you get challenged by what people might think or say, take a breath, dig down deep, and respond with finesse.
COMERICA CORNER
SER NATIONAL Melissa Rondon
Courtesy
Carlos Cuevas
As President and CEO of SER Jobs for Progress National, Inc. (SER National), Ignacio Salazar works tirelessly to help Latinos improve their lives at every stage, from early childhood education to STEM training to workforce development to affordable housing. “Talent is equally distributed. Opportunity is not,” he says. “It’s our job to make sure that we put people in the path of opportunity.” UNDER DR. SALAZAR’S leadership, SER has successfully helped reduce the dropout rate among Latinos and improved college enrollment to a rate that surpasses that of whites. “We’ve come a long way in addressing certain kind of obstacles,” Dr. Salazar acknowledges, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to rest on his laurels anytime soon. Dr. Salazar, loves nothing more than a challenge. After becoming the Executive Director of the Detroit branch of SER as a single parent, he put his doctorate dissertation on hold and grew what was, at the time, a $100,000 business with five employees into a thriving $3 million business in the span of just four years. Within fifteen years, Mr. Salazar exploded SER into a $70 million business with over 1,000 employees nationwide. Under his guidance, SER was able to expand into other states, and the corporation diversified its assets to become exponentially more profitable -- and thus more able to make a greater positive impact in the lives of Latinos. Dr. Salazar attributes much of his success at SER National to the people at Comerica. “They made it possible,” he says unequivocally. According to Dr. Salazar, Comerica helped him diversify SER into the giant it is today, and even helped him save the National SER organization from bankruptcy in 2000. After securing a $900,000 loan to rescue the company, Dr. Salazar became the acting President of SER. Nineteen years later, “ I’m still here,” he chuckles. The right banker is “paramount” to the success of your business, says Dr. Salazar. “You have to have a great relationship with your lending institution to make sure that they’re with you.” He has cultivated an “integral relationship” with Comerica -- Monica Martinez sits on 12 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
the SER National board and is the former Vice-Chair, intimately, understands the company’s mission. “Without them,” he says, “this path would have … maybe not happened at all.” But it did happen, and the results are tangible. “You see the transformation in people’s lives, and what that means, and you know that … what we do makes a difference.” Dr. Salazar says. “That’s often how you end the cycle of poverty … You put one individual in a position where they can make a change and a difference, and then that change and difference becomes an example for others in the family to follow.” By investing in tomorrow’s leaders, Dr. Salazar hopes to improve the lives of Latinos everywhere.
ABOUT DR. IGNACIO SALAZAR • While he always wanted to use his work to help others, Dr. Salazar originally thought his career would take him into something like marketing or sales. • While his parents are former migrant farm workers from Texas, Dr. Salazar grew up in Michigan and spent many years working and serving the community there before starting his work with SER.
DE LA VEGA ON LEADERSHIP
DELIVERING TANGIBLE RESULTS Technological change is making us rethink what we thought was indispensable. Take the college degree, for example. It used to be the standard requirement for most professional and managerial jobs.
T
ypically, that culture has been defined in a well- sure it’s adopted throughout the organization, again from thought-out statement listing core beliefs and the C-Suite to the frontline. values, and then communicated widely across the organization. Am I the culture keeper? I do not think the role of culture keeper is one person’s job. How sure are you? Quite the contrary. But, as a leader, how do you know that the culture you I believe it’s everybody’s job. Employees, leadership, intended to promote is, in fact, the one being followed all management and the board of directors all have a role to play the way from the C-suite to the front line? to make sure that the company’s culture is what it says it is. It’s time to trust but verify. Culture may be an intangible Even investors are getting involved. Given the rash of asset, but that does not mean it can’t be measured via damaging headlines resulting from cracks in organizations’ quantitative and qualitative studies and, most important, cultures, some large investment firms are telling the personal visits to the field. companies they fund that they are expected to possess the During my career I made numerous visits to our call right culture and ethics to survive in turbulent times. centers and retail stores. I rode along with technicians in A good corporate culture their trucks. I truly enjoyed spending time with front-line In my view, a good corporate culture begins with a clear and employees and, while doing so, I was able to get great unambiguous vision, mission, and values, driven by a strong readings about our culture. and consistent tone at the top. Hopefully, your surveys and field visits will prove that That tone, when measured quantitatively at the front line, your actual corporate culture is aligned with the one you is reflected in the way employees do their jobs and interact intended. If so, congratulations! If not, you need to take with customers. steps to correct the misalignment. Of course, corporate culture should be aligned with Either way, you’re not done. corporate strategy. And, like corporate strategy, it should be able to adapt as needed. Not cast in stone Finally, and perhaps foremost, it must be built on openness This may seem counterintuitive but it’s not: Your and trust. Everyone should care enough about the health of corporate culture should not be static. the culture to raise a flag when there is a misalignment and We tend to believe that an organization’s culture, be confident enough that leadership will endeavor to get it once set, should stay forever. Yet societal norms and back on track. public views change over time. Take data privacy, gender Because culture is an intangible asset, it deserves to be equality, and sexual harassment, for example, and more closely measured and monitored so that it can serve as consider how much public opinion has changed on those a true and accurate moral compass for everyone, once more three issues recently. from the C-suite to the front line. So, ask yourself: Are my company’s beliefs and values As an example, letter from Cyrus Taraporevala, president and CEO of in tune with the current norms of society? State Street Global Advisors https://www.ssga.com/investment-topics/ You may find that you need to adjust your organization’s environmental-social-governance/2019/01/2019 Proxy Letter-Aligning Corporate Culture with Long-Term Strategy.pdf culture to the current reality. And then you need to make Ralph de la Vega is the former vice-chairman of AT&T Inc. He is the author of the best-selling book “Obstacles Welcome: Turn Adversity to Advantage in Business and Life.” He is also a LinkedIn Influencer, posting regularly on leadership and innovation. 14 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
SHAFER'S VAULT
THE BEAUTY OF HILLSIDE WINES AS A BOY growing up in Napa Valley, I was accustomed to vineyards that spread across the valley floor like a gently undulating sea of vines. The hillsides were for cattle. By the 1970s though, winemakers here were rediscovering the incredible beauty of wines produced from hillside vineyards.
Thin soils, rich flavors
Hillsides offer shallow soils, often very low in plant nutrients for, and, thanks to quick drainage, the soil holds very little moisture. This lack of nutrients and water stunts the growth of the vine. Leaves are fewer and smaller and so are the grapes. A hillside cluster is rarely the photogenic rich, full, packed cluster that looks so nice as a screen saver. They tend to be loose and scraggly.
Beast into beauty
What does this mean for your next bottle of wine made from hillside fruit? Fruit from these rugged sites exhibit intense, lush flavor and because the skins are thicker (thanks to less solar protection from leaves) the color is deep and inky.
Here at Shafer Vineyards, we have capitalized on the qualities inherent in our hillsides by dividing up the vineyard into 14 different blocks, each of them facing in different directions – south, southwest and west – planting them to a variety of rootstocks and clones of Cabernet Sauvignon. Each year we pick these blocks and select the best-of-the-best fruit for our signature wine Hillside Select. For a great evening, invite friends over and open several wines from iconic hillsides around the world. Discover for yourself the beauty found in these rugged vineyards. Salud!
MEET ELIAS FERNANDEZ Elias Fernandez has been making wine at Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley since 1984 and is a partner with Doug Shafer in Eighty Four Wines. He has been honored as winemaker of the year by Food & Wine magazine and honored as a Hispanic role model at the White House. For more details, visit ShaferVineyards.com and EightyFourWines.com.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 15
ENERGY
ENERGY For another consecutive year, we bring the Energy edition. This industry is everchanging. With decisions being made on the daily inside boardrooms, executive offices, in state legislature, and so on. We continue to learn about this industry each year as we dive into research, into panels, interviews, and simple conversation with industry leaders. This section includes the list of the Top Latinos in Energy, Oil and Gas. They are 51 Latinos that take part in decisionmaking at some of the leading energy companies. We also feature a summary of a roundtable discussion that took place in February at CarCon Industries Headquarters in Dallas. The panel of experts consisted of David Hernandez, President and CEO of Liberty Power; Victor Carrillo, Corporate Director at Energy Hunter Resources; Hugo Gutierrez, Senior Manager of Government Relations at Marathon Oil; Arcilia Acosta, CEO of CarCon Industries/STL Engineers; and Margita Thompson, VP of Communication at California Resources Corporation. We also sit with Hugo Gutierrez, who was part of the Energy Panel, to speak to him about his career path and the urgent needs of Latino lobbyist.
