Negocios Now

NegociosNow www.negociosnow.com Octubre 2013 9 USHCC Foundation, Group O award scholarship to Hispanic MBA student T Photo Ammar Najjar (From left) Group O Founder & Chairman Bob Ontiveros; Notre Dame MBA student Marcus Arroyo; Group O CEO Gregg Ontiveros; and USHCC Chairman Marc Rodriguez. he United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Group O awarded a $10,000 scholarship to Marcus Arroyo, an MBA student at the University of Notre Dame and a Navy lieutenant. Announced September 17 during the USHCC's 34th Annual National Convention in Chicago, the scholarship is the first of five annual awards stemming from a $50,000 commitment by Group O, a business process outsourcing provider that ranks among the largest Latinoowned businesses in the nation. After graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy, Arroyo earned the rank of lieutenant during his seven years in the Navy. He served aboard ship in Japan and at a joint service IT communications facility in Germany. Upon completing his MBA studies, Arroyo plans to pursue a career in technology consulting. "I am so thankful for the opportunity that Group O and the USHCC have afforded me." Arroyo said. "Being awarded this year's scholarship is not only symbolic of their generosity, but also of the strong business community that Hispanics continue to forge. The award has helped ease the costs of my MBA program, and it has emboldened me even more to support the Hispanic community throughout my pro- fessional career. I am very excited about the path ahead, and I know I too will soon be paying it forward." USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez said the Chamber applauds Group O for doing its part to help grow tomorrow's business leaders. "These scholarships will allow young people to attain higher education, placing them one step closer to fulfilling their dreams," Palomarez said. Group O CEO Gregg Ontiveros said his company's support of promising post-graduate students is a prudent investment in the future of this country and beyond. "Our philosophy is that everyone wins when people are given an opportunity to show what they can do," Ontiveros said. "The next generation of Hispanic business leaders will need to be prepared to lead and compete on a global level, and we're excited to partner with USHCC to help make that happen." Headquartered in Milan, Ill., Group O employs more than 1,500 and specializes in marketing services, business analytics, supply chain operations and strategic packaging solutions. It is a Corporate Plus member of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, a National Minority Supplier of the Year honoree, and it is recognized by the USHCC as a Top 5 Latino-owned Business. Liberty Power awards $20,000 in scholarships at USHCC convention Liberty Power's CEO Named "Businessman of the Year" by the USHCC. David Hernandez Hernandez accepted his award during the closing gala. L iberty Power, the nation's largest independent retail electric supplier, announced the winners of its inaugural Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship program. A result of a collaborative effort between Liberty Power and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation, the scholarship program awarded three college students a total of $20,000 at the USHCC National Convention held Sept. 15-17 in Chicago. The program is geared toward eligible college students pursuing educations in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) with an interest in energy or environmental careers. The selection committee awarded one $10,000 grand prize and two runner-up prizes of $5,000 each. The recipients were honored by David Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Liberty Power, and the USHCC during the convention's closing gala Sept. 17. The $10,000 scholarship was awarded to Tatiana Narvaez, who is earning her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Rice University. "I am honored to be a recipient of Liberty Power's Bright Horizons Scholarship mostly because I can be a role model to other Hispanic women pursuing careers in engineering," Narvaez said. "This award not only gives me a sense of accomplishment for all my hard work, but it also helps me continue my goal in providing the future's energy as well as protecting the environment, and for that I am thankful." The two $5,000 scholarships were awarded to Jonathan Taylor Fairey, an undergraduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in industrial and systems engineering, and Lawrence Valverde, who is earning his doctorate degree in materials science at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign. "I've always been intrigued by energy and how it is generated and transmitted and how it affects the environment," Fairey said. "With the support of this scholarship, I look forward to continuing my education and pursuing a career in energy." "Receiving the Bright Horizons Scholarship carries great meaning for me," Valverde said. "As a young Hispanic pursuing graduate studies in STEM fields, I hope to inspire and provide confidence to my younger peers to pursue careers in STEM as well." "I was very impressed with our first-ever group of Bright Horizons Scholarship winners; it has been a privilege spending time with them," Hernandez said. "We are delighted to partner with the USHCC Foundation as we continue to support bright young minds pursuing their educational goals." Marc Rodriguez, USHCC Chairman of the Board, said: "Liberty Power's devotion to our nation's foremost duty – preparing our youth for the challenges and opportunities of the future – is commendable, and we are honored to partner with them in this endeavor." Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Liberty Power is the first certified minority-owned supplier with a national footprint and the largest Hispanic-owned energy company in the United States according to Hispanic Business. Photo Ammar Najjar The winners of the inaugural Liberty Power Bright Horizons Scholarship program were honored at a gala during the USHCC 2013 Convention. (From left) David Hernandez, co-founder and CEO of Liberty Power; grand prize winner Tatiana Narvaez; and runners-up Lawrence Valverde and Jonathan Taylor Fairey.

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