The Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology has featured his work, and he was recently hand picked by Anna Wintour to head CFDA’s Fashion Incubator next season. Blake Lively, Carrie Underwood, Elizabeth Banks, Eva Longoria, Jessica Biel, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and Rose Byrne are just some of the many celebrities who are now fans and customers, and stores like Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue have been retailing his designs with great success.

Christian launched his own line after graduating from Parsons in 2005 with a BA in Fine Arts specializing in hand embroideries Christian founded his eponymous company and launched his first collection in 2007. Since then his rapid ascent and the respect he has gained in a capricious industry is outstanding.  A “business first” philosophy has undeniably been key for his success.

But behind the businessman, I catch a glimpse of the core of the brand: The artist, who shyly but yet ever glamorously talks abut the perfect strands of pearls through which his grandmother imbedded a true sense of elegance. The painter who can still produce up to 200 prints a day, works of art that are later transformed into unique silk patterns. The dreamer who literally locks himself up in his studio at nights to transform bolts of fabric into ethereal gowns. These are the gestures that create true magic, the essence of his work: the pure desire of making women feel beautiful.

Christian was only 10 years old when his artistic inclinations had him enrolled in art courses at the Instituto Bellas Artes in Mexico City, where he was born. By 18, he had landed in Paris, pursuing a degree in fine art. “It was one of the most wonderful times of my life,” he shares. “I worked 14 hours straight and would, for example, spend a whole day at a cemetery painting … and I was completely happy and complete. Without a doubt this was one of the most fulfilling experiences I have ever had. It was then that I learned about perspective, color, technique… but above everything I learned to enjoy the process, to observe.”

LATINO LEADERS: When did you first realize you would become a designer

CHRISTIAN COTA: I was 16, and there was a design contest at my high school in Mexico sponsored by Levis;  purpose was to transform a pair of jeans and a jeans jacket… I won the contest and knew this meant something bigger than that moment.  After that, there were two life changing experiences that drove me into this direction:  The first was a Balenciaga exhibit that I visited while studying in Paris. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of what was achievable in fashion through technology, and this really made an impact on me. I thought for the first time about how through design I could combine both fashion and art. I fell in love with that concept.

The second one was when I stood in front of the House of Dior, also in Paris. I was completely inspired by the fantasy, the dream, the glamour… I would think about what Dior’s life had been like, what he meant to women at his time. It is clear to me that if I had pursued art I would have never achieved the goal of making women feel beautiful. At the end of the day that is the only thing that matters to me, there is no greater satisfaction than having a woman tell me she felt like a princess and received the best compliments of her life wearing one of my design.

LL: Who or what was your earliest influence?

CC: My greatest influence was my grandmother because she was very disciplined when it came to fashion. She would never wear the same outfit twice, was always perfectly coiffed and her pearls were impeccable. She taught me that a woman could convey a lot through her image, that what she wore spoke to people, especially in her times. Through her, I learned about the power of image, and how women could use that power to their advantage. It opened my eyes to the fact that I could help women in that way, by empowering them, making tools like assertiveness available to them, to not have them taken for granted. When a woman knows how to dress and has an objective, nothing can stop he

LL: After working in this industry for so many years, how has your perspective on women changed?

CC: The most important thing that I have learned is to listen. When I started, I thought it was all about my vision, my fantasy. But as I developed relationships with my customers, I started to learn about the practicality of my designs: whether the corset was too low, the hem too high…  what works and what doesn’t and adapt to my clients. Oscar de la Renta gave me the best advice of my career: “Grow with your clients, learn from them so you can offer what they need.” I never forgot that.

LL: What was the most challenging aspect of launching your own line?

CC: Everything was challenging! But the most difficult was to close the sales. It is extremely hard to gain the respect and confidence of this industry because even if buyers love your collection, they don’t know if you will be there the following season. There are many great designers who present an incredible first collection… and then you never hear from them again. So it is a risk for the buyers because they have to spend in advertising, PR etc., and they want to make sure they are investing in a solid business. So as a designer, you have to make sure that your business is healthy and concentrate on sales. At the end of the day, it is all about the numbers.

LL: What is the aspect of design that you enjoy the most?

CC: I love draping. When we close and everyone leaves the office I put on my slippers, play some music, empty out the tables and start playing with the fabrics. There is nothing in the world better than that. I dress the mannequins and let the fabric speak to me, I know it sounds cliché, but it is absolutely true.

LL: What is the Fashion Week experience like?

CC: Fashion Week is very intense, but I am very fortunate to have a great team behind me. I could not do what I do with out them. I believe that in fashion it is all about the team you surround yourself with because you can be very talented, but if you don’t have the team to realize your vision, you have nothing.