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ENERGY PANEL
ENERGY: WHERE DO WE STAND? The energy, oil and gas industry plays such an important role in the U.S. economy. The global demand for oil continues to grow. With laws and regulations taking effect almost on a daily basis, we have reached out to some of the most important Latinos in Energy, Oil and Gas to talk about the importance and progress of this industry for our country, the talent pool, and our community. LATINOS ARE the fastest-growing ethnic group in the nation, and we have different expectations from businesses. “They expect us to be advocates, and they expect us to be engaged with them in the community sense,” says Margita Thompson, and companies like hers are taking notice. Our panel of Latino energy experts talk with us about the state of the industry, increasing executive diversity, and changing the face of oil and gas as we know it. Energy is an industry that touches every possible facet of our lives, from lighting and heating our homes to our commute to work. Even our daily goods, like plastic grocery bags or that Tupperware you take your lunch in, can be traced back to fossil fuels. Oil is a resource we depend on and, according to Hugo Gutierrez, the demand for fossil fuels (and the products they’re used to produce) isn’t going anywhere any time soon. “Global oil demand is expected to continue growing through 2040,” he says, and furthermore “The US is projected to be a net energy exporter by 2020.” This projection, however, does nothing to remedy the image problem faced by oil companies. “A lot of people, particularly millennials … have been brought up to think that oil is terrible, that oil pollutes,” says Gutierrez, highlighting the growing concern (especially among young people) that fossil fuels are destroying our planet. While it’s true that fossil fuels have an environmental impact, the same can be said of electric cars and other “sustainable” options. “I drive a Tesla,” says Arcilia Acosta. “I don’t think people realize how much comes out of the ground to make that car!” Gutierrez emphasizes her point, adding, “You can’t make the car itself without a byproduct of oil and natural gas,” and he’s right: those plastic components have to come from somewhere, and the factory that assembles them needs power, which is largely generated from coal or other fossil fuels. Even with the rise of renewable energy sources, the weaning off of fossil fuels is going to take time. The central role played by fossil fuels makes the industry uniquely positioned to effect change across different markets. “Oil and gas plays such a pivotal part in the economy, in national security, et cetera,” says Victor Carrillo. “The energy sector has a ripple effect.” And he has a point: the 18 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Melissa Rondon Carlos Cuevas
PANEL SPEAKERS • Hugo Gutierrez is the Senior Government & Community Relations Manager of Marathon Oil and lobbies for oil and gas at both the state and federal levels. • Victor Carrillo currently sits on the board of Energy Hunter Resources, but has a background overseeing the regulatory side of the oil and gas industry.
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• Margita Thompson serves as Vice President of Communications at California Resources Corporation, working to improve public perception of the oil and gas industry. • Arcilia Acosta is the current CEO CarCon Industries/STL Engineers. She has served on a number of corporate boards in the oil and gas industry since 2008. • David Hernandez is the President & CEO of Liberty Power, a company working to disrupt the retail energy market that currently serves 100 of the Fortune 500 companies in 13 states and Washington DC.
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04
05
energy industry touches so many different facets of our daily lives, and Latino representation in energy boardrooms is important. Far from a dying industry, Carrillo sees an opportunity to elevate Latinos to leadership positions, improving diversity in C-suites across industries. Speaking on improving Latino diversity in corporate boards, Carrillo says, “It impacts the different sectors, not just energy.” The energy sector is burgeoning with upwardly mobile opportunities for Latinos. There are “tremendous opportunities within the oil and gas sector,” according to Gutierrez. “Any Latino that graduates with an engineering degree … you are going to get hired immediately by some of the biggest companies in the world.” He pauses, then adds, “It’s still cool to major in math [or] science.” Even for non-college graduates, there are six-figure positions available in the industry, and the demand for those positions continues to grow. David Hernandez agrees with these points, adding that deregulation is crucial to improving diversity in corporate leadership. “Deregulation gets you a lot closer to diversity,” he says. “Hispanics can compete very effectively … so long as there are no government protections for these large incumbent monopolies.” David has seen this firsthand in his work in commercial energy, fighting for the right to compete with established energy giants, state by state. Hernandez thinks that the right thing for legislators to do is to bring competition back to “stodgy industries,” as he puts it, because that will allow diversity to flourish. “Deregulation equals diversity,” he says. Furthermore, increasing competition in the industry actually creates more space for renewable options. “Competition is actually helping bring about more renewable energy resources without the hand of the government being involved,” says Hernandez. He makes a good point: fossil fuels and renewables aren’t mutually exclusive. Margita Thompson has used this more symbiotic concept to connect her company with the community, “embracing an all-ofthe-above energy approach ... a balanced approach. We’re not deriding renewables, but showing how each can enable the other.” She’s working to increase energy literacy among stakeholders, especially members of the community, through direct action.
“[We’re] providing the face of the industry through the employees and making that emotional connection,” she says. That connection is important, especially to Latinos: “they expect us to be engaged with them in the community sense,” says Thompson. Her strategy reflects a growing realization among energy companies that, in order to remain competitive, they have to engage differently with their customers. “We were one of the last industries to embrace social media,” explains Gutierrez, and there’s a lot of catching up to do. That’s why diverse leadership is so important. Victor Carrillo puts it succinctly: “It’s one of those top-down approaches that just has to happen.”
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01 Hugo Gutierrez 02 Victor Carrillo 03 Margita Thompson 04 Arcilia Acosta 05 David Hernandez
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 19
Energy
TOP LATINOS IN ENERGY, OIL AND GAS
LATINO IN ENERGY, OIL & GAS NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
Below you will find the list of Latinos in Energy 2019. Last year’s list contained 30 leaders, but this year we have include 51! We are thrilled to be including more Latinos each year and it gives us hope for change. These Latinos all exemplify an admirable career and devotion to the Latino community. We commend them and applaud their achievements. EDUCATION
Texas Tech University, Southern Methodist University Southwest School of Banking, Harvard University Business School
ARCILIA ACOSTA CEO Carcon Industries and STL Engineers
FRANK ALMARAZ
General Electric, TXU Corporation, CPS Energy
Texas A&M University, Southern Methodist University
DENNIS ARRIOLA
SoCalGas, SunPower Corporation, San Diego Gas & Electric
Stanford University, Harvard University
JOSE BAYARDO
Continental Resources Inc., Complete Production Services Inc., Integrated Production Services Ltd., JP Morgan
University of Texas at Austin, Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University
JOSE BRAVO
Royal Dutch Shell, The University of Texas at Austin, S&B Engineers, Jaeger
Universidad Iberoamericana, University of Texas Austin, Wharton School of Business
LEADING AND TEACHING GO HAND IN HAND.
VICTOR CARRILLO
Zion Oil & Gas, Magnum Hunter Resources, Railroad Commission of Texas, Abilene City Councilman
University of Houston Law Center, Baylor University, HardinSimmons University
"A MAN’S HEART PLANS HIS WAY, BUT THE LORD DIRECTS [ESTABLISHES] HIS STEPS." PROVERBS 16:9
JOSEPH E. CASABONA
Halio Energy, Energy Corporation of America
University of Pittsburgh, Colorado School of Mines
SVP OF COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS CPS Energy
EVP OF CORPORATE STRATEGY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Sempra Energy
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER NOV
PRESIDENT Fractionation Research Inc.
CORPORATE BOARD DIRECTOR Energy Hunter Resources
"SHOW CLASS, HAVE PRIDE, AND DISPLAY CHARACTER. IF YOU DO, WINNING TAKES CARE OF ITSELF"BEAR BRYANT
SENIOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO CEO FirmGreen Inc.
20 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
*In alphabetical order
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
JOANN CHAVEZ
KPMG LLP
University of Notre Dame
MARIO COLL
Devon Energy, Ocean Energy, Mobil Oil, NL Industries Inc.
Texas A&M University
VP OF LEGAL & CHIEF TAX OFFICER DTE Energy SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Anadarko Petroleum
ALBERTO DE CARDENAS
Perry Ellis International Inc., Broad and Cassel, Deloitte & Touche LLP
DORENE DOMINGUEZ
Universty of Notre Dame, Harvard University
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL, CORPORATE
CHAIRWOMAN AND CEO Vanir Group
JOSEPH DOMINGUEZ
Exelon, White and Williams, LLP
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers University School of Law
UT Southwestern Medical Center, AVO International Inc.
New Jersey Institute of Technology
NASA, Intel, Dell, Hurd Enterprises, Ltd.
Texas A&M University, The Florida State University
SUCCESS IS NOT FINAL, FAILURE IS NOT FATAL: IT IS THE COURAGE TO CONTINUE THAT COUNTS. – WINSTON CHURCHILL
TXU Corp., City of Corpus Christi
University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas
"LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE. IT IS NOT ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS. IT IS NOT ABOUT PLANS. IT IS NOT ABOUT STRATEGIES. IT IS ALL ABOUT PEOPLE MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO GET THE JOB DONE. YOU HAVE TO BE PEOPLECENTERED." - COLIN POWELL
CEO ComEd
RUBEN ESQUIVEL
"EACH SUCCESS ONLY BUYS AN ADMISSION TICKET TO A MORE DIFFICULT PROBLEM." -HENRY KISSINGER
DIRECTOR Atmos Energy
EUGENE GARCIA PRESIDENT Hurd Enterprises, Ltd.
RUDY GARZA
SVP OF DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AND OPERATIONS CPS Energy *In alphabetical order
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 21
Energy
TOP LATINOS IN ENERGY, OIL AND GAS
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
U.S. Ambassador, Texas Railroad Commission, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission
The University of Texas at Austin, Southern Methodist University School of Law
"ADVERSITY IS THE STATE IN WHICH MAN MOST EASILY BECOMES ACQUAINTED WITH HIMSELF." JOHN WOODEN.
