Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International, Inc. strives to promote and build diversity by directly recruiting Latinas through partnerships with universities and organizations such as the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA). Its board of directors’ “Committee of Excellence” sets diversity goals and monitors progress being made at every level of the corporation. One vehicle being used to reach these goals is the J.W. Marriott, Jr. Diversity Excellence Award, which recognizes units or departments that stand out in the promotion of diversity and the building of an inclusive work environment. Marriott International, Inc. takes the inclusion of its 18,000 Latina employees seriously. In 2006, it initiated the Sed de SaberTM Program which allows Latina employees learning English as a second language to improve their English language skills. The company publishes both English and Spanish language versions of its employee newsletter, the “Marriott World Express”.

Barbara Prince Wilcox began her career at Marriott International, Inc. over 23 years ago as an hourly associate in Human Resources. During this time she has held positions in various divisions and completed all of her undergraduate and graduate education. Currently, as regional vice president of Human Resources International Lodging, she oversees human resources activities for the company’s hotels in the Caribbean and Latin America region.

McDonald’s Corporation
When it comes to diversity in the workplace McDonald’s Corporation is a stellar example. The over 22,000 Latinas working for the company are present at all levels of employment, including the boardroom and executive offices. Women are recruited through targeted ads that run in both English and Spanish at the local and national level. McDonald’s Corporation also has a college internship program which recruits potential operations leaders. Moreover, the company has created a variety of programs designed to provide mentoring and leadership training to its Latina employees, including its Hispanic Mentoring Program, Hispanic Leadership Council, and the Women’s Career Development Class. Additionally, the company’s Accelerated Operations Program seeks to identify a diverse group of high-performing employees to serve as future leaders for McDonald’s restaurant operations. Latinas employed at the company can take advantage of competitive health benefits and the continuous education reimbursements that the company provides to its employees. Their children can take advantage of the HACER scholarship, which is geared toward Hispanics.

Gloria Santona is executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of McDonald’s Corporation. Serving as general counsel since 2001, Santona oversees all legal functions and aspects of legal compliance and policy for the company. She is also the secretary to the board of directors, where she provides advice and counsel regarding matters of corporate governance.

New York Life Insurance Company
New York Life Insurance Company is a business that proactively seeks to expand and better its diversity practices. In 2006, the company appointed a chief diversity officer and created a Diversity Office and an Executive Diversity Council to identify, internalize, and implement ways to better recruit and train a diverse workforce. An outcome is the Hispanic Employee Network Group (ENG), which holds skill-building seminars and works to increase company-wide business relationships and partnerships among Latina employees. New York Life is a long time participant in the Minority Interchange, a group geared toward the professional advancement of minorities in the insurance industry. The company’s Hispanic Marketing Unit works to recruit Latinas. Latina employees may also take advantage of the various leadership seminars offered by New York Life that provides them with skills to be effective leaders and managers. The company also provides generous time off for maternity and adoption leave.

As the international vice president and deputy general council for New York Life International, LLC Lisa Baltazar advises the company’s management on transactions and agreements, corporate governance and regulatory matters. She also assists the general counsel in providing oversight support to New York Life International’s subsidiaries and affiliates in Asia and Latin America. Baltazar also serves on the leadership team of the Hispanic ENG.
 

Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial seeks to take a competitive advantage in the financial world through employing a diverse workforce. It recruits many of its Latina employees through traditional venues such as universities and career fairs, through partnerships with the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), and the Association of Professional Hispanic Accountants among others. The company’s Hispanic Heritage Network (HHN) is influential in the professional development of Latina employees and increasing business integration. Recently, HHN held a networking event that provided Latina employees the opportunity to network with senior leaders in the company. Latinas at Prudential Financial can take advantage of generous continuous education reimbursements at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Grace Torres is vice president of Mutual Fund Investments for Prudential Investments, a position she has held since 1994. Her responsibilities include the direction and management of mutual fund administration for all mutual funds managed and/or administered by the company. Torres is also the treasurer of the Prudential Mutual Funds Unit.
 

The Procter & Gamble Company
As the producer of many of America’s most used and trusted brands, The Procter & Gamble Company has long realized that having a workforce that reflects the diversity of its markets and customer base is a key component of its continued success. The company has several Hispanic employee groups including the Hispanic Leadership Team (HLT) that works to recruit, retain, and advance Latinas, as well as strengthen The Procter & Gamble Company’s Hispanic community. In 2006, HLT sponsored Latinnovation. The event included workshops on a number of business topics and gave Latina employees the opportunity to learn from top P&G executives, including CEO AG Lafley. Additionally, each Latina employee has the opportunity to receive specific web-based leadership or management training through an individualized Personal Development Plan that The Procter & Gamble Company provides to all employees.
Melanie P. Healy joined The Procter & Gamble Company in 1990 as the brand manager for Phebo Soap in her native country, Brazil. Since then, she has held a number of positions throughout the company, including her current post as group president, Global Feminine & Health Care GBU.
 

Verizon Communications, Inc.
For the telecommunications giant Verizon Communications, Inc., diversity is part of corporate culture enforced from the top down. The company holds management executives accountable for promoting diversity and has created an incentive system to ensure success. Latinas are directly recruited through partnerships with universities and professional organizations such as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) and the National Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Once an employee, Latinas can take advantage of various programs created to provide support and further their success in the company. These include: the Hispanic Support Organization, the Hispanic Professional Development Workshop and Women’s Association of Verizon Employees. The company offers various benefits such as scholarships for children of employees, on-site childcare centers, and generous leave for childbirth and adoption.

As vice president of Workplace Culture, Diversity and Compliance in Corporate Human Resources for Verizon Communications, Inc., Magda Yrizarry is responsible for strategic human resources issues and policies relating to diversity, ethics and workplace programs.

 

Wachovia
Wachovia views a diverse workforce and the inclusion of all its employees as imperatives and keys to its success as a financial service provider. It recruits Latinas through partnerships with the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPHA) and the Hispanic Alliance of Career Enhancement (HACE). The company’s Women’s Employee Resource Network and Women with Wachovia initiative are programs within the company that identify and recruit potential Latina talent. They also provide mentoring to Latinas once they are part of the Wachovia team. In the bank’s Talent Identification and Talent Movement Program, diversity is a factor in the identification of high potential employees that will receive career development training and fulfill stretch assignment needs. Wachovia offers 100 percent tuition reimbursement for continuous education courses and provides childcare centers and subsidies to all employees.

Rosie Saez is the senior vice president and director of Wachovia’s Leadership Practices Group. Past positions at the bank include regional manager of its Community Development Group where her team sought to increase lending to low and moderate income individuals, small businesses, and affordable housing developers through public and private partnerships.

Honorable Mention Companies:
• Bausch & Lomb
• Freddie Mac
• Sprint Nextel Corporation
• United Technologies Corporation
• UnitedHealthcare, Inc.