LL: Have your Latin roots contributed to or defined your style in any way?

CC: Mexico has always been my inspiration. All of my collections are inspired by it’s nature, landscapes, colors… but at the end of the day you have to cater and adapt to your customer. My customer is very feminine; in that way she is very Latin. She would, for example, get made up to go to the supermarket, something an American woman would not necessarily do. So there is the Latin element when I design for this customer in mind, but I don’t lean on this. I think you have to make something broader, offer something more general.

LL: What is your strength as a designer?

CC: What women look for in Christian Cota are primarily the prints, which are designed by me. I base them on original art work of mine, and from that we digitize them in order to come up with the finished product to be printed onto the fabric. Everything is done here. The second would be my draping, which is very feminine.

LL: What made you take the leap? So many designers dream about launching their own collection, but it is a gutsy move very few get away with.

CC: I don’t think about failure; I just go for it. Sometimes it can be nerve-wracking. I was very nervous when I was nominated for the CFDA Award and stood in front the judges, which included Anna Wintour. I was also very nervous when she came to my studio because I respect her opinion immensely. So there are very challenging moments and a lot of hard work. But when she said she liked my work, it gave me confidence that I am on the right path.

Another moment that reinforced my decision was when I was selected as the male women’s designer of the year by “Glamour” magazine in Mexico. Carolina Herrera was the female finalist, and I could not understand how we were both receiving the same award. It was such an honor, and it made me realize what was happening with my career.

LL: Many celebrities have worn your designs. Is there one that stands out as a particularly proud moment for you?\

CC: My favorite celebrity moment was when Blake Lively wore one of my dresses to the David Letterman Show. She was the first celebrity I dressed, and that will always be special. But I didn’t call my family to watch because I am too much of a perfectionist. I wanted to make sure the dress would look right, if it had been crooked or something I would have died. So only after I made sure everything went well, I told everyone about it.

Other women that inspire me are Lauren Santo Domingo and Lauren Remington Platt. I feel they embody the Christian Cota woman because they have this attitude that is fashionable but in a subtle way, where what they wear is secondary to how they wear it. They push me to take risks.

The other day, Lauren Santo Domingo looked at this deconstructed dress I was working on, but I had a moderate approach, so she told me, “Push it. Go all the way.” I followed her advice and that made it younger and European. She knows houses like Prada and Givenchy extremely well, and she shares that knowledge with me and inspires me to take risks.

LL: What is the point of departure your collections?

CC: It always varies, but mainly it is the combination between nature and personal experiences. For example, I was in Acapulco recently and there were beautiful manta rays swimming close by, and that inspired me to explore the texture and color of that image, the trace they leave in the water as they move. I created a series of aquatic prints based on that. My family lives in Tulum, and I am frequently just lost in the jungle enjoying nature, which I find incredibly inspiring.

I also love museums.  One season I was inspired by cubism and experimented with deconstruction. I would take dresses apart and sew them back together to get that cubist look. So it is always unexpected.

LL: What advice would you give to those designers who are just beginning?

CC: To concentrate on sales. Sometimes people are lured by fame and celebrities, but that does not last. It is the sales that will ensure your future. In my case, one week I am all about business and one week I am just a designer. This routine has given me the balance needed to be successful.

As we prepare to leave, Christian shows me the spring shoes he designed as part of Aldo’s “Rise” collaboration series, which highlights up-and-coming talent. A few days ater. he will be debuting his first collaboration with this brand, a capsule collection of fall boots inspired by his current mountain climbing themed fall line. Was it challenging to design shoes?

“I loved it,” he concludes with a wide smile. “It was a very natural process for me. I think I have found my voice as a designer, and I am very happy with my work.  Of course, I want to expand and eventually add knitwear, accessories… but I will do it when the time is right. I don’t want to rush and run faster than I should.”

s the bagpipes played across the castle lawn, accompanied by the ruffs and flams of the tightly tuned snare drums, guests sipped and savored scotch while watching the sun dip under the horizon of the Loch Ness.

Better settings a better writer could not envision or pen. Yet, this was the experience of more than 10 Latino journalists who traveled to Scotland for a five-day trip in late ay to experience the culture, the food, the people and, of course, her spirits.

From the opening night’s welcome dinner with renowned Master Blender for Buchanan’s, Maureen Robinson, to the culminating farewell dinner with Johnnie Walker Global Ambassador, Tom Jones, the event was as consistently entertaining as it was educational.

 An editorial disclaimer: Aside from the occasional sip at high-end functions, my experience with quality spirits has been very limited, so listening to a person like Robinson, whose combinations are tasted and sampled by connoisseurs all over the world, was like a rookie playing along with Michael Jordan.

