The 2009 LATINA Style 50 Special Report

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s oldest and largest not-for-profit health maintenance organizations, is creating never-before-seen opportunities for Latinas. Approximately 13 percent of their workforce is Latina and 74 percent employed are women. Their commitment to diversity includes the development of a diverse workforce and the delivery of culturally competent care to its customers. Under the direction of their National Diversity Council, Kaiser Permanente plays an important role in advancing culturally competent care that acknowledges cultural diversity in the clinical setting and ensuring that cultural needs are considered and respected at every point of interaction. Kaiser Permanente’s Latino Staff Association (KPLA) is a serious part of its workforce diversity infrastructure. Its mission is to attract, inspire, support and retain Latinos to achieve their full potential at all levels at Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser Permanente also has been in the forefront educating local, state and national policy makers on the critical policies related to health care, insurance and health care providers.

Diana M. Bontá demonstrates true Latina leadership. As vice president of Public Affairs for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Bontá directs Kaiser’s public policy agenda, provides oversight in community and government relations, grant management, corporate communications and media relations. Bontá was appointed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Minority Health in 2008. Before joining Kaiser in 2004, Bontá lead numerous initiatives to address critical public health issues and health protection programs for 35 million California residents as director of Health Services for the State of California. LATINA Style applauds Kaiser Permanente for its proven commitment to diversity to represent its culturally diverse clients. 

AT&T Inc.

AT&T’s mission is simple: connect people to their world. By doing so, AT&T broadens its base to provide services in an all-inclusive setting. Since 1988, AT&T’s Leadership Development Program has allowed hundreds of employees who successfully complete the program to move swiftly onto prominent positions in the company. AT&T continues its mission to include diversity in their workforce and has done so with great success. In 2008, 46.25 percent of AT&T new hires were women and 14 percent were Hispanic. LATINA Style recognizes their effort and is proud to feature AT&T as one of the top companies for Latinas to work for.

Year after year, AT&T establishes commitment to aid and progress not only for the Hispanic community, but for other communities throughout the world. The company currently conducts business in more than 160 languages. To better communicate with the Hispanic community online, AT&T has a full-service Spanish-language Web site, (www.español.att.com) that allows customers to communicate its concerns without language barriers. AT&T rewards countless grants to the Hispanic community to help at-risk sectors develop and mature into successful entities.

As senior vice president of Merger Transition for AT&T Services, Inc., Norma Martinez Lozano is responsible for mergers related to rebranding and ensuring the implementation of the AT&T/BellSouth merger conditions. Lozano began her career with Southwestern Bell in 1979 as a network engineer in San Antonio, Texas. In 1994, Lozano became the first Hispanic to be appointed as officer of the former SBC Communications. Following diversity marketing, Lozano was appointed to serve as president of diversified businesses where she was responsible for five distinct business units which included: operator services, public communications, paging, messaging and video services. 

Marriott International, Inc.

Marriott is committed to diversity at every level of the company. Regional diversity and inclusion councils ensure their diversity strategy is implemented at the local markets with initiatives that include strategic partnerships. Marriott is an active member of the National Supplier Development Council nationally and works with local councils throughout the U.S. Marriott maintains a presence at both the national and local levels of business striving for multicultural representation.

Their diversity ownership initiative helps to attract and develop relationships with quality minded minority and female owners and franchisees, supporting them through every step of the development process. Recruitment campaigns, leadership development programs, diversity communications, conferences and other outreach to employees allow Marriott to gain the best employees. Marriott’s philanthropic contributions continue to help the Hispanic community with leadership programs aiming to train the next generation for the careers in the hotel industry. Marriott is proud to embrace associates of different backgrounds, perspectives and talents. Women represent more than half of their workforce, 54.5 percent are women and 28.3 percent are Latina.

Brenda Durham is the vice president and assistant general counsel who serves as primary legal counsel for Marriott’s hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. She has a comprehensive practice that includes negotiating financial, equity and management agreement transactions and developing owner relationship and dispute resolution. Durham also serves as Marriot’s department group leader for international lodging operations.