HUGO GUTIERREZ
Texas House of Representatives
Texas State University, Rice University-Jones Graduate School of Business
"POSSESSING STRONG COMMUNICATION SKILLS, BEING LIKEABLE AND HAVING CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF ARE KEY IN SECURING THE CONFIDENCE OF OTHERS"
MAURICIO GUTIERREZ
DTP Consultores
Universidad Panamericana, Colorado School of Mines, IFP Energies Nouvelles
Kellogg Company, U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education
ANTONIO GARZA COUNSEL White & Case
SENIOR MANAGER, GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Marathon Oil
PRESIDENT AND CEO NRG
CARLOS M. GUTIERREZ BOARD MEMBER Oxy
DAVID HERNANDEZ
Palm Beach Atlantic University, New York University
WHAT YOU LACK IN RESOURCES, YOU MUST MAKE UP FOR BY BEING RESOURCEFUL.
St. Mary’s University, University of Texas at San Antonio
WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL STRENGTH TO ACCOMPLISH MUCH, BUT WE MUST HAVE THE ETHIC AND VALUES TO GUIDE US TO ACCOMPLISH THE RIGHT THINGS. AND CENTRAL TO THAT ETHIC, HAS TO BE THE LOVE OF OUR BORDER REGION.
CEO AND COFOUNDER Liberty Power
ALEX HINOJOSA
Cabrera Capital Markets, Frost Bank, J. Stowe & Co., San Antonio Water System
MANAGING DIRECTOR North American Development Bank
JOHN LOIACONO
Enbridge Energy Company, Midcoast Energym MCNIC Pipeline & Processing Company, Delhi Gas Pipeline Corporation, VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Santa Fe Mineral, Texas Oil & Gas Corporation Laser Midstream
University of Missouri-Rolla, Oklahoma City University
JOSE R. MAS
University of Miami
Energy, LLC
CEO MasTec
22 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
*In alphabetical order
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
RICHARD MEDINA
EDUCATION
Texas A&M
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS BEYOND THE HORIZON, CHART YOUR PATH.
VICE PRESIDENT GRID TRANSFORMATION AND ENGINEERING CPS Energy
ROBERTO MENDEZ
Procter & Gamble
Georgetown University
SADZI MARTHA OLIVA
General Counsel of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services.
Loyola University School of Law in Chicago
ARMANDO OLIVERA
Florida Power & Light Company, NextEra Energy Capital Holdings Inc., Miami Corporation, Chicago Tittle Corporation
Cornell University, University of Miami
PRESIDENT OF NORTH AMERICA Duracell
COMMISSIONER Illinois Commerce Commission
BOARD MEMBER Con Edison
GO BEYOND THE FOUR CORNERS OF YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION TO GET THE HARD TASKS DONE TIMELY AND EXCEPTIONALLY AND YOU’LL START TO BE RECOGNIZED AS A RELIABLE TEAM MEMBER AND EVENTUALLY A LEADER.
California State University, Claremont Graduate University
GINA OROZCOMEJIA VP OF GAS DISTRIBUTION SoCalGas and San Diego Gas & Electric
New Mexico State University, Robert O. Anderson Graduate School of Management at New Mexico State University
GERARD ORTIZ VP OF REGULATORY AFFAIRS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PNM
RICK PEÑA
Duke Energy North America
Texas A&M University
JOSE L. PEREZ
CA Utilities Diversity Council, National Utilities Diversity Council, Latino Journal,
California State University, Harvard University Graduate School of Business
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS & INTEGRATION Calpine
PRESIDENT AND CEO Hispanics in Energy Organization *In alphabetical order
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 23
Energy
TOP LATINOS IN ENERGY, OIL AND GAS
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
GEORGE PITA
Stuart Weitzman Holdings, Perry Ellis International, Sunglass Hut International
University of Miami
PEDRO PIZARRO
Southern California Edison,Edison Mission Energy
Harvard University, California Institute of Technology
JULIA RENDON REINHART
Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP, Troutman Sanders, State of Georgia
University of Rochester, Emory University
LUIS REYES
Argonne National Laboratory, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
University of Puerto Rico, Federal Executive Institute, Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government
LyondellBasell, Port of Corpus Christi
Baylor University
ALEIDA RIOS
Amoco
Texas A&M University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
"PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU SAID, PEOPLE WILL FORGET WHAT YOU DID, BUT PEOPLE WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL" MAYA D'ANGELO
HECTOR RIVERO
E. I. DuPont de Nemours, Texas Association of REALTORS
University of Texas at Austin
OBSERVE, ANALYZE, AND EXECUTE. DO IT PROFESSIONALLY, WITH CONFIDENCE AND ALWAYS WITH RESPECT.
GE Capital, GE Mexico
Harvard College, Harvard Business School
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER MasTec
CEO OF EDISON INTERNATIONAL Edison International
"EACH OF US MUST PUT IN THE WORK AND DETERMINATION TO BE RESILIENT. YOU NEED LUCK, HELP AND SUPPORT FROM OTHERS, BUT OVERALL, YOUR PERSONAL SUCCESS IS IN YOUR HANDS."
VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN RESOURCES VALERO ENERGY Valero Energy
BOARD MEMBER First Energy Corp.
LILLIAN RIOJAS DIRECTOR, MEDIA RELATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS VALERO ENERGY Valero Energy
HEAD OF UPSTREAM ENGINEERING BP
PRESIDENT & CEO Texas Chemical Council
JAMES L. ROBO CHAIRMAN AND CEO NextEra Energy, Inc.
24 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
*In alphabetical order
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
The Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Olive-Harvey College South Chicago Learning Center
Northwestern University
NOE SAENZ
Petrochemicals Engineering & Construction, Oil & Gas Engineering & Construction, Industrial Manufacturing Engineering & Construction
University of Texas, Stanford University, Jones International University, Project Management Institute, Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila
ROBERT SANCHEZ
Con Edison
Pace University, University of Miami
Eversource Energy, Oliver Wyman's Energy & Utilities
Universidad de los Andes, Kellogg School of ManagementNorthwestern University
JOHN ROSALES COMMISSIONER Illinois Commerce Commission MEXICO COUNTRY MANAGER Burns & McDonnell
"IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED YOU SHOULD STRIKE OUT ON NEW PATHS, RATHER THAN TRAVEL THE WORN PATHS OF ACCEPTED SUCCESS" JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER
PRESIDENT AND CEO Orange and Rockland Utilities Inc.
CAMILO SERNA
VP OF CORPORATE STRATEGY DTE Energy University of Florida, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Chicago
LUIS SIERRA CEO OF BP AROMATICS BP Petrochemicals
JOHN TINTERA
Exxon & Tenneco Oil, Railroad Commission of Texas, Texas Water Recycling Association, Tintera Energy
Michigan State University
JUAN TREVINO
Spitzer Industries, GE Oil and Gas, GE Power, EIM Controls, Synnex, Atcor-Entergris
Universidad de Monterrey
ROSE VALENZUELA
City of Houston
University of Houston, University of Phoenix, UANL - Mexico
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OF STAFF Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
VP AND GENERAL MANAGER United Pipeline Systems, Inc.
SR. VICE PRESIDENT ADMINISTRATION & CORPORATE AFFAIRS CAMAC International Corp. *In alphabetical order
“DO THE ONE THING YOU THINK YOU CANNOT DO. FAIL AT IT. TRY AGAIN. DO BETTER THE SECOND TIME. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO NEVER TUMBLE ARE THOSE WHO NEVER MOUNT THE HIGH WIRE. THIS IS YOUR MOMENT. OWN IT.” OPRAH WINDFREY
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 25
Energy
TOP LATINOS IN ENERGY, OIL AND GAS
NAME / TITLE / COMPANY
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
W&T Offshore, Inc., CNG Producing Company
University of Tulsa
Shell Chemical, Texaco Chemical
University of New Mexico, Baldwin-Wallace College
STEPHANIE ZAPATA MOORE
Gardere & Wynne LLP, Vistra Energy Corp.
Duke University, William and Mary School of Law
THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BEAUTY OF THEIR DREAMS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
NANCY ZARENDA
U.S. Department of Energy, California Public Utilities Commission
"University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, California State University-Northridge, Universidad Internacional, University of Granada, University of Oviedo"
LET'S ENERGIZE, EDUCATE AND ENGAGE HISPANIC AMERICANS TO JOIN AND GROW ALL ECHELONS OF OUR NATION'S VIBRANT ECONOMY AND CIVIC ENDEAVORS.
JAMIE L. VAZQUEZ BOARD MEMBER NOIA
RANDY VELARDE PRESIDENT AND CEO The Plaza Group
EVP AND GENERAL COUNSEL Vistra Energy Corp.
VICE PRESIDENT Hispanics in Energy Organization 501(c)(3)
*In alphabetical order
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26 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
ENERGY
HUGO GUTIERREZ
LATINO LOBBYIST Lorenzo Almanza
Carlos Cuevas
Hugo Gutierrez, Senior Manager of Government Relations for Marathon Oil, is a giant who spends his time lobbying for Marathon Oil. Gutierrez not only advocates for oil and gas policies, but also maximizes on the need for more Latinos in Energy.
