Negocios Now is the Hispanic Business Publication in Chicago with National Distribution
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/963180
www.negociosnow.com Julio 2017 15 of Chicago's Department of Family and Support Services and executive director of Erie Neighborhood House, where he founded the Erie Elementary Charter School. SOL FLORES, Executive Director Entity: La Casa Norte Website: www. lacasanorte.org Sol Flores' work at the helm of La Casa Norte has earned her widespread praise both locally and nationally, including the White House Champion of Change Award. She became the founding executive director in 2002, leading an organization dedicated to serving youth and families confronting homelessness. Since opening its doors, La Casa Norte has served more than 25,000 homeless and at-risk individuals from over 60 different zip codes across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The agency is re-shaping the provider landscape and community by offering a continuum of innovative programs that increase housing stability through a partnership of rich services. JESUS "CHUY" GARCIA, Cook County Commissioner, (7th) Entity: Cook County Board of Commissioners Website: www.jesus chuygarcia.com Jesus "Chuy" García forced the fi rst mayoral run-off election in Chicago's history, rising to national prominence in 2015 for his bid against incumbent Rahm Emanuel. This campaign was only the latest in a career of public service. García has represented the 7th district on the Cook County Board since 2010, committed to advocating for the most vulnerable, increasing transparency, and being a good steward of public resources. He was fi rst elected to the Chicago City Council in 1986 in the 22nd ward and later became the fi rst-ever Mexican-American elected to the Illinois Senate. He also founded the Little Village Community Development Corporation, now called Enlace Chicago. MARICELA GARCIA, CEO Entity: Gads Hill Center Website: www. gadshillcenter.org Maricela is the recipient of the Negocios Now Community Champion Award. Read her full bio on page 22.. JUAN GAYTAN JR., President and Founder Entity: Monterrey Security Website: www. monterreysecurity. com Juan is the recipient of the Negocios Now Business of the Year Award. Read his full bio on page 8. DR. ANA GIL GARCIA, Professor, Fulbright Scholar Liaison Network Entity: Northeastern Illinois University Website: www. neiu.edu/ Ana Gil Garcia is a tenured professor at Northeastern Illinois University, an author and an esteemed community leader. Highly decorated, she is considered one of the 100 most infl uential Hispanics in the United States and one of the 30 most visionary women in higher education. She is a fi ve-time Fulbright Scholar and past president of the Fulbright Chapter of Chicago. She has taught for more than 30 years at all levels and has worked in higher education management with a particular focus on international education activism and sustainable, distributed leadership. An ardent believer in democracy, she leads the local political movement against the Venezuelan regime. REY B. GONZALEZ, President and CEO Entity: El Valor Website: www. elvalor.net Rey Gonzalez has been an integral part of El Valor for more than 30 years, fi rst as a member of its board and now as president and CEO, helping shape it into one of the largest Hispanic-serving organizations in the country. On the board, he connected El Valor to national leaders in corporations, government, universities, media and the community, and as president, he fulfi lls its mission to support and challenge urban families, including people with disabilities, the disenfranchised and the underserved, to achieve excellence and participate fully in community life. Gonzalez also co-founded and serves as board chairman of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ, U.S. Representative (4th) Entity: United States House of Representatives Website: www. gutierrez.house. gov Now in his twelfth term, Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez (D) is the senior member of the Illinois delegation in the U.S. House. He is nationally recognized for his tireless leadership championing issues of particular importance to Latino and immigrant communities. He has been at the center of every major legislative debate on immigration reform and immigration issues for more than a dozen years and played an instrumental role in advocating for President Obama's executive action on DACA. He serves on the Judiciary Committee and Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and co-chairs the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. LUIS GUTIERREZ, Chief Executive Offi cer Entity: Latinos Progresando Website: www. LatinosPro.org Luis Gutierrez founded Latinos Progresando in 1998 in a small offi ce on 18th Street with $200 in the bank, and he has built a community institution that serves more than 25,000 families. Latinos Progresando offers immigrants in Pilsen and Little Village the highest quality, low-cost legal immigration services, community education and engagement, and policy advocacy/ organizing. Gutierrez also founded the Marshall Square Resource Network, a 20-organization coalition on the southwest side that meets monthly for capacity- building and development of collective impact strategies. Among other roles, he is on the board of directors of the ACLU of Illinois and the Latino Policy Forum. MARCO E. JACOME, MA, LPC, CSADC, CEAP, Chief Executive Offi cer Entity: Healthcare Alternative Systems, Inc. Website: www. Hascares.org Marco Jacome is known throughout the state and nation as a respected authority on addiction and substance abuse treatment. He has more than 30 years of experience in the fi eld of social services, and he has been CEO of Illinois' leading and largest Hispanic behavioral health provider, Healthcare Alternative Systems, since 1990. Under his leadership the organization has grown from an operating budget of $1.8 million to $8 million, and from four facilities in the Chicago area to 10. Jacome is deeply involved with the federal Hispanic Latino Caucus at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and he has served on state-level commissions and task forces. FIDEL MARQUEZ, JR., Senior Vice President, Legislative and External Affairs Chief Governmental and Community