Durham was born in Belleville, New Jersey and speaks fluent Spanish. She earned her B.A. magna cum laude in 1986 from the University of Utah and earned her J.D. in 1989 from the George Washington University Law School. 

Verizon Communications, Inc.

The ability for its employees to directly reflect Verizon’s commitment to diversity as a successful business strategy is the reason why Verizon was ranked as one of the best companies for Latinas to work for in the U.S. Verizon hires a wide range of individuals and actively recruits employees with diverse styles, backgrounds and skill sets. Verizon also forms strategic partnerships with colleges, universities and professional and community-based organizations. Several recruitment programs to promote awareness and recruit diverse talent include: The National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s, the National Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. The diverse minds, experiences, culture and unique perspectives of employees are what give Verizon a competitive advantage.

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

Yrizarry previously held the position as the director of operations and national workforce development programs for Verizon Foundation, the companys’ philanthropic arm, where she was responsible for managing the organization’s $75 million budget and overseeing a workforce development portfolio that included scholarship programs, diversity initiatives and economic development projects.

When Yrizarry joined Verizon in 1990 as manager of education relations, she oversaw corporate responsibility and educational initiatives as well as volunteer programs like the New York State Mentoring Program, School–Based Management and junior Achievement. Yrizarry is a founding member of 100 Hispanic Women and holds a Bachelor of Science and master’s degree from Cornell University. 

Southern California Edison

Southern California Edison aims to create a diverse environment. Their commitment to having Latinas reflect the clientele it serves is imperative to create an inclusive workplace.

Southern California Edison offers Latina employees resources to promote relationships with internal organizations, business and civic communities.

Southern California Edison supports the diverse workplace by offering programs to assist Latinas once they are a part of the Southern California Edison family. Latino Employees Association for Diversity (LEAD) promotes professional and personal development along with networking opportunities and a support system.

Southern California Edison also serves as a resource for efforts to enhance Hispanic participation by promoting its rich culture and tradition. Southern California Edison’s long standing support of blood drives, the Cesar Chavez Annual Walk and Las Casas de Gabriel Community Center Teen Violence Prevention Program helps assist the Latino community through educational awareness and scholarships.

Paula Campbell, Southern California Edison’s SmartConnect program director focuses on developing a new advanced metering system through an industry collaborative process to facilitate energy demand reduction through consumer price response. Campbell manages the project controls, budget management, contract management, organizational change management, and strategic planning functions for the program. Her 17 years with Southern California Edison have included project and organizational leadership roles and responsibilities in customer communication organization operations, and information technology system development, among others.

Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, provides quality financial services to millions throughout the world. Prudential’s diversity commitment is a building block to their success. Prudential strives for different viewpoints in their everyday operations to provide the best quality of service possible. In the Hispanic community, Prudential encourages enrollment in the Hispanic Heritage Network, which is a viable resource to anyone interested in gaining knowledge on how to have a culturally diverse workplace. Latinas currently hold 75 percent of leadership positions on the Hispanic Heritage Network leadership board. Prudential encourages new ideas and appreciates what a diverse workplace will do for a successful business.

Prudential’s resources allow them to successfully implement creative and diverse strategies in order to aid the community and its clients. Doing business in 37 countries gives Prudential the opportunity to bring to the table people who offer unique perspectives, ultimately benefiting the company.

Michelle Greenland is the vice president and chief of staff to the executive vice president and chief operating officer to the U.S. businesses. Greenland has been responsible for the human resources shared services function that supports two-thirds of the company. She has provided strategic support to the organization in the management of company and departmental programs since joining Prudential in 1978. Greenland has held various systems positions such as individual insurance business, where she was responsible for department administration functions. Greenland still contributes to Prudential not only as a leader but as an upstanding Latina in the financial sector. LATINA Style recognizes Prudential Financial, Inc. as one of the top companies for Latinas to work for with great confidence. 

Macy’s, Inc.

Diversity is a business imperative for Macy’s, Inc. Their commitment to diversity involves all areas of business whether in advertising, consumer relations or training. Working also with a diverse set of vendors ensures distinctive merchandise development and deep connections in communities through contributions, sponsorships and volunteerism.