Ever a gracious host, Robinson took us through some of the different Buchanan creations — the 12 year and 18 year blends provided us quite a spectrum of color and taste. This was the perfect introduction to such a trip, as we were immediately intrigued and engaged by Robinson’s vast experience and showcase. It was during this time that we even begin to learn much of the terminology that would be necessary on our trip: single barrel, double barrel, blends, etc.

As we followed Robinson’s suggestions to add water and ice to the various blends, the distinctions between the different preparations, and the ints and complexities of the Buchanan label became more apparent.  At this point, it was still hard to categorize the specific notes that Robinson was describing in great detail, but that would soon change as the week progressed. The night ended with anticipation for the rest of the week’s agenda.

The next morning, I had the first of four amazing experiences: waking up in Scotland.

Living in Dallas, Texas, I found the Scotland mornings a massive departure from the 100-degree plus temperatures I left during Memorial Day weekend. The heavy fog and persistent mist triggered memories of traveling to the nearby beach cities of my youth in Southern California.

A quick walk around the massive Gleneagles Hotel — it looks like more like an estate with golf courses for backyards — and I joined my comrades for some clay pigeon shooting at a nearby site. By Day 2 we were all feeling a little bit more Scottish, although the accents of my Latin American counterparts gave us away at times.

After some ego realignment provided by the clay shooting, we headed to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. Here is where we would truly get our first Master class in whisky courtesy of the Scotch Whisky Experience.

Internationally famous and a tourist site for many visiting Scotland, the Scotch Whisky Experience is one part amusement park, one part museum and another part magical. Boasting the world’s largest collection of scotch, the Experience is a chronological ride (literally) through the whisky-making process. Here we learned more about the deceptively simple in concept distillation process that creates the whisky. Whisky historian Christine McCafferty gave us mini-history lessons on the development of the Johnnie Walker label, including the rationale for its popularity in many Latin American countries. My how The Striding Man has changed over the years.

Armed with a wealth of knowledge about the creation process, we traveled to the sources on Day 3, with a stop at the Dalwhinnie distillery. By far the coldest destination on the trip, the distillery is majestically tucked away in the Highlands.  Once inside, we were able to see each phase of the distillation process — grinding the malt, adding the yeast before finally distilling the beer-like ‘wash’ that is made from the malt eventually being transformed into sugar. Never once in my pre-Scotland scotch experiences would I have imagined the process it took to create such crafted and complex spirits.

This experience proved valuable later during the tastings. The senses were starting to catch up to the senses. Those hard-to-note fragrances and nuances began to become more prominent with each new nugget of information. Questions we asked changed from, “How is whisky made?” to more specific questions about the distillation process and what makes a single malt different than a blend. We were becoming mini-ambassadors somewhat subconsciously.

We spent the night at Aldourie Castle, a well-kept treasure that sits along the shores of Loch Ness. Again, we knew we were in Scotland. Some traditional Highland games reassured us, nonetheless.

Here, on the eve of our final day, the group reveled in some light-hearted competition: archery, tug-of-war, and the like.

Finally, on the last day, we made it up to Cardhu Distillery, home to Johnnie Walker. I assumed that this distillery would be massive. It’s rare that you walk into a bar and not find Johnnie Walker, so I assumed this place had to be huge. It’s not. It’s a quiet, quaint production facility where they can properly assure the stringent quality control needed for Johnnie Walker.

As impressive as the distillation process was, we had yet to see the barrels, those necessary agents to make the distilled spirits into Scotch. A stop at the Cooperage took care of that, as we saw workers reassemble and create barrels specifically for whiskey production.

With our education complete, the night ended with that poetic afternoon on the lawn of the castle. Joined by Johnnie Walker Global Brand Ambassador Tom Jones, we enjoyed the finest of the Johnnie Walker portfolio, The Blue Label.

Jones is one of those truly larger-than-life characters. Apassion for whiskey and life, he taught us about the enjoyment of The Blue Label. During dinner, he provided entertainment as well, teaching us a little bit of Gaelic and we teaching him a little bit of Spanish.

So concluded a remarkable experience for us all. Having enjoyed Johnnie Walker several times since my return, I have one lament: Scoch tastes better in Scotland. Maybe it’s the people, the landscape, I haven’t figured it out yet.

Though not a native Scot, I share in the sentiment of the folk singer and poet John Imlach in his 19^th century piece, “Farewell to Scotland.”

An excerpt: 

Farewell, thou fair land! which, till life’s pulse shall persh,
Though doom’d to forego, I shall never forget;
Wherever I wander, for thee will I cherish
The dearest regard and the deepest regret.

