Latino Leaders articles from May 2006

Latino Leaders archives from May 2006

Publisher's letter.
May 1, 2006... One of the most frequent questions we get while publishing a magazine like Latino Leaders is, why aren't there more women? We guess that perhaps readers and interested people are meaning, "Aren't there enough women leaders?" or: "Do you...

From my desk.
May 1, 2006... When the idea of doing a special issue on female Latino Leaders first came to the table, I was absolutely thrilled. For the magazine, this would be a milestone first, and for me as a woman, an extraordinary opportunity to work on a subject...

The power of Latina Leadership: Hispanic women are blazing the trail of success and achievement in their own, unique way.
May 1, 2006... No, they are not "hot tamales" or "mamacitas." They am CEOs, Fortune 500 company Board members entrepreneurs, authors and architects. They have built some of the largest buildings in America. They have steered marketing for the Coca-Cola...

Irma Elder: CEO, Elder Automotive Group: when Irma Elder's husband died unexpectedly, the humble housewife and mother of three recalls having two simple options: sink or swim. Suddenly a widow in her 50s, the Xicotencatl, Mexico native took control of the Troy Ford dealership and transformed it into the Elder Automotive Group, which today is a $700 million operation. Irma Elder's a mighty strong swimmer.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... Elder was born in 1930 in the capital of Tamaulipas, Mexico, across the border from Brownsville, Texas. One of seven children, Irma grew up in a Catholic household, where a sense of faith would be instilled in her for a lifetime. When she was...

Remedios Diaz Oliver: CEO All American Containers, Inc.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... Ask Remedios Diaz Oliver if she ever thinks about retiring and you get the longest, most drawn out "Noooooo" you've ever heard. "No retirement," she says emphatically. "Work, work, work." The president of Florida-based All American...

Tina Ramirez: founder, Ballet Hispanico of New York.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... If Tina Ramirez were to summarize the lessons that her artistic vision and professional practice molded into a creative modus operandi, she might offer this pragmatic advice: "Ask yourself, "what is the benefit of your actions?'" It's a...

Teresa Zubizarreta: President and CEO Zubi Advertising.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... While many career women lament the personal sacrifices they have made for their professional ambitions, Teresa Zubizarreta has had no trouble reconciling the two. "Business is one side of life," she says matter-of-factly, "and family the...

Linda Chavez Thompson: executive vice president, AFL-CIO.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... "You have to make a sacrifice somewhere," says Linda Chavez-Thompson regarding the choices she has had to make to advance her career. In this case, the sacrifices were in the home. "I put in 12-14 hour days at work," she adds. "I was...

Nancy Matta: First Vice President of Investments, Merrill Lynch.(THE PIONEERS)
May 1, 2006... When I started in business 28 years ago, the glass ceiling was very much in place," remarks Nancy Matta, when asked about the challenges she faced in her career. For that reason, she considers it that much more of an accomplishment that...

Linda G. Alvarado: President and CEO Alvarado Construction.(THE SUPERSTARS)
May 1, 2006... In the early years, Linda Alvarado would only sign formal documents with her initials. That way, no one would know she was a woman or that she was Hispanic. Today, the president and CEO of Alvarado Construction and the co-owner of the...

Shirley Rodriguez Remeneski: founder and president, 100 Hispanic Women.(THE SUPERSTARS)
May 1, 2006... Shirley Rodriguez Remeneski's resume reads like a who's who of the most important politicians in Eastern New York. From Mayor Ed Koch to Governor's George Pataki and Mario Cuomo, all of these men have at some point relied on Shirley's drive,...

Angela Diaz, M.D.: director, Adolescent Health Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center.(THE SUPERSTARS)
May 1, 2006... Despite the honors and accolades that Angela Diaz has won over the years, she hardly considers herself extraordinary. Instead, she considers herself supremely lucky. Diaz believes that the good fortune that has given her a strong support...

The survey.
May 1, 2006... There is no question that female leadership in the Hispanic community has its own distinct characteristics, but what are they? What are the choices that these women make that they have in common? Where do they coincide? For the first...

Kenia Davalos-Romero: chairwoman Los Angeles County Office of Small Business.(THE NOTEWORTHY)
May 1, 2006... Besides being in charge of the office that provides major resources for companies wishing to or who are currently doing business with the County of Los Angeles, Mexican-American entrepreneur Kenia D. Romero is a managing partner in her family...

Angie Ruiz: film actress.(THE NOTEWORTHY)
May 1, 2006... "Honesty makes a good role model," says Angie Ruiz, "choosing appropriate behavior, and being down to earth so people can relate to you instead of being placed on a pedestal." With a lack of traditional mentorship, this free-spirited,...

Monica Ramirez: CEO, ZALIA Cosmetics.(THE NOTEWORTHY)
May 1, 2006... For women like Makeup Mogul Monica Ramirez, settling for second best was simply not an option. This first generation Peruvian-American was a beauty pageant winner and professional makeup artist who found herself in the unique position to...

Natalia Almada: independent filmmaker.(THE NOTEWORTHY)
May 1, 2006... For Natalia Almada it was always clear that she had to tell the story of the cattle ranchers, fishermen and farmers of her hometown of Sinaloa Mexico, with whom she spent the summers since she was a little girl. What she didn't know was that...

An afterthought ...
May 1, 2006... Those are the stories of our illustrious Latina leaders. We hope that this issue has proved inspirational, whether you are a mother, a father, a homemaker, a business owner, or any other incarnation of a powerful Latino leader. Despite...