Relations Offi cer Entity: ComEd Website: www.ComEd.com Fidel Marquez is nearly 40 years into an illustrious career at ComEd, where he started as an engineering intern and has worked in almost all areas, including HR, IT, fi nance, operations, government relations and public affairs. He has also worked directly with customers. In his current role, he is responsible for the overall leadership of ComEd's legislative affairs in the State of Illinois as well as relationship management with the City of Chicago and more than 400 municipalities, large commercial and industrial customers, and community and civic organizations in northern Illinois. In addition, Marquez is responsible for leading ComEd's economic development strategy. IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, State Senator (20th) Entity: Illinois General Assembly Website: www. SenatorIris YMartinez.com When Iris Martinez became a state senator in 2003, it marked the fi rst time a Hispanic woman had been elected to the offi ce in Illinois. She made history once again by serving as assistant majority leader from 2007 to 2008, a position never before held by a Latina. She has used her offi ce to advocate for affordable housing, expanding healthcare access and ensuring seniors, children and the disabled receive proper care. Sen. Martinez has also been a tireless promoter of programs that improve the quality of education in the state. She chairs the Senate's Licensed Activities and Pensions Committee and she is vice- chair of the Energy and Public Utilities Committee. SUSANA A. MENDOZA, Comptroller of Illinois Entity: State of Illinois Website: https:// illinoiscomptroller. gov Susana Mendoza was the fi rst woman ever elected to the offi ce of Chicago City Clerk, and in 2016, she became the fi rst Hispanic to ever run for and win a statewide offi ce as a Democrat. She got her political start at 28 as a state representative, when, in 2000, she joined the General Assembly as its youngest member and later co-founded the fi rst Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus. After six terms she became City Clerk, where, among other things, she created a year-round sales program for city vehicle stickers that brought in more money for the city, cost less and better served 1.3 million customers. DAVID OLIVENCIA, Managing Director Entity: Accenture Website: www. accenture.com David Olivencia is a business strategy and IT executive who has delivered measurable business results at Global 500 organizations and prominent international non-profi ts. He is a thought leader on technology's impact on business and corporate governance and has addressed these issues before the U.S. Congress, NASDAQ Opening Bell, BusinessWeek, and others. He currently leads the Journey to Cloud Program for Accenture's Health & Public Service customers, and he previously worked at Nippon Telegraph and Telephone, Ford Motor Company, Oracle, Verizon and Softtek. Among other positions, he is on the board of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute. GREGG ONTIVEROS, CEO Entity: Group O, Inc. Website: www. GroupO.com Gregg Ontiveros' entrepreneurial spirit and can-do philosophy helped bring Group O from a startup business into the $710-million diversifi ed services fi rm it is today. As principal owner and CEO of Group O, he has provided the vision necessary to attract marquee clients who represent a veritable who's who of America's most respected brands, including AT&T, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Best Buy, Caterpillar, John Deere, Staples and Michelin. By creating innovative marketing, packaging and supply chain solutions, Ontiveros and Group O have helped these and many other Fortune 500 companies turn their most complex business challenges into centers of profi tability and effi ciency. JORGE PEREZ, Executive Director Entity: Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA) Website: www. haciaworks.org Jorge Perez leads the state's premier construction industry membership and advocacy organization for Hispanics, a position he has held for fi ve years, increasing the HACIA membership to more than 300. HACIA aims to achieve equitable participation in the construction industry for its members, while also promoting the growth, quality of work, professionalism and integrity of these individuals and businesses. Perez has also served as president of the Calumet Area Industrial Commission, deputy commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation and vice president of strategic planning and policy for the CTA. He chairs the City of Chicago Community Development Commission. PHIL PONCE, Host of Chicago Tonight Entity: WTTW11 Website: www. WTTW.org Phil Ponce conducts nightly interviews with newsmakers, authors and artists or moderates panels on topics ranging from business and medicine to the arts and education as host of Chicago Tonight, a nightly television magazine of news and culture. He has moderated major state and national debates, worked as an anchor on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and written a column for the Chicago Tribune. He also spent nine years as a reporter at WBBM- TV in Chicago. Ponce has a law degree from the University of Michigan, and he practiced law for six years before becoming a journalist. MARIA DE J. PRADO Entity: Prado & Renteria, CPAs Prof. Corp. Website: www. pradorenteria.com Maria Prado is partner, president, and co-founder of Prado & Renteria Certifi ed Public Accountants, the largest Hispanic-owned CPA fi rm in Illinois, which has served clients in Chicago, nationally and internationally since it was established in 1990. Prado & Renteria provides clients with business solutions that create growth and sustainability. Prado brings more than 20 years of auditing and accounting experience to the fi rm, and she has extensive knowledge of fi nancial reporting requirements and effective internal control structures. She got her bachelor's in accounting from UIC and is a member of the American Institute of Certifi ed Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society. SYLVIA PUENTE, Executive Director Entity: Latino Policy Forum Website: www. latinopolicyforum. org Sylvia Puente is known nationally and internationally for her expertise on immigration policy, More '50 Latinos' on Page 16