E has never been more innovative; their website www.ecomagination.com is bursting with ideas and designed to inspire.  GM Garced oversees the marketing, communications, and sales teams of GE Energy’s go-to-market processes and frameworks, but her hands-on approach includes a firm grasp of the technology and nurturing new talent in all areas pertaining to the success of the energy division.  Amidst all that daunting and diverse responsibility, Delia remains highly proactive in the GE Women Network and Hispanic Forum.

Delia’s enduring passion for community in the workplace comes across full force. At her length of tenure, it is safe to say that her inclusive approach to nurturing talent can be perceived as GE company culture. Invested in the solid creation of meaningful team success, she has leveraged her considerable  talents especially well within the corporate hive and navigated wisely through a maze of positions on the GE corporate ladder.  For the benefit of those intrigued with the steep career rock-climb of Delia, here is a brief overview of her route. Moving on from Sales Assistant after completing the Sales Training Program, she held sales and marketing slots; Account Manager, Field Marketing, and Market Development Leader, Regional Marketing Director and Product Manager for Crystalline Products. In 2005, Delia switched to GE Security and took on jobs as Sales Director and Product Management Operations Leader, which led to promotion as Americas Chief Marketing Officer. Note to would-be corporate rockclimbers: it is worth mentioning that despite the litany of successful promotions, the interview with Delia somehow never became about her. Garced focused on the goals and achievements of her group, so smoothly that the career of Delia Garced was secondary. Now that’s skills.

In 2010, Garced gracefully stepped into the high profile GM slot for Energy’s Headquarters Marketing, and it is here that she now focuses her energy for one of the most profitable arms of GE’s vast empire. Bottom line: Clean = $Green$. GE began investing $1.4 billion in clean technology research and development in 2008 as part of its Ecomagination initiative. The move brought over 70 green products to market, ranging from halogen lamps to biogas engines. GE’s annual revenue target for its Ecomagination initiative jumped from $20 billion in 2007 to $25 billion in 2010, following positive market response to its new product lines. In 2010, GE continued to raise its investment by adding $10 billion into Ecomagination over the next five years.

This red-hot market points to an enormous responsibility for Delia Garced, as the limitless potential unfolds. Such rapid expansion requires careful attention to details; quality control of energy elements manufacturing cannot be overstated as Japan’s mega disaster underscores. Increasing engineering for the Wind Division GE has consistently doubled the annual sales beginning at $1.2 billion since 2003. Wind and water are major areas of GE econcentration. Balancing profit with giving back has become an area of laser focus under the glare of scrutiny GE has recently encountered, empowering Delia Garced’s mission with urgency.

LATINO LEADERS: So, what is the most impactful thing GE does in terms of supporting clean energy and research?

DELIA GARCED: We have a number of programs currently. Five years ago, we launched the Ecomagination where our focus is clean water. Our spend was 1.5 billion; our water business provides 2 billion gallons a day. We bring clean water to places that never had access; I work closely with our teams in Latin America, and in particular, one of the most impactful was our recent presence with the Haiti disaster. We shipped GE water equipment to Haiti – we had a team of people on the ground there and sent equipment to the GE Foundation. We make sure that the products we develop leave places better than when we start. We are also doing exciting work around solar technology. We are always asking how do we make power more accessible?

LL: What are some of the most notable examples?

DG: Our electric vehicle charger and portable solar carport; additionally we are working on new technology for natural gas and oil sources. This past week we came out with our new way to cut solar costs in half. We are very engaged with solar and wind technology development. It has become a major focus, besides solar and wind areas of experimentation we are developing new technologies for oil and new natural gas technology, how do we use the traditional method of energy and power and make them more efficient. Part of what we are looking at is how does this affect Latinos? The energy group has a very high Latino G-Energy family. Wind farms in Brazil, and a lot of passion in Houston that has focused on new gas technology “Like Water for Gasoline”. I see it both ways- Ecology is not just an external message-it’s internal as well.

LL: Are you grooming young Latinos to step in?

DG: We have the Edison Program. We have Operations Management and Leadership program. We have twenty-seven labs across the country. We’re meeting young MBA students – we do a summit where we bring in 700 Hispanic employees as well. We talk to students at high school level as well as college, and we have a lot of opportunities in Latin America – some of these students see that they have the possibility to go to their homelands…the majority of our programs are two years; they offer six to eight month rotations, you get a better visibility of what the opportunities are in the different technologies. One day you can be working with water, the next oil, or gas. We have operational manufacturing programs that support young engineers. There was a young man that came from Cuba six years ago through our program, he did not speak English, but when her came in to interview he brought pictures of his work, and this show such motivation and talent, that he was admitted. We do a summit where we bring in 700 Hispanic employees, we included him, we wanted him to see that he already had a family. Our focus is to attract Hispanic talent – we are talking to students at high school and college level, letting them know that they have to find a way to differentiate themselves. GE offers the chance to go to Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico…we have to think that our borders have pushed out. We have many students that are second and third generation coming and saying that they would like to go to work for GE in their parents’ countries, to bring that technology to make a difference. We are pushing “the network” down the road. This is very well considered. We have the Hispanic forum, and 3,000 U.S. based Hispanics are part of this forum. This not just about personal success, it’s is about becoming role models, and giving back. We have established the GE Awards and the GE Movements Network. I have been with GE for twenty-one years. I am a political science major. I’ve been very much educated and taught by GE; I took courses that helped me learn technology. I am a product of GE!