The Journey to the State
His career journey began in 1994 when he obtained a college degree in mass communications from Texas State University further known as Southwest Texas State University. “I couldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t left for college,” Gutierrez said. “It separated me from the culture of the border.” Originally from the Rio Grande Valley, Gutierrez’s move from that area proved to be a drastic change as it was what exposed him to various opportunities that helped him thrive in the industry. The energy industrial leader moved to Austin after college and was able to land a job in the Texas Senate. He quickly moved up the ranks to become Chief of Staff to a Democrat State Representative from McAllen, at the young age of 24. “I was a young chief of staff in the Texas legislature,” Gutierrez said. “I stayed in that role through 1999.” After working for two State Reps, the former Chief of Staff was hired on as Senior Manager for Government Relations at Marathon Oil Corporation. “I have been at Marathon Oil as an employee of the company. I’ve managed the government relations for almost 20 years now,” Gutierrez said.
ing meaningful connections are a key part of the senior manager’s specialties. “The key to the game is building relationships. I’m in the relationship business. If I build relationships and have good relationships, and have key relationships in key places, then I can be in the best position possible to advocate policies that benefit my company and ultimately our shareholders.” He also points out that this industry is only learned until you get involved. The 20 years of experience has served him to learn of this industry better than most. “Even though I’m not an engineer, I want to be credible in a room full of engineers.”
The Future
While the Marathon Oil lobbyist found success in the oil & gas field, he does hope that the number of Latinos in the spectrum continues to increase in talent and production. “We hire engineers. And the problem is that the number of Latinos graduating from engineering schools is very few.” “We need to reduce the Latino high school dropout rate,” Gutierrez said. “In 20 years I would hope there is a material increase in Latinos in this industry and into the cooperate jobs.” “We would be better off if there were more Latinos in the Gutierrez believes in the value of relationships. Establish- energy industry,” Gutierrez said.
It’s Who You Know and What you Want to Learn
28 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
MÉXICO
COMPANIES
COMPANIES WITH MEXICAN ORIGIN We are living in tough times. We live in a time when our own government demonizes Latinos. In a presidential campaign speech in 2015, U.S. President Donald Trump called Mexicans “drug dealers, criminals, and rapists”. As a Latino magazine focused on celebrating the stories of highly successful Latinos, it is difficult to coincide with this statement. According to a study done by The Mexico Institute in 2016, Mexican foreign direct investment in the U.S. has quadrupled since 2005. Some of the most fruitful businesses globally are from Mexican origin. For example, the world’s largest baking company is Bimbo. The second largest building materials company in the world is CEMEX. Two of the major copper producers in the world are ASARCO and Southern Copper Corporation, both of Mexican origin. Mexican business even take part in IT and Telecommunications; the largest Spanish media companies are from Mexican origin. But not only are they creating these businesses, they also employ American workers. The same study showed that these businesses support more than 123,000 jobs in the U.S. So, like many others, we firmly reject such portrayal of Mexicans, or any Latinos for that matter. These businesses and entrepreneurs come to invest, create jobs, pay taxes, and help a community. But instead of talking about what Mexicans are not, we rather demonstrate what Mexicans are and the extraordinary job that they’re doing with straight, hard facts.
30 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
THE COMPANIES Through our research we have come across these companies that have established operations in the United States, pay taxes, and employ American workers. We have collected the number of employees and the latest amount of revenue profit that was available during our research. Due to the fact that some businesses are private, not all information was successfully attained. For questions of methodology or to be included in the future please contact us.
Company
CEO/Founder
Industry
Sales Revenue
# of U.S. Employees
3DRobotics
Jordi Muñoz
Software
25,000,000
70
AlEn USA
Alicia Abaroa
House Cleaning Products
22,200,000
3,000+
Alpek
Jose de Jesus Valdez Simancas
Chemical Manufacturing
6,991,000,000
5,200
Alveni
Jorge Euran Graham
Interactive Kiosks
N/A
N/A
Arca Continental
Arturo Gutiérrez
CocaCola Bottling and Snack Co.
2,350,000,000
7,500
Arca Continental is the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in America.
Avocados from Mexico
Alvaro Luque
Marketing/Advertising
54,500,000
190
Union of Avocado producers advocating and promoting for Avocados from Mexico around the world
Azteca Enterprises, Inc./ Omega Contracting, Inc.
Luis Spinola
General Contractor
35,995,991
50
One of the leading contractors in the southern region of the U.S.
Bimbo USA
Daniel Servitje
Commercial Baking and Snacks
N/A
19,900
Bimbo USA is one of the fastest growing Mexican brands in the U.S. and the largest bakery in the world
BioGreen
Jorge Oteo
Agriculture
3,200,000
40
Cano Container
Juventino Cano
Packaging Manufacturer
31,200,000
99
He started his business with one machine and three employees. Producer of carton and other material packing and containers
CEMEX
Fernando A. Gonzalez
Cemento
13,670,000,000
40,000
CEMEX is the second largest building materials company worldwide. It has presence in over 50 countries, making it one of the world's top traders of cement and clink.
Cinepolis
Alejandro Ramirez
Movies & Entertainment
189,100,000
1,300
Standout Facts:
Alpek is the leading petrochemical company in the Americas. They also operate one of the largest polypropylene facilities in North America.
Today it has positioned itself as the world’s fourth largest movie theater circuit in the world, operating 683 cinema complexes, 5,561 screens and over 1,152,480 seats across 15 countries worldwide. JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 31
MÉXICO
COMPANIES
Company
CEO/Founder
Industry
Sales Revenue
# of U.S. Employees
Standout Facts:
Corporativo Ranman
Vicente Rangel
Real Estate Development
410,000
9
DAK Americas
Jorge Young
Fiber Manufacturer
21,900,000
1,600
DC Partners
Roberto Contreras
Real Estate Development
Diazteca
Rodrigo Diaz
Produce Importer
12,000,000
1,000
El Pollo Loco
Bernard Acoca
Restaurant
106,700,000
1,500
An idea originated in Mexico.
European Designs
Jorge Rangel
Furniture Store
25
Owners of brands like Roche Bobois, Goyard and other luxury names.
Evans Foods
Jose Luis Prado
Food Production
90,000,000
EYM Group
Eduardo Diaz
Franchisee
N/A
DAK Americas is one of the largest integrated producers of PET resins in the world.
19
Evans Foods company has become the largest private pork rind manufacturer in the world, with plants in Ohio, California, Texas and Mexico. 6,000
Largest Latino franchisee of Pizza Hut in the US, among other Brands.
Company
CEO/Founder
Industry
Sales Revenue
# of U.S. Employees
Standout Facts:
Famsa USA
Salvador Llanos
Funiture
2,200,000
18,000
FP & H LLC DBA Fleischmanns Produce
Jesus Menendez
Produce
7,000,000
12
Grupo BAL
Alberto Bailleres Gonzalez
Various
10,039,000,000
25,000
Grupo Bal conglomerate owns the world's largest silver producer, Fresnillo.
Grupo Bocar/AUMA
Wilhelm Baum
Autoparts Manufacturer
1,900,000,000
6,500
Grupo Bocar is leader in the development and production of high quality, complex assemblies produced from aluminum high pressure die casting and aluminum semi-permanent mold castings, as well as injection molded plastic components.
Grupo Kaluz/Mexichem
Antonio del Valle
Petrochemical, Banking, Industrial
1,843,000,000
3,533
The Holding company for Mexichem a giant petrochemical plus Bayline Bank and some energy operations
Grupo LALA/Borden Diary
Mauricio Leyva Arboleda
Dairy food Production
350,000,000
33,000
LALA is the largest dairy company in Latin America.
Grupo Salinas
Ricardo Salinas
Consumer Finance, Retail, Media, and Telecommunications
6,000,000,000
90,000
Industrias CH / Republic Steel
Jaime Vigil
Steel
12,400,000,000
N/A
Innit
Eugenio Minvielle Lagos
Software Platform
5,000,000
35
InterCeramic
Victor Almeida
Manufacturing and Distribution of Ceramic Tile
134,000,000
529
ISGO
Ismael Gomez Charles
Plastic Injection Manufacturer
N/A
6
IUSA
Liliana Arcila Esquivel
Building Material Manufacturer
N/A
N/A
Kaltex
Rafael Kalach Mizrahi
Textile Distributor
270,000,000
18,000
Katcon
Carlos Turner
Automotive Supply Manufacturer
N/A
500
Keller Estate Wines
Ana Keller
Winery
Kidzania
Adrian Herschberg
Family Entertainment
Interceramic is the largest manufacturer of glazed floor tile in North America.
Katcon has expanded to 15 countries. Mexican businessman buys a winery in Sonoma and names it with his name. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers under family administration.
4,100,000
11,000
Theme Parks: Kidzania is considered one of the fastest growing global edutainment brands in the world. JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 33
MÉXICO
COMPANIES
Company
CEO/Founder
Industry
Kuo
Alejandro de la Barreda Gomez
Consumer, Chemical, Automotive
10,000,000
La Costeña
Rafael Celorio
Canned Products
57,800,000,000
La Moderna
Don Eduardo Monroy Cardenas
Food Production
146,200,000,000
N/A
La Moderna is Mexico's top producer of pastas, cookies, and flours. Recently, they opened a $50 million plant in Texas.