To insure that the pool of potential recruits include Hispanics, Macy’s recruitment efforts include the Hispanic Scholarship Foundation which serves institutions as part of their mission to provide careers to qualified Hispanics. Macy’s employees stand committed to support a diverse and inclusive environment. Through programs such as Diversity Education, Diversity Awareness and Diversity Leadership, the message is active at all levels throughout the company. It is greatly encouraged from executives, associates, vendors and customers.

Macy’s successfully continues to incorporate a diverse workforce in all programs and avenues. Macy’s workforce reflects its diversity commitment; women represent 76 percent of their workforce and 65 percent of management. Hispanic women roles include regional vice president and store managers. LATINA Style applauds Macy’s for not only recognizing the value of diversity but also recognizing the value of Latinas in the workplace.

Laurene Gandolfo, senior vice president of Macy’s Merchandising Group, has lived the American dream. A daughter of Cuban immigrants, Gandolfo graduated from Brandeis University and pursued a MBA from New York University. Soon after, Macy’s offered Gandolfo a job as a senior assistant buyer for Men’s designs. She continues to thrive at Macy’s where she is a buyer for Men’s, Intimate Apparel Hosiery and Socks, Food, Candy and Christmas merchandise and vice president of Home Textiles.

Johnson & Johnson

Differences help connect Johnson & Johnson with the health needs of people in communities around the world. Attracting, developing, and retaining a base of employees that reflects the diversity of customers is essential to success. Success hinges on relationships with diverse professional and patient organizations, civic groups, and suppliers.

Johnson & Johnson champion’s diversity by offering resources that increase awareness and appreciation of how diversity helps maximize the effectiveness of the products and services it provides. As they move closer to achieving the vision, Johnson & Johnson helps establish important insights that drive innovation for the benefit of customers, employees, and communities.

Johnson & Johnson partners with Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Achievement (HOLA) to gain access to qualified and talented Hispanics, the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), and the National Society of Hispanic MBAs, (NSHMBA).

Denice Torres is the vice president of U.S. Sales and Marketing for Johnson & Johnson Wound Management, a division of Ethicon, Inc. She has held various leadership roles in the past. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson in 2005 she was the vice president of Marketing for Ortho-McNeil Neurologics.
Throughout her career, Torres has been recognized for achieving exceptional business results. She credits this to her focus on developing an inspirational vision, fostering high performance teams, and identifying innovative solutions to meet customer needs.

Torres holds a M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from Indiana University School of Law and a B.S. in Psychology from Ball State University.

LATINA Style congratulates Johnson & Johnson for its innovative vision to become all inclusive to its customers and clients alike.

WellPoint, Inc.

Diversity is at the forefront of WellPoint’s business model. WellPoint recognizes the unique approach on being able to reach everyone by addressing the community’s needs and concerns. It has demonstrated its commitment to diversity in the workforce and workplace, which translates to the marketplace. Diversity is a concept that is incorporated into every aspect of business. It’s also a guiding principle in the relationship WellPoint establishes between associates, partners and consumers in order to better serve their clients. The result is ultimately a better understanding of the challenges people encounter in day-to-day life, and to have a greater ability to improve health care and quality of life.

WellPoint strives to attract associates from many walks of life, diverse backgrounds, experiences, and extraordinary dedication to fulfill WellPoint’s mission: to improve the lives of the people we serve and the health of our communities.

At the core of WellPoint’s unique diversity initiative is diversity training and education programs. KnowledgeStart, an online diversity toolkit, provides practical tools on how to create dialogue about and effectively manage diversity-related situations.

Tammy Truxillo Tucker has been in the health insurance industry for over 25 years. As vice president of account management for WellPoint’s California plan, she oversees 4,700 commercial clients, with an estimated $4 billion in revenue. She has developed an account management strategy to ensure WellPoint’s growth which aides to a more diverse client base.

LATINA Style congratulates WellPoint for striving for total inclusion of all its clients it serves. Not only will it benefit WellPoint but also the community who looks to WellPoint in its desire for quality health care. 