n island boy, Jose Zayas grew up close to the elements.  The innate respect for the tempestuous climate of Puerto Rico inspired the energy prodigy’s fierce, enduring love of the sky, the sun, the water; this kindled his unwavering passion to protect the earth and her resources wisely.  “I always wanted to give back,” Jose said.

Jose’s principled intentions illuminated his destiny and work. Creatively harnessing the natural elements became Jose’s magnificent obsession — his driving force. He laughs, “I was bitten by the green bug.” His natural ability with mathematics grounded his creativity and hyper-facilitated his credibility. An “Army brat,” Jose’s family traveled to Central America, but when he reached the eighth grade, Jose pressed his parents to return to Puerto Rico where he could get a summer job at Sandia, the prestigious lab where he would spend a good chunk of his career before moving upward and onward. As young as 13, Jose knew that his career would be in technology, and he was anxious to save money for college. He attended the University of New Mexico. He worked at Sandia during his summer vacations, becoming proficient and confident. “I was the youngest kid on the job,” he jokes.

Jose would eventually run the very program where he had been the up-and-coming teen. As a young man, being hired to manage the very engineers, in some cases 20 to 30 years his senior — the very people he had learned from — was a nerve-wracking experience. “This was a strange feeling, but I have always been the youngest wherever I go. I was honored and humbled.”

Entering college at 17, Jose pursued mechanical engineering and focused on machine design. However, true innovation is never about respecting the status quo. “I got wired into a solar group in the mid 90’s; it wasn’t popular then. It was a lot of hippies with ponytails,” he laughs. “Now the hippies wear pinstriped suits.” He knew that he’d need to go to grad school and asked Sandia to foot the bill. They agreed “with no hesitation,” Jose added. Apparently a good investment, Jose returned from UC Davis to the Sandia lab inspired. “I’d come back with some deep dives; some of what we did a decade ago is just now surfacing in wind energy technology.”

Promoted to Senior Manager, Renewable Energy, he developed a highly sophisticated applied GPS system with a time stamp for the wind power that allows for synchronization. “Wind power machines look deceptively simple, but are incredibly complex; a lot of people don’t know that there is a clock in there. They have to take into account everything that Mother Nature can throw at it.”

Jose’s agile mind and natural ambition are well-matched with a rare gift for solution-oriented invention. Like most engineers, he began by tinkering.  “I was intrigued by how things worked; and was always taking things apart.” The essential edict of the inquiring mind was then redefined beyond the usual boundaries of talented engineers, as Jose, the visionary discovered his life’s passion: “I know that I will be working with green power for the rest of my career.” Jose also possesses a talent for management;  “I put together a team and we began a very robust water power technology; waves, current tides…work which I’m very proud of…imagine being able to be at ground zero of wind technology.”

“In the late summer of 2011, I was asked to come out here [to Washington D.C.] from Albuquerque, the White House appointment  as Program Manager, U.S. Department of Energy.”

Wind and Water Power came at a time when he was deep in development. “It wasn’t an easy decision to make.” His budget of $120 million seems small for the task, but he’s confident that they will be able to make giant strides in the next year. “That’s the beauty of a national laboratory.”

Water Power technology is the new frontier. “There is a very clear gap that water technology can fill.” Almost 80 percent of the population of this country live near the water, the opportunity to bring water technology is great. It’s so new…wave energy, tidal energy. Envision a central power collecting station with a single power line back to shore. It’s doable”.

Jose admits to missing the day-to-day fun of development: “I’d be lying if I said I don’t miss getting my hands dirty.” But the potential impact that he can have on America’s power innovation outweighs any sacrifice. “My passion is the creation, and America needs to do something about leveraging our indigenous resources.”

To propel and sustain the precocious vision of transforming America’s natural power is Jose’s mission in life, weighting it with purpose and making a difference is a prerequisite for his every action. Evolving an industry that has transformed the landscape of energy creation, and eventually, the job market as well is a tall order, but Jose has a lifetime to work it out. Unraveling mechanical mysteries and interpreting intuitive creative urges is what he does.