La Monarca Bakery
Ricardo Cervantes/ Alfredo Livas
Baked Goods
N/A
N/A
Both owners attended Stanford Business School, where the idea was developed.
La Newyorkina
Fany Gerson
Food and Bakery
N/A
N/A
La Newyorkina is a bakery that received funding through a Kickstarter campaign.
Martinez Brands
Javier Martinez
Importer and Wholesale Distributor of Fine Wines and Spirits
3,100,000
6
Metalsa
Gustavo A Andres
Automotive
2,600,000,000
13,500
Mexcor International Wine & Spirits
Eduardo Morales Villanueva
Alcoholic Beverage Importer/Distributor
N/A
N/A
Mexilink Inc
Salvador Escalona
Imported Good Distributor
9,100,000
55
Mission Foods
Juan Gonzalez Moreno
Food Production
700,000,000
1,000
Nemak
Alfa Group
Automotive
1,000,000,000
3,800
Northgate Markets
Miguel Gonzalez
Ethnic Products Retail
71,800,000
4,000
Nuestro Queso
Mark Braun
Cheese
20,000,000
89
OK Foods/ Bachoco USA
Trent Goins
Poultry Products
270,000,000
3,000
Ovando NY
Sandra de Ovando
Events
N/A
40
Praxis USA
Hector Navarro
Information Technology and Services
Quaxar
Leonel Azuela
I.T. Services
N/A
12
Rassini
Eugenio Madero
Automotive
937,000,000
6,300
Rotoplas
Carlos Rojas Mota Velasco
Integrated Water Solutions
300,400,000
2,270
34 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Sales Revenue
# of U.S. Employees
Standout Facts:
20,000
Canned foods; La Costeña's presence is currently in about 50 countries.
Mexcor distributes to 46 states in the U.S.
In the US Mission is the #1 tortilla company in the U.S. They also manufacturer other Mexican products. Gruma Coirporation is the largest tortilla and corn flour manufacturer in the world.
OK Foods is one of the world's largest fullyintegrated chicken producers.
2,769
Rassini is the world's largest producer of suspension components for light commercial vehicles. Rotoplas operates in 14 countries including the U.S.
Company
CEO/Founder
Industry
Sales Revenue
# of U.S. Employees
Salsas Xochitl
Carlos Salinas
Snacks and Salsa
6,600,000
33
Sigma Alimentos
Mario Paez
Food Processing
6,336,000,000
45,000
Sigma operates 70 plants across 18 countries.
Sinder
Jose Molina
Agricultural Engineering Services & Products
N/A
N/A
Main produce provider for Walmart.
Sofftek
Blanca TreviĂąo
I.T. Services
500,000,000
6,000
Source Logistics
Marcelo Sada
Logistics and E-Commerce Fulfillment
N/A
250
Square Feet Solutions
Pablo Salazar
Real Estate
N/A
N/A
Sukarne
Jesus Vizcarra
Meat Processing
51,500,000
149
One of the top five North American beef companies. They are present in 13 countries worldwide.
SunHoldings
Guillermo Perales
Franchisee
758,000,000
16,000
SunHoldings is the fourth largest franchisee in the U.S.
Sushi Zushi
Alfonso Tomita
Sushi Restaurant Chain
5,000,000
N/A
Japanese food restaurant concept originated in Mexico.
Tapia Brothers Co.
Frank Tapia
Food Service and Distribution
250,000,000
300
Taxco Produce
Alfredo Duarte
Food Distributor
50,000,000
115
TempLabor LLC
Hector Cruz
Workforce Services
N/A
N/A
The Morris Group
Luis Morris
Product Comercialization
Toff Liners
Oscar Martinez
Auto Components Production
Tortilleria El Milagro
Jesse Lopez
Tremec
Antonio Herrera
Autoparts Manufacturer
25,000,000
113
Triple H
Heriverto Vlaminck
Fresh Produce Distributor
N/A
9
Vitro
Adrian Cueva
Glass Manufacturer
29,000,000
N/A
TOTALS
274,498,005,991
415,958
500
8,000,000
Standout Facts:
Source Logistics has warehouses in a 8 different U.S. cities.
The Morris Group is the largest machine tool distribution network in North America.
31
The tortilla company was established over 50 years ago.
Vitro is one of North America's largest glass producer.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 35
MÉXICO INNIT
REVOLUTIONARY FOOD EXPERIENCE The Revolutionary Connected Food Platform Innit is led by two Mexican professionals, both named Eugenio, with big dreams and big ambitions aimed to help people eat and live better. This Silicon Valley-based startup has created an entire first-class kitchen experience that goes from choosing the right ingredients and creating a recipe considering specific food allergies or special needs, to helping you prepare the meal while better leveraging your cooking appliances. Lorenzo Almanza
WITH TECHNOLOGY advancing on a consistent basis, companies are innovating different ways they can adapt to this “Millennial Change.” One company that has gone above and beyond to meet those challenges is Innit. Innit is in company terms, a “culinary GPS” that shapes the way consumers plan, shop, prepare and cook their meals. “Innit started looking for how we could leverage technology to empower consumers to make the right choices and easily prepare and cook food every day,” Innit Founder Eugenio Minvielle said. The company defines itself with the type of impact they hope to make for their customers to eat and live better. Everything in terms of choosing, cooking and preparing food is now personalized at the fingertips of each user. With Innit, customers can search the best products needed for the right meal and correctly engage the type of appliance that is required to make their life easier and enjoy dinner with their friends and family. “One of the most stressful everyday questions for people is - What’s for dinner? We aim to solve the critical pain points faced when addressing this,” Minvielle said. The ability to personalize and match products to what is best for each of us, while simplifying cooking, gives people more time to share and eat together at home. “Our platform works end to end throughout the food journey, allowing shoppers to easily plan meals, select the best products based on personalized nutrition, access step-by-step video instructions, and receive tailored assistance with each cooking appliance,” Innit’s CFO Eugenio García said. “It is difficult for many families to put healthy and delicious meals together, but with Innit they will have the confidence to cook every day,” he complemented. 36 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Eugenio Minvielle
Worked as President and CEO for companies like Unilever in North America and Nestlé in Venezuela, Mexico and France. He is the President of Innit which he founded with Kevin Brown in 2013.
Eugenio Garcia Was CFO of redIT and Grupo Convermex before joining Innit.
www.innit.com
Minvielle and García were both born and raised in Mexico and have used their experiences from major industries to help start Innit. Both individuals came from companies that were branched in Europe and Mexico. During his corporate career, Minvielle held top positions as CEO of Nestlé in Mexico, France (as seen in our interviews in Latino Leaders on Nov 2008 and Líderes Mexicanos in March 2009 ) and Unilever in North America. Minvielle founded Innit in 2013 with Kevin Brown (Innit’s CEO) a consolidated Silicon Valley entrepreneur and among other major achievements Minvielle has built an intellectual property portfolio with over 30 patents and 500 claims granted to date. Eugenio García joined Innit in 2014 and is an experienced consultant, banker and executive for companies such as McKinsey, Banco Walmart and redIT stationed in Mexico. “We couldn’t be more proud of being able to start here in the US and be ready to expand internationally,” Minvielle said. “We are very excited to share that we are going to be a launching our platform within Mexico and Europe soon.” From the beginning, the Innit team knew it was important to create a multicultural company that could address diverse global requirements, and the team is proud to make a positive impact in people’s lives through food.
MÉXICO
SUKARNE
HISTORY, ORIGIN & EVOLUTION OF SUKARNE 1
SUKARNE initiated operations in 1969 in Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, through the marriage of Jose Isabel Vizcarra and Maria Calderon, when Don Isabel decided to start his own business by buying a truck to move his own cattle for feeding, avoiding competence to his former boss in pork business, while Maria Calderon carried out the business accounting, along her household duties. In that same year, Jesus Vizcarra, their firstborn, was only nine years old. However, besides attending school, he would go to the feedlot to help his father feed the animals, accompany clients, and even helped negotiate prices. Maturity and an eye for business has always been notorious in Jesus. So, when he was of age, at the end of the 70s, his father saw the opportunity of growing the business even more. He opted to leave the reins of the business to his young son, the one he had built for almost twenty years. That was how with simplicity, discipline, firmness and wisdom, he invested in the launch of the first “Unidad Ganadera Integral” in 1985, located in Culiacan, where he would consolidate the feedlot, processing and packaging, with better capacity, technology and efficiency. At that same time, they were able to develop commercial relations with supermarket chains at a regional and national level, and with entities of the national finance system, including after ten years the capital investment of the Mexican Government Fund for Investment and Capitalization of the Rural Sector (FOCIR). Then in the 90s, the company got associated with the European investment fund ING Baring and the Darby Fund, of Nicholas F. Brady, former US Secretary of Treasury. In 1995, Jesus’ vision was proven when the first shipment of meat was sent to the United States with the help of NAFTA. Without a doubt, it was an achievement that marked the history of SuKarne and became the turning point to achieve presence in four continents: Asia, Europe, Africa, and America. By the first two decades of 2000, the distribution network grew and the imports of beef from USA began. Now, with 50 years of experience, SuKarne is the Mexican company leader in the global market of animal protein. SuKarne today is emerging as one of the most innovative companies in this industry worldwide, directly incorporating +100 K small farmers and livestock producers as suppliers, and +70 K microentrepreneurs as clients. They are also the biggest link to the Mexican rural sector, being the main source of income for +183 K families, including its +13 K employees. Currently, SuKarne has five Integrated Beef Production Units and two processing plants, where +1.6 million heads of cattle are processed, with a distribution network consisting of +400 sales routes and +300 stores in Mexico, US and Central America.
