LATINA Style 50 2004 more about the LS50 >

Breakfast keynote speaker Cari M. Dominguez, chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, spoke to the very essence of the Best Practices in Diversity Conference, which aims to bring together members of corporate America to network and share ideas and strategies for Hispanic inclusion and corporate diversification. “When we come together,” Dominguez said, “when we have an opportunity to network across companies, when we have an opportunity to exchange information, share concerns and identify good approaches that have produced results — not just a good practice but a practice that has, in fact, produced the results intended — I can’t think of a better forum, and a more supportive forum, than this type of opportunity.”

Dominguez also spoke of the present and growing power of Hispanic women. “I personally believe that really this is the decade of the Latinas,” she said. “I think that we have a wealth of talent that yet remains to be fully tapped, within corporations, in the entrepreneurship environment, in anything that we really want to do. Latinas and the way that Hispanic culture continues to impact our society — it just positions us in a very good leadership role.”

The Best Practices in Diversity Conference showcased the most successful diversity programs of the LATINA Style 50 companies, with representatives from these companies leading panel discussions addressing aspects of workplace diversity such as mentoring programs, the creation of successful work environments, and career-path development.
With over seven million Latinas in the corporate workforce, companies feel an increasing pressure to promote diversity and create a comfortable environment for Hispanic employees, which in turn provides them a competitive advantage both in hiring and retaining employees and in consumer marketing.

The first panel, “Creating a Successful Work Environment for the Professional Latina,” was moderated by Mercy Jimenez, senior vice president for Fannie Mae’s National Business Center, and included Michelle Cook, senior manager for diversity and work/life strategies at DaimlerChrysler; Martha Ventura, executive director of networking operations at Cingular Wireless; and Pat Cronin, vice president of business transformation for global services at IBM.

The panel addressed the challenges of corporate survival and suggested various ways to achieve success, including thinking outside the box, developing self-confidence and inner-strength, and never ceasing to education yourself. “No variable in my mind is weighted heavier than education,” said Jimenez.

Ventura encouraged the audience to be strong and to keep in mind that in the workforce, getting the job done is top priority, even in the face of challenge and strife. “I had to teach myself that it wasn’t personal,” she said. “We could disagree, but we still have to get business done.”

According to Cronin, in order to get that job done, it’s important to be creative and always on your toes. “Being successful is not just doing the assignment that you have, right?” she said. “It’s always looking at, How do you go outside your assignment? How do you participate outside your environment? How do you leverage your team to broaden what you’re currently assigned to complete more?”

Cook, one of three founding members of DaimlerChrysler’s Hispanic Network in 1999, spoke to the difficulties of being “first.” “Boy, did we have a challenge ahead of us,” Cook said. “And for anybody who’s either been involved or is looking to get involved, you know what’s ahead.” She encouraged attendees not to let this get them down and to look ahead to what they can achieve, even in small numbers. “There are certainly a lot of challenges associated with starting a group, but the rewards are just invaluable.

Said Ventura, “You can do it. You really can. So I encourage you to not underestimate the power that you have to change and influence individual lives, and that that will set the foundation for future success.”

After a short break, attendees reconvened for the choice of two panels: “Developing Your Career Path and Negotiating Your Next Promotion” and “The Role of Affinity Groups and Mentoring Programs.” The first, moderated by Eva Seijido, a partner at Deloitte & Touche, addressed the still-much-needed progress of Latinas breaking the glass ceiling and making their mark on the corporate front lines. Discussion focused on how companies can encourage their Latina employees to climb the ladder, and how employees can keep traveling steadily up. “Over the years, the companies have incorporated initiatives in the workplace to educate us about and embrace differences in order to achieve a win-win in the professional growth of their professionals while adding to the bottom line,” said Seijido.

Panelists spoke about the challenge of overcoming biases that may already be stacked against them in the workplace. “The biases are there,” said Noni Gonzalez, vice president of systems delivery and ERP for Cingular Wireless. “You’re not going to change the biases.” Instead, she suggested, “The way people see you is how you present yourself to them. … You create your own world, and you create who you are to that person. The biases fall down themselves.”

Karen Buczek, marketing director of Brand Champions at General Mills, Inc., admitted that to overcome those biases it might be necessary to look outside yourself and adapt to the workforce you’ve entered. “What are you willing to bet about the way you present yourself?” she asked the audience, adding that it might be necessary to “make a calculated change.”

“You’re trying to get people to see you for your work product,” added Gonzalez. “In the end it’s about who you are” and not what category or group you fall into.