At a mere 39 years old, Jose Zayas is destined for greatness, and dedicated to the task. “I will be in clean energy until I retire.”

itting at the top, left corner of Victor Carrillo’s desk are an open Bible and a geology book. Daily reading for Victor, the two actively compete for which has more wear and bookmarks. That’s where the competition ends.

Lying somewhere in the space between these two books is Victor’s role as the President & Chief Operating Officer for Zion Oil & Gas, a Dallas-based company that has been exploring onshore Israel for oil and gas officially since 2000.

For Victor, the books, like his role, are not contradictory. Each strengthens the other. The trained geologist/geophysicist and Evangelical Christian was brought into bring a more robust scientific approach to the company’s explorations. Read differently, He was brought in to do what others haven’t been able to do up to this point: Find commercially-significant amounts of oil and natural gas in Israel.

“It’s faith-based company, but we’re not acting on faith alone,” Victor said. “You have to bring the modern day science and techniques to show the board of directors where we want to go, and we want to drill next, and that it’s based on modern geology and geophysics.”

The faith the board of directors, shareholders and founder John Brown have placed in Victor has its basis in his three decades worth of experience in the energy sector, specifically his studies in the geosciences. But he’s not just another scientist. In fact, it’d be hard to find another candidate with the credentials that Victor maintains: a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in geology and a law degree from the University of Houston.

That’s just on paper. Victor translated that education into, most recently, a near decade-long stint as Texas Railroad Commissioner, a position he was appointed to by Texas Governor Rick Perry back in 2003. As the commissioner, Victor oversaw all energy-related issues for the state of Texas — the nation’s largest producer of crude oil, natural gas and wind-powered generation.

Now, he is harkening back to his days as a student and entry-level researcher, gathering, collecting and studying years’ worth of data, hoping to find the right area to dig and to instill confidence in his team that success and the subsequent payoff are near indeed. Despite spending upwards of $100 million dollars through the last decade, Zion Oil & Gas has not found what the data strongly suggests, that Israel is a sleeping energy giant, just awaiting the right poking and prodding to become the behemoth many believe it to be.

“The company, over the years, we’ve drilled several wells, some with really good shows, but when you came to test them, never were commercially able to be productive, that would pay back economically, and you could produce from for a long a time,” Victor said.

Victor’s enthusiasm comes from the data, some company-sponsored and other numbers from independent research. In April 2010, The United States Geological Survey released the results of their own study, “Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Levant Basin Province, Eastern Mediterranean.” Israel lies largely within the Levant Basin which, based on the USGS results, is filled with an estimated 1.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 122 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas.

This is the type of data that make shareholders and board of directors dizzy with optimism. Now, Victor is trying to match the data’s hype generation with the tangible, eye-will-see results. According to Victor, around 500 wells have been dug in Israel, and most have been at a shallow depth (under 10,000 feet). The infancy of the infrastructure in Israel does hinder speculation, though. This is where the assuredness of the imperfect science gives way to the faith that the numbers will bear out.

“All the wells are wildcat wells,” Victor said. “In other words, you don’t know. Now, here, (in the United States), everything is to the point where when they drill a well, they are going to find oil and natural gas. It’s just a matter of how much. (In Israel), you just don’t know whether you are going to. In fact, it’s very risky to drill. We are one of the few companies over there that are starting to develop that industry.”

Add that on to the customary bureaucracy that comes with doing business in foreign countries, and it’s apparent that Victor patient and calm disposition are business skills and assets.

Zion Oil & Gas has had to be as delicate and diplomatic as it has been innovative in leading their initiative forward, and has worked with the Israeli government in some capacity for nearly 30 years to build the trust necessary for such a long undertaking.

Israel is not Texas, not in size and definitely not in infrastructure. Onshore drilling is a relatively recent endeavor in Israel, and as such, the country roughly the size of New Jersey is not well-equipped with trained labor and talent or with the necessary technology to thoroughly explore the area. Zion Oil & Gas has had to rely heavily on foreign rigs and labor for their initial digs.

Victor has remained solution-oriented in spite of the built-in speed bumps. From the exploration side, they are trying to work from the inside out. They are currently working on beefing up their exploration team in Israel. They are doing so by recruiting local, educated talent that usually gets swooped up by energy companies in Houston. With an office in Caesarea, the 20-plus staff is split between Israel and Dallas, making communication and independence bigger priorities than they might be for other domestic companies.

“We want to train and take and develop Israelis for their own benefit, “he said. “We’ve been acquiring data, taking a fresh look at the data we already have. That’s the reasons it has, and will continue to take a lot of time.”