WHAT INDICATORS WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN IT CAME TO MAKING THE DECISION TO EXPAND INTO THE U.S. AND NOT ANOTHER COUNTRY?
With the United States being the world’s biggest market for beef, SuKarne decided to take advantage of all the geographic and commercial opportunities the company had. Throughout the years, Mexico has been a complementary market in various other products, and meat is a significant example of the benefits of cooperation and the use of the different consumption habits in both countries. The taste of the American consumer is focused on cuts like Rib Eye, T-Bone, and on a variety of cuts derived from the Loin, so they are willing to assign a higher value and pay for it; however in Mexico, the domestic demand goes towards the rest of the cuts, which facilitates the “trading” game in order to generate more value in both markets.
2
THREE MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT SUKARNE ENDURED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE AMERICAN MARKET.
It is important to acknowledge that in the animal protein industry, the binomium “Food Safety – Globalization” cannot be separated when determining the competitiveness of the countries and the companies that participate in it. In this way, the development of the international market is linked to the fulfillment of the necessary investments on equipment and procedures to comply with the required standards for each importing country. Thus, the first challenge to enter into the American market was for Mexico to exhibit a good level of competency before the American authorities; prepared to implement and supervise the required quality standards. Once that was achieved, the next challenge was to consolidate the plant operations as a company, complying with all operational and safety conditions required to obtain certification by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), while simultaneously developing the sale channels and distribution network inside the country.
3
CONTRIBUTIONS BY SUKARNE TO THE U.S. SOCIETY (JOBS, SALES, CONSUMER OPTIONS, PRODUCT QUALITY)
SuKarne is the number one importer client in Mexico of USA produced animal protein, as of the equipment and supplies for cattle feed, slaughter and meat processing, which makes SuKarne a relevant player in the job creation and economic development of this important industry within the US. Through their products and innovative systems of distribution, SuKarne offers the US consumer quality products with American market standards, with optimal conditions in flavor, size and accessibility. www.sukarne.com
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 37
MÉXICO
INTERCERAMIC
SURVIVAL INSTINCT Melissa Rondon
Jesse Nogales
Moisés Cervantes
Victor Almeida, President of Interceramic, has it in his DNA. He is a natural warrior. Saving the company from bankruptcy three times, Almeida’s survival nature has trained him to face challenges head on and always result as triumphant.
VICTOR ALMEIDA
PRESIDENT OF INTERCERAMIC
38 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
AS PRESIDENT & General Director of Mexican-American company Interceramic, Victor Almeida has seen the company through four decades of ups and downs. Here, he talks about developing a competitive presence, evolving with dynamic markets, and rebuilding after crisis. Victor Almeida is a family man through and through. Early on, he knew he would work with his father in one of his family’s businesses. “I never had any doubts,” he says matter-of-factly. “I was always lined up -- mentally, emotionally, spiritually -- to work in the family business, whatever that was.” His father, Oscar, ensured that his son was well-prepared for the international business world. He impressed upon Almeida the importance of education, being bilingual, and being a citizen of both Mexican and US cultures. According to Almeida, school was the priority, but he always knew he wanted to work with his father. Ever the early starter, Almeida went straight to work at the newly-formed Interceramic less than a month after graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 1979. He began his career at ground level, learning the business from warehouse and factory floors before entering the marketing and business spheres. Then, in 1982, circumstances necessitated a new President and Almeida rose to the occasion.
ON BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS “How do you put together the whole package? You have to be successful in your products -- the right value, the right look, fashion, quality, service, supply, logistics. But you also have to have your market. If you don’t show those products … if you don’t catch their attention … you will not sell the product.”
At the time, Interceramic was a small company valued at about $10 million. After Lopez Portillo nationalized Mexican banks, the country fell into a super-recession, and so did Interceramic. Almeida took action, cutting back operations and costs to half the original volume of the business -- enough to help the company and its employees weather the storm. It took time, says Almeida, but “slowly but surely, things started to happen.” The company began to grow again, and in 1985 was able to invest in moderate expansion. The pattern of growth continued and, in the mid-1990s, Interceramic launched a franchise system that positioned them to become a premium supplier of the highest-quality ceramic tile in Mexico. Almeida sought to differentiate Interceramic from its competitors early. “We focused the company on being different and innovative,” he says. Over the years, Interceramic broke barriers, becoming the first in the industry to advertise on television, the first to place
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 39
MÉXICO
INTERCERAMIC
BUCKET LIST: • Provide a good life for his family: “I want my kids to have a good life, to be successful, to be happy.” • Own a billion-dollar company: “One thing I always wanted to do is have a company that’s worth a billion dollars … It’s coming along in a good way.” • To help uplift Mexico and its people: “We need to do a lot more to make Mexico a better place for all Mexicans.” • To keep his health: (chuckling) “You have to be healthy and exercise to be able to survive these many crises”
ads in women’s magazines, the first to create a formal catalogue, and the first (and, to date, only) franchise system. The company set up 30 wholesale distribution centers in the US, which flourished -- until the 2008 housing crisis. Before the recession, America made up 45% of Interceramic’s business. That number dropped precipitously as the housing market crumbled. These days, the US represents a growing 30% of Interceramic’s business. The pace of business began to pick up between 2012 and 2014 as the American housing market began to stabilize. In 2015, Almeida’s son took over as the President of Interceramic USA, ushering in a new era for the American branch of the business. Today, Interceramic is a $500 million international company overhauling its presence, especially in the US. Rebranding themselves, relaunching products, building a new warehouse, implementing new systems, building a new team of professionals, and reinventing their offerings, Almeida hopes to continue to grow Interceramic in the US. One of the biggest challenges the company faces in the US market, according to Almeida, “is to service a trade market. You’re not really going after the consumers,” he explains. “You need to service distributors, wholesalers -- professionals of the industry.” In that way, says Almeida, the American market differs vastly from Mexico. “It’s a complex market,” he says. “It’s a challenge to understand, and it’s a real challenge to service it the way you need to service it.” “The challenge we face today is competing against the world,” says Almeida of the American market in particular. 70% of US tile is imported from other countries, so in the tile business, “you’re competing with the entire world very intensely.” Almeida’s strategy to face these challenges begins with his team. “We believe that, over 40 years of Interceramic, we’ve been a company that’s focused on … the people 40 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
THE ORIGIN OF INTERCERAMIC Interceramic was founded in Chihuahua, Mexico in May of 1979 by Almeida’s grandfather, Esteban, and his father, Oscar. The idea for the business came about when Oscar looked into diversifying a family brick company. “Brick is a regional business,” explains Almeida. Due to high freight costs, “You cannot go national with a brick company … But,” he says with a smile, “you can do that with a ceramic tile factory.” Oscar traveled to Italy, where he was introduced to a new technology for ceramics unavailable in Mexico -- or in the US. “From day one, we saw that we needed to be involved in the US market,” says Almeida, so the fledgling company seized the opportunity to expand their business, opening a subsidiary in El Paso, TX almost immediately after the launch of the company in Chihuahua. Almeida began working for the company in 1979 at age 20, less than a month after graduating from UT Austin. Many young adults dream of going their own way, but not Almeida. “I was always like my father was,” he says. “It was always family business.”
that make up the team, … on creating good leaders that can show by example … I think that’s the foundation of the company,” says Almeida. Ask Almeida about the past four decades leading Interceramic, and he’s honest. “It’s been a long road of 40 years … with many ups and downs.” Some of those downs have been pretty severe: “in my 40 years, we’ve been nearly bankrupted three times,” says Almeida. Yet, through economic and political changes, volatile market conditions and near financial disaster, the challenge of survival has fueled Almeida’s determination to succeed. “It’s a tradition in my family to survive,” he says. “You have it in your blood that a challenge to survive -- you have to do it. You don’t ever give up and you don’t ever chicken out.” Almeida has applied that tenacity to his business, repeatedly pulling the company back from the brink and into the black. He also wants to encourage that same determination in others, from his children to his fellow Mexicans. “You just don’t quit, ever,” he says. On the state of Mexican politics, he asks, “How do we help? We have such a great country, and it keeps getting messed up by bad politicians … I think we need to do a much better job.” Of his involvement in helping improve conditions in Mexico, Almeida is both positive and pragmatic. “That’s a bucket list [that’s] ongoing,” he says.