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. believes business wins when everyone matters and the true strength of diversity is unleashed when each associate is encouraged to reach their full potential. Diversity then becomes the foundation for an inclusive, sustainable business that embraces and respects differences, develops associates, serves customers and partners with communities. Wal-Mart strives to make diversity a part of their business plan, ensuring to be a global leader in all aspects of diversity and inclusion. Through the Hispanic/Latino Associate Resource Group, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is able to support the promotion of Hispanic/Latino culture and values for the mutual benefit of the company and communities it serves.

Their commitment to diversity and inclusion helps serve Wal-Mart customers better, more than 176 million every week and it helps provide a positive work environment for associates, more than 2.1 million worldwide.

Gisel Ruiz is proud of her 17 years with Wal-Mart. In 2006, Ruiz was promoted to vice president, regional general manager, responsible for 150 Wal-Mart stores located in the Western Texas and New Mexico region. She was named senior vice president of people for Wal-Mart Stores in October 2008 where she leads HR organizations for over 3,800 stores across the Unites States.

Ruiz has been recognized for her ability to lead and teach associates, by mentoring and helping them to develop their careers as Wal-Mart associates. In 2008, she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Powerful Minority Women in Business by the Minority Enterprise Executive Council. Most recently, Wal-Mart announced the appointment of L. Mecole “Cole” Brown to Chief Diversity Officer. She will be responsible for the oversight and coordination of the diversity strategy for Wal-Mart’s U.S. business. It is with great honor to recognize Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. as one of LATINA Style’s top 50 companies for Latinas to work for.

IBM Corporation

IBM is a true leader incorporating diversity into their every day operations. As their demographics changed, IBM has adapted the workplace to be more flexible and began to focus on work-life integration. Over the past 5 years, IBM has introduced many core values, which helps implement diversity in the workplace. IBM’s focus on advancement of Hispanic women ensures that all employees have an opportunity to develop into successful leaders.

IBM recruits Hispanic women via career fairs and professional associations such as the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA), Society of Mexican American Scientists (MAES); to name a few.
IBM strives to increase visibility and recognition of Latinas to serve as role models which ultimately supports initiatives aimed at Hispanic women. LATINA Style congratulates IBM on its efforts to boldly promote Hispanic women at all levels of IBM.

IBM America’s CFO and vice president of finance planning, Natalia Maria Ruderman, has more than 20 years of experience within IBM’s finance operations. She has lead worldwide financial consolidation efforts for the integrated supply chain organization responsible for IBM’s nearly $6 billion worldwide cost reduction activities and for the financial metrics of the unit’s $3 billion plan.

Ruderman was born and raised in Venezuela moving on to Portugal and then New York. She has also lived in Paris, Mexico, and Beijing and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French, English and a little Chinese. She is a past member of the Financial Women’s Association and a member of the High School Mentoring committee and has been active in local mentoring groups.

McDonald’s Corporation

Diversity is an essential part of McDonald’s business strategy to communicate to its employers the diverse nature in which McDonalds aims to be. Diversity practices are implemented on a global level by choosing suppliers that represent the communities it serves.

McDonald’s Hispanic franchisees and employees continue to participate in leadership programs to better understand and serve the Hispanic consumer market. As a result, they developed the Hispanic Business Vision which is designed to make the brand more appealing and inviting to McDonald’s Hispanic employees, franchisees, suppliers and customers.

Seminars were one of the first diversity initiatives undertaken by McDonald’s, by employee networks in the mid ’70s. Today, they include the National Hispanic Employee Network, McDonald’s Hispanic Owner/Operators Association, Hispanic Leadership Council, Hispanic Steering Committee and the National McDonald’s Diversity Advisory Council, among others.

As executive vice president of McDonald’s, Gloria Santona leads McDonald’s worldwide legal, compliance, regulatory and corporate governance functions. As part of McDonald’s senior leadership team, Santona is also actively involved in the company’s strategic direction and growth. Santona has fostered the legal department’s diversity efforts and on-going engagement in pro-bono legal services, which have garnered the McDonald’s Legal Department awards in recognition of the legal and educational services it has provided to underserved communities.

Santona serves on the Boards of the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago. She has received numerous awards, earning the Women with Vision Award from the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.