Part of the process is also about looking in new places. As of Oct.1, 2011, Zion Oil & gas held approximately 530,000 acres of licenses and permits. That number also includes nearly more than 300,000 acres still pending approval.

One of the more notable licenses is the Jordan Valley License. Representing nearly 10 percent of Zion Oil and Gas’ holdings, the Jordan Valley, according to Victor’s research and data, is a prime area for digging. He said the dig is slated for the middle of 2012. With each dig taking nearly a year, and at a depth of around 19,000 feet, Victor won’t know if this well is the potential big one.

The ability and significance to dig near and around the area where Jesus is said to have been baptized and began his ministry is not lost on Victor personally. He also understands what finding substantial amounts of oil and gas mean for Israel’s future, political independence and geopolitical position as a world power.

“It will for the foreseeable future. Our mission, the heart of the mission, is to find oil and gas for Israel, for the benefit of their people. Frankly, to help them domestically, but also politically. If Israel has significant quantities of oil and gas, especially oil, that changes the calculus.

“There are geopolitical implications to that resonate beyond Israel. You’re seeing it even now with these offshore gas discoveries in the Mediterranean. It could be a significant impact geopolitically for them. I predict that in the next few years…there will be conflict centered around oil and gas, and in the Middle East. You just read the signs. It continues to escalate.”

Those are the long-term benefits of finding oil and gas. Those are the benefits that come with successfully finding those hope-filled wells that Victor says he believes to be Biblically promised to the people of Israel long ago as Jacob told his son Joseph in the Old Testament.

“By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath…”
Genesis 49:25

This is what steers Victor forward and into continuing on a career path that marries his two professional loves. His wife and three children and grandson remain the chief loves and the motivation for what he does day-to-day — service on numerous energy boards, including the board of advisors for The Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University as well as the “Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law” at the University of Texas School of Law.

It’s all propelled him forward and with plenty of optimism and energy for the near future. A publicly traded company, Zion Oil & Gas has been able to demonstrate positive signs of growth. In the energy game, movement forward, however minimal, is viewed as significant.

He is “ever hopeful” that somebody and very soon will find what many believe to be prophesized. The difference is that Victor is at the ready, armed with the data and the spirit of innovation and the assuredness that the numbers provide.

“It’s there. Now, it’s just a matter of building the technology, raising the money, getting the equipment, the crews,” he said. “We just need companies to go out and be willing to go out, spend the money and do the science and drill. I am convinced, if not us, others will be successful. I hope, of course, it’s us and soon.”

he numbers were a bit of a surprise — eight out of 100? One would expect them to be more impressive when taking into consideration the thousands who have been elected to the House of Representatives and Senate since the late 18^th century, and when considering that it’s been nearly 100 years since the first woman, Rep. Jeanette Rankin (R-MT), was elected to Congress in 1916.

However, following Rankin, more than 60 years would pass before the first woman of color, an African-American, would be elected to national office; Shirley Chisholm (D-NY) was elected to the House of Representatives in 1968. Another 20 years would pass before the country would see its first Latina member of Congress. In 1989, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen won her Florida district’s seat, 167 years after the first Latino, Joseph Marion Hernandez, was elected to Congress from the same state. (At the time, Ros-Lehtinen was the only Hispanic from Florida since Hernandez to take a seat in the House.)

Breaking it down further, since Rep. Rankin’s victory in 1916, 274 women have served in Congress with only 31 of those in the Senate, according to Congressional Research Service. Ninety-one of those are currently in office. Since 1968 there have been 31 African-American Congresswomen, including one Senator. And since 1989 there have been a total of eight Latina members of the House of Representatives, seven of whom — including Ros-Lehtinen — continue to serve in the current 112^th Congress that has a total of 26 Hispanic members.

Carrie Chapman Catt, a prominent women’s suffragist, once said about women in office after gaining the right to vote, “You will see the . . . door locked tight. You will have a hard fight before you get inside.” Until the 1960s, women did not often run for (or win) public office, especially Congress. Why the lag in Congressional representation for women in general and minority women in particular? Is there latent sexism or racism at work? It is likely a combination of both. Though it is a new era both in politics and in business, old habits still die hard.

Since the 1960s, slow but steady progress has been made. In the 1960s and early 1970s, activism propelled many women into running for office in support of civil rights, the anti-war movement and the Equal Rights Amendment. With the nomination in 1984 of former Representative Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) for vice president, women suddenly gained huge political capital. She and Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale may not have won, but it was a turning point; it was now a world where a woman could be nominated for vice president of the United States. Interestingly, there is evidence that the Anita Hill testimony during the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings generated a swell of momentum for politically-minded women. A great number of Americans were disturbed by the attitude of the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee, serving as an impetus for women who wanted to change things from the inside.