BUSINESS
ROBERT NUNEZ AND RAUL ARRIAGA
WORKING TOGETHER Melissa Rondon
Jesse Nogales
Moisés Cervantes
International Real Estate Powerhouse
Raul Arriaga is a giant in real estate and in his community. He was featured in TIME Magazine, wrote a bestselling book on how to succeed in the industry, and is currently finished producing and filming a television series he describes a comedy/ real estate hybrid called The Realty, conducted in a mix of Spanish and English. His portfolio is diverse, just the way he likes it. “I have so much passion for what I do,” he says, “and I want to do things that challenge me.” Raul has never been one for small thinking. “I want to do something different,” he says. “I’m a dreamer, I’m a go-getter.” An international real estate broker, Raul specializes in helping the immigrant community achieve the American Dream. “We come into this country to find more, to do more, to help more,” Raul says, and help more he has: over his 14-year career, Raul has assisted thousands of Latino families in becoming homeowners.
Sr. Loan Officer
Robert Nunez is a veteran of the mortgage industry on a mission to help others succeed. Raised between the US and Mexico, Robert learned a lot about “what it takes to help others … and how to serve others” from his father and mother, both being entrepreneurs. That early influence sparked in Robert a desire to uplift and invest in others, which he would use in his work as a mortgage consultant. Nunez was inspired to join the mortgage industry after purchasing his first home in college and finding that no one was willing to educate him about the process. Nunez felt that first-time home buyers deserved better, and started working with banks and mortgage companies to help educate families. He learned to think creatively to solve his clients’ problems, considering their individual needs and backgrounds. The goal for Nunez is to “help them, support them, and help them accomplish the American Dream.” “Seeing my clients at closing with a smile on their face … puts a bigger smile on my face,” he says with a grin. 42 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
RAUL ARRIAGA
ROBERT NUNEZ
ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP Arriaga and Nunez have teamed up to create a kind of home ownership dream team. Lenders and realtors are the two essential people you need to buy a house, so Arriaga and Nunez combine their skills to better serve their customers. Nunez helps families figure out their buying power, and Arriaga shows them properties that fit their needs and budget. By joining forces, the duo aim to create unsurpassed service with a seamless home buying experience. Their partnership comes naturally, says Raul. “We have the same drive, we like to help people, and we have a good partnership,” he says. Robert agrees: “We find that we’re very aligned in what we do, in what markets we want to be in, and in how we take care of our clients.” Regarding the future of their business, perhaps Robert says it best: “We want to build an amazing business to help others, and give back to our communities as well.” As their business continues to capture more and more of the Texas real estate market each quarter, we think it’s safe to say they’re well on their way.
ART
GUILLERMO HANHAUSEN
Art and Chicano collector Guillermo COLLECTOR Latino Hanhausen, searches for a deeper meaning when it comes to selecting the pieces he will OF LATINO acquire for his collection. Born and raised in Mexico, Guillermo believes “you enrich more when you have imbedded two AND CHICANO yourself cultures.” His selection of art is a true example ART of just that.
R
Guillermo Hanhausen Art Collector
Lorenzo Almanza
Courtesy
Luis González
“What defines Latino and Chicano art is the intention of the artists to communicate through color, palette and symbolism.”
AINBOW ROWELL once said, “Art isn’t supposed to look nice; it’s supposed to make you feel something.” The captivity and recognition of a work art is something that has interested art collector and advisor Guillermo Hanhausen for quite some time. “I have been involved all my life in art,” Hanhausen said. The art business intelligence and advisor’s interest in art was instilled in him at a very young age. Although an architect, his father was also an art collector and amateur painter. “At a very young age, I started to appreciate every form and medium of art and everybody’s work,” Hanhausen said. One specific niche of interest in the visual and plastic arts this collector accumulates is Latino and Chicano art. The diversity of two different cultures really sticks out to Hanhausen, as he embraces the mixture of diverse identities. His ideal belief is, individuals have a richer intellect when they accumulate two or more worlds together. “When you have lived in two different worlds, you gain perspective,” Hanhausen said. Similarly to the artists he follows, he has seen both sides of the American culture. Growing up in Mexico City and over twenty-five year in the US, propelled the collector to experience life in two perspectives: the LatinAmerican and American side of life. The distinct visions open up a new channel of reality for Hanhausen. “When you mix cultures, you get more than a few choices,” Hanhausen said. Two very important elements that makes Latino and Chicano artworks appealing to this collector are: cultural identity and color palette. “The choices in a Latin-American palette, is immensely different from a Latino or Chicano artists’. The vibrant and unique palette they employ puts meaning into an unequivocal usage of light. The glorification of symbolisms applied in to the artworks, detailing a loud volume of communication without aggressiveness, show the true colors and pride of who they are as a Latino and Chicano, but above all, as an American artist” “The statement of Latino and Chicano art has changed in a drastic way,” Hanhausen said. Hanhausen’s knowledge of art extends far beyond his collection. His ability to be a painter, like the artists he looks up, goes hand in hand with his understanding of the everyday motifs that enflame the need of expression. Aside from being a collector and amateur artist, Hanhausen is Managing Partner and Strategist for an art intelligence, research and advisory firm. While his life is in constant motion, his love for art will never fade. “It doesn’t matter if you stop painting or collecting, you will always have that little worm inside.” Hanhausen said. JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 43
TECH
››› FROM HOLLAND, THODIO
WITH LOVE
A small company from the Netherlands is trying to reinvent the boom box by turning it into audiophile party blaster for millenials and nostalgic sound buffs— But is it good enough for Latino partygoers? A LITTLE KNOWN FACT in the speaker industry is that the modern boom box, those loud, boisterous gadgets of the 1980’s were invented in Holland in the 1970’s. Of course, the Japanese and later Chinese brands turned the ghetto blasters into ubiquitous gadgets in those deep dark ages of bad hair and greed is good ethos. But it was in the Netherlands those sound boxes came to be. And now, a new, cottage-styled company called Thodio is trying to reinvent them. The owner, Thomas Spaan and his team build each and every Thodio boom box by hand—no mass production, machine or robots here. In his shop in Holland, Spaan carves and puts together from scratch an army artillery box and puts in speakers, drivers and the rest of the fillings custom made to his client’s specifications. But if the military box is too much for you and you’d rather go upper crust, you can choose from his bamboo or cherry wood creations, complete with Bluetooth, an auxiliary cable or if you are a musician, with an amp hook up.
ed juicy, with the horns section blasting with power, the drums crashing with grace and all, inviting people to dance. I played some of Sonora Dinamita’s hits from the early 1980’s and the same. Next, I put the iBox XC to the ultimate Latino test: a real party. After all, this is where this box will truly matter. Some friends in L.A. had a street styled after work party, complete with a taco maker at hand and, yes, beer. Fed by regular Iphones and smart phones from other brands (which, let’s face it are not ideal for producing true audiophile sounds), the iBox XC not only held its own playing Norteño sounds and even some of Juan Gabriel’s early ranchera repertoire (yes, I am reAt this point you might be saying, “so yes all this is fine and dandy, each boom ferring to the seminal “Juan Gabriel con el Mariachi Vargas de box is made to order and the word by pro reviewers and clients is that they Tecalitlán” album you just have to hear before you die). sound great. But how does the Thodio iBox XC fare when compared to the new In a nutshell, it was brilliant. Everyone was impressed. wave of sound boxes that have made a comeback this decade after the public was fed for decades on puny, anemic, terribly sounding boom box speakers? More importantly, how does the iBox XC match up against similar sound boxes When compared side by side in my living room, the Zeppelin from its Dutch competition from brands like Bangs & Olufsen? Better yet, how faced the iBox XC in a grudge match sound for sound, move for does it stack up to British names like Marshall (which produces the Stanmore, a big move. I would listen closely to the Dutch Thodio and for moboom box that looks like a classic rock amp) or that heavyweight champ no sound ments felt that it bested its British rival in the power department, box has been able to dethrone for over ten years, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin? but then the English box would come back with glorious clarity. This will sound like a cop-out, but it was a toss-up. For clasThe proof is in the pudding. The Thodio’s 6.5 inch coaxial kevlar speakers with 1 inch soft dome tweeters and audiophile filters, respectable by today’s sical music, for playing Rocio Durcal’s gorgeous bolero ballads standards but not huge, are big enough to fill a large living room well with your from the early 1980’s, the Zeppelin gained a slight edge, while power Latino ballads, Cumbia Kings tropical blitzkriegs and sounds of choice. With 200 watts of power, if you throw a party or just feel like dancing with your- zesty tejano sounds from Selena sounded best in the iBox XC. But the question is, could the Zeppelin have matched the self, the Thodio is down. The boom box also has a quality Tripath TK2050 amplifiiBox XC in a street party? No. er, which is loud enough for a big living room even for a fervent partygoer. When it comes to being a provider for a communal gatherIf you are into cumbias, tropical music, salsa, duranguense, banda or any Latin dance rhythms, the iBox XC could be your ticket to bliss. Bouncy, lively and full ing, the Zeppelin and the other posh Euro brands are, well, too civilized and restrained for their own good. They may equal in of zest, if anything, this boom box is made for fun. The sounds are clear, you feel the drums explode, the voices belt and the some parts or another their new Dutch rival in a dedicated posh guitars come alive in pristine but forceful fashion. Oh yes, like with any quality piano room, but when it comes to making a place come alive, the iBox XC is the new champ. speakers, it’s best to use a good source of sound. In the world of sound boxes, there’s a new sheriff in town I played La More, a new, edgy tropical female singer from Mexico who hangs around with some mean bands. Her rendition of that old cumbia, “Cocodrilo” sound- from Holland. Let’s boogie.