Part of this process involves introspection and self-examination to discover how you might be contributing to the problem yourself. “We as leaders have to be conscious of our own biases,” warned Seijido.

Panelists also discussed strategies for receiving promotions and for increasing work skills and visibility within your company. Jennifer Lasi Mann, director of communications for IBM Latin America, said of her most recent promotion, “I quickly realized that I had to set out a very deliberate plan.” She found that she gained the most by taking initiative and redefining her role within IBM. She took on projects that she wasn’t immediately comfortable with and that offered her the greatest challenge, and these were the ones “that really stretched me.”

The affinity groups and mentoring programs panel was moderated by Edie Fraser, president and CEO of the Public Affairs Group and the Business Women’s Network. Panelists Jennifer Knight, manager of talent acquisition and strategy for American Airlines; Diane De Hoyos, commodity manager for specialty vehicles at General Motors; and Marcia Vargas, a human resources division officer at McDonald’s, discussed the role of affinity groups in corporate settings as a forum for employees to discuss issues and develop a sense of community with fellow employees. The panel also addressed the crucial role that mentoring programs play in promoting the development of individual skills and talents for career advancement.

One of the many benefits of affinity groups is that they give employees another way to voice opinions and influence change, an invaluable asset to companies. Said Vargas, “The best ideas do come from our employees.”

Knight agreed that employees are a great resource, both for ideas and as a representation of the consumer base. “In order for us to succeed and understand the needs and desires of our customers and the employees that are coming from these same communities that we serve,” Knight said, “we have to be able to develop products and services that are going to match those desires.”

Panelists also highlighted the importance of providing employees with the opportunity to find a company mentor. “We at General Motors do everything we can as Latinos to make sure that we’re creating those paths for the Latinos coming behind us,” said de Hoyos. “You know, when we’re talking to our young people we try to steer them. ‘What’s going to be the right path for you? How are you going to be successful at General Motors and not lose yourself in the process? Who you are, where you come from, what you stand for, what you believe in.’ All those characteristics that make us unique, and make us the beautiful people that we are.”

Fraser encouraged audience members to take the tips and information they learned at the panel back to their workplaces with them. “We’re going to really drive change,” she said.

After the panels, attendees made their way to the Awards Ceremony Luncheon, where they enjoyed the remarks of guest speaker Elaine L. Chao, secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, and keynote speaker Steve Sanger, chairman and CEO of General Mills, Inc., the 2004 Company of the Year.

“This group grows every year,” said Chao, addressing the LATINA Style 50 audience for the third year in a row, “and it’s so inspiring to see the people who come ... and also the companies that support this community. These organizations need to be encouraged, and I want to be here to encourage them to do more for the Hispanic community.

“It is so very encouraging to see that some of our country’s best-known companies are recognizing the tremendous value that Latina workers are bringing to the workforce,” Chao continued. “They provide great models for others who want to tap this tremendous pool of workers, tremendous pool of talent.”

Chao congratulated the winners for encouraging the success of their Latina employees and opening the doors of economic and professional success. “Economic empowerment is the key to success,” she said, “and by giving Latinas equal access to opportunity, these employers are helping them achieve their dreams, and in so doing, making our country a better country.”

Natalia Franco, vice president of Big-G Cereal at General Mills, introduced CEO Steve Sanger. “As a Latina woman in General Mills I have been able to grow professionally, without trading who I am,” said Franco. “My efforts and my accomplishments have been recognized and I have found great support to pursue career opportunities and development for growth.”

Said Sanger, “We are most definitely living in a Latina world, and General Mills is pleased to be part of that Latina world, more and more every day. And it’s certainly an honor for us to receive this recognition from LATINA Style.”

The awards presentation followed, and the Latina representatives from each company made their way to the stage to accept the commemorative plaque on their companies’ behalf.

At the conclusion of the lunch and ceremony, CEOs and high-ranking Latinas at the top 50 companies were hosted by White House officials at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building for an awards reception. U.S. Treasurer Anna Escobedo Cabral, the highest-ranking Latina in the Bush administration, addressed the audience. “I actually do walk into the room and feel like all my friends are here,” she said. “It’s great to be in a room with so many wonderful, bright Latinas. It’s really heartwarming.”

“As you know,” Cabral continued, “women have undoubtedly surpassed many hardships to get where you find yourselves today, and you should be congratulated for your achievements and your dedication and your hard work. I do believe that women really are the driving force in our economy.

“That said, the talent in this room ensures that our future is very bright.”