More women began campaigning in — and winning — local and state races. In 1991, there were 23 Congresswomen (among them Ros-Lehtinen), only four more than in 1961. After the 1992 elections, that number doubled overnight, with 24 new Congresswomen taking office. Less than 10 years later, the number of Congresswomen has doubled again with 91 currently serving.

Of the eight Latinas who have won seats in the House, what do these remarkable women have in common that sets them apart to achieve what so few Latinas have? They vary in backgrounds, with some coming from more humble beginnings and some from politically-active families. Political party does not appear to be a big factor — two are Republican and six are Democrat — but most of them held local or state offices before running for Congress. All of them hail from stable, supportive families who encouraged them in their educational endeavors and career paths. As an interesting note, five of the eight have come from California. While it is true that California does have a heavy Hispanic population, the same can be said for Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, yet no Latina representatives from those states have been elected to Congress.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s family fled oppression in Cuba, an event that helped form her political compass, as she grew up in a home where politics and freedom were often discussed. Having represented Florida’s 18^th congressional district for 22 years, she is the most senior Republican woman (and Latina) in the House. This year she became chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

The daughter of former representative Edward Roybal (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard followed in her father’s political footsteps, winning her seat from California’s 33^rd (now 34^th) district in 1993 after six years in the California State Assembly. She is the first Latina to be appointed to the House Appropriations Committee which determines federal spending. Roybal-Allard also served as chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation in 1997 and 1998, becoming the first woman and first Latina to achieve the position through election rather than seniority. Later, during the 106^th Congress in 1999 and 2000, she went on to become the first female Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, a coalition of Hispanic Members of Congress.

Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) grew up in a politically-charged environment. Her father was an activist who fought for the rights of sugar cane workers in their native Puerto Rico. After graduating college in 1974, Velázquez moved to New York City to continue her education. She ran for office in 1992, beating the incumbent from New York’s 12^th congressional district that includes parts of Brooklyn, Queens and Lower Manhattan. Currently she is Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee and is also a senior member of the Financial Services Committee.

Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) and Linda T. Sanchez (D-CA) are the first sisters to serve in office, not even including at the same time, from the same state. Both are first-generation Americans who put themselves through MBA and law school, respectively. Loretta, from California’s 47^th congressional district, took her seat in 1997 and serves on the House Homeland Security, House Armed Forces and Joint Economic committees. Linda, from the 39^th district, went to Washington, DC, in 2003. She is the first Latina to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Former city councilwoman, mayor and California State Assemblywoman, Grace Napolitano (D-CA) was elected to U.S. Congress in 1998 from California’s 34^th congressional district and now serves the 38^th. She didn’t begin her political career until she was 50 years old, winning a place in the Norwalk City Council in 1986. Napolitano currently serves on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

A former Congresswoman from California, Hilda L. Solis (D-CA) was appointed Secretary of Labor for the Obama administration in 2009. From 2001–2009 Solis represented California’s 32^nd congressional district. Her experience in Washington goes back to the end of the Carter administration when she worked briefly for the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs. Like her fellow Latinas from California, Solis was a member of the California State Assembly before winning a national seat.

Finally, the most recent — and, so far, youngest at 32 — Latina addition to Congress is Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) who brings with her state legislature experience. She represents Washington’s 18^th legislative district. Her election is notable both for her age and because her district does not have a large minority population.

Besides the House of Representatives, Hispanic women continue to forge ahead at the highest levels of U.S. politics. In the last two years, the nation has seen Hilda Solis become the first Latina Cabinet member, Sonia Sotomayor the first Latina Supreme Court Justice and, more recently, Susana Martinez the first Latina governor, and New Mexico’s first female governor.

In a recent interview, Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), said that despite the partisan divide among Latinos in Congress, he sees “the growing number of Hispanics in the House and Senate as progress in representation for the minority community.” He is more encouraged by Hispanic wins from districts without minority majorities, such as Herrera Beutler’s.

Still, regardless of gender, the 26 current Hispanic members of Congress are not proportionate with the 15 percent of the U.S. population that Hispanics represent. “In time, demographics will catch up with the electorate,” Vargas said.

Early 2010 Census numbers indicate that a tidal shift is coming. Since 2000 the Hispanic population has doubled in Nevada, Virginia, and North Carolina, and has increased by 60 percent or more in Indiana and Ohio. Redistricting, or changing electoral district an constituency boundaries in response to census figures, is a likely outcome for areas with the largest Hispanic population growth, meaning that Hispanic political clout is going to be very high in 2012 for candidates on both sides of the gender gap.

Said Casa Noble CEO, Jose Hermosillo