Let the music play
Up against the champ
44 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Joseph Treviño
Courtesy
Moisés Cervantes
EVENTS
THE MAESTROS
THE MAESTROS 2018
What are The Maestros? The Maestros, formerly known as the Maestro Awards Ceremony, is a gathering of influential Latino Leaders across the country, intended to recognize and celebrate the achievements of members of the Latino Community. Recipients hail from a range disciplines - Business, Education, Civil Service, Religion, Medicine, and more. The Maestros acknowledge the trailblazers and innovators in the Latino community with nothing less than what is deserved: a gala.
SAN FRANCISCO: Aug 29th, 2018
Legion of Honor Awardees: • Myrna Soto • Roberto Medrano • Andre Arbelaez
CHICAGO: Sept 26th, 2018
The Chicago History Museum Awardees: • George Burciaga • Luis V. Gutierrez • Dr. Robert Rodriguez • Lou Sandoval
DALLAS: Oct 24th, 2018
The Perot Museum Awardees: • Armin Jose Cruz • Elsa Murano • Guillermo Marmol • Jaime Montemayor • Rudy Beserra www.themaestroawards.com JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 45
SPOTLIGHT ALTERED.LA
JORGE GARCIA CASTRO FILM MAKER
LIGHTS, CAMERA, OPPORTUNITIES! Those are the magic words that align with Latino film maker Jorge Garcia Castro. Without the number of experiences in his life, Garcia wouldn’t have the career he has successful built upon himself. 46 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
Lorenzo Almanza
Courtesy
Luis E. González
C
racking into top notch companies like Sony and Disney were not easy for the Latino film producer. His personal career first began when he worked as a consultant for entertainment businesses. It wasn’t until soon after Sony that would bring him to his big break in the media industry. “I came to the US to study a masters in finance,” Castro said. Soon he, “started doing business strategies to understand the business.” His passion for the film industry did not blossom until his big break with Disney. From there he began working on numerous film projects that opened endless opportunities. He began contributing to big films like Alice in Wonderland and Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Castro said some of his work at Disney included, “leading Spanish productions for countries like Mexico and Argentina.” He also played a huge role in the visual and special effects department. The Latino film producer used a lot of what he learned through his work with Disney to form his own segment titled Altered.la. “Altered.la is a content company,” Castro said. “We are trying to do all type of content we think there is an opportunity for.” One of the biggest hurdles the top film producer struggled with was getting name recognition after his leave from Disney. Forming Altered.la was easy in terms of idea development, but getting property for the company proved to be a challenge. Castro describes how his buildup of the commercial production company took some time because he had to “find the money and didn’t have the Disney name behind him anymore.” The film producer also describes how his “biggest challenge was not having relationships.” Since the start of his career, the building of a network was always a hassle Castro fought to overcome. At the age of eight, Castro and his family moved from Mexico City to Guadalajara. Years later, the production manager took his talents to the United States where he had to develop his own networking community. “The doors were a lot harder to open,” Castro said. It was because of Sony and Disney, the
01
THE BIG ONE One of Castro’s biggest projects was the production of the film “In A Relationship.” The film follows the journey of a hopeto-be-divorced couple and stars actress Emma Roberts.
WORKS Castro’s work in Disney cinematic productions included assisting with movies like McFarland USA where he acted as a consultant, Alice in Wonderland as a visual effects assistant and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides as a consultant.
BEHIND ALTERED.LA Altered.la first started in 2011. The company consists of a variety of directors, producers and developers all with a keen to produce and direct a variety of movies. One of the main initiatives of the groups is to produce a variety of movie and TV shows, but to do so in a way that provides Hispanic elements to their productions. As of today, Altered has a total of 15 directors, all with their own skill of movie producing and directing.
Latino film maker was able to demonstrate his true talents and reach his full potential by making his own company. Castro and his colleague Marcos Cline teamed up to form Altered.la. The company is a network of directors that promotes commercials for the general U.S. and Hispanic Markets. A key goal of the commercial production is to “promote Latino talent if it makes sense.” “Talent is starting to come up,” Castro said. “We want to do incredible things for those who need a platform.” Part of Castro’s initiatives at the company include, running the feature films and TV department. He helps organize and initiate films presented by directors that the group represents. “We have great talent,” Castro said. “We don’t try to force any Hispanic properties unless it organically makes sense.” Altered.la hopes to gain recognitions in the near future. The company has plans to enhance their TV network and double their number of movies produced. “Our goal is to get four movies per year,” Castro said. The overall plan for the group itself is
01 Marcos Cline Partner Altered.LA
“MY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE ARE TO START FILMING AND TO START DEVELOPING BIGGER PRODUCTIONS ESPECIALLY ON THE FILM AND TV SIDE,” CASTRO SAID. to broaden the Hispanic network and promote Latino activity through the entertainment industry. Castro understands the need to publish more Hispanic content and the idea to give a platform to those who have do not have one. “It is still a challenge to get Latino content especially in commercials,” Castro said. “There are still not a lot of Latino writers and directors and talent out there.” Along with helping produce Latino content of underdeveloped writers, the aspiring director has big plans of his own. “My plans for the future are to start filming and to start developing bigger productions especially on the film and TV side,” Castro said. One of the biggest projects Castro has in the works is a movie title The Haunting of Sharon Tate. The film details the realistic events of Sharon Tate and the terrifying
events that the actress endured. “We got actress Hillary Duff on board to play Sharon Tate,” Castro said. With new films and productions in the works, Castro and his Altered crew are ready to face any challenge head on. The film maker believes, “there will be more opportunities to do more content” in the nearby future. Castro believes that companies like Netflix and Hulu will provide huge benefits to entertainment companies in the upcoming years. “I feel like it is another way to buy content or sell something to those buyers,” Castro said. “It provides more and more opportunities.” Whatever the case may be, Castro is ready to take on the ever transforming entertainment industry and believes there is plenty more content he has to produce in the foreseen future.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 LATINO LEADERS 47
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Luis E. González
BIRTHDAY WINE
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OR A WINE aficionado like my self, the question on what wine is the perfect one for your B’day is always difficult to answer. I wanted a unique wine, something that is a “once in a life time experience”, but I also wanted a perfect comfort zone wine, the one that you enjoy no matter what. Then I though, maybe I should have one that I could share on a dinner party with my friends and I kept thinking on ideas until my wife suggested: “why don’t you open not one, but many bottles instead?” Bahm! That was the right answer; so I opened many wines in the many days before and after. A great idea; my brother drank a Carruades 1998 with me, then I took a Don Melchor 2006 to a intimate dinner with my family to our favorite Argentinian steakhouse, but for a party I decided over a mini vertical of my favorite Bordeaux: Pichon Lalande 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. All the wines were superb, but at the end of the “birthday wine spree” I realized that each wine was special for the occasion and the company I had while drinking it. More than wine, I realized that having loving friends and a family is precious.
CARRUADES DE LAFITE From the very early times in the XX Century, Carraudes has been the second wine to the famous and revered Chateau Lafite Rothschild. It is made from vines that are not yet ready for the Grand Vin, but have the terroir and same winemaking process. In recent years it has been getting great reviews, which have made it more expensive, but still at a third from the price of the big brother.
CHILE CENTRAL VALLEY At a nice elevation over the sea level, the Central Valley of Chile is a large valley with the Pacific ocean on one side and the Andes Mountains on the other. Just north of Santiago, this region produces some of the best wines in Chile, where Cabernet Sauvignon is the king. Puente Alto is the name of a vineyard where Casa Concha y Toro has a good amount of fine wine production.
01 CARRUADES DE LAFITE 1998
• Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux • Varietal: Various • Price: $145 • Aromas: Plum, earthy • Flavors: Currant, spice, blue berries • Impression: Closed, watery • Structure: Medium body, past its peak • Drink with: Carne Asada, Roasted Duck, Chinese food • Why I loved this wine? Elegant, complex • My Rating: 90 pts.
02 DON MELCHOR DE CONCHA Y TORO 2006 • Region: Puente Alto Vineyard, Central Valley, Chile • Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon • Price: $96 • Aromas: Perfumed, cherry and coca powder • Flavors: Plum, ripe figs, toffee • Impression: Big and Complex • Structure: Full bodied, balanced • Drink with: Grilled Steaks with Chimichurri sauce • Why I loved this wine? So elegant and sophisticated. • My Rating: 96 pts.
03 HERTELENDY NAPA VALLEY 2014
• Region: Napa Valley • Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon • Price: $265 • Aromas: Vanilla, red fruit and rosemary • Flavors: Creamy, toasted expresso bean, dried nuts • Impression: Fabulous Concentration • Structure: Full bodied, deep and complex • Drink with: Filet Mignon, T-Bone, New York and Roast Beef • Why I loved this wine? Perfume and powerful • My Rating: 95 pts.
01 Carruades de Lafite 1998
48 LATINO LEADERS JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019
02 Don Melchor de 05 Hertelendy Napa Concha y Toro 2006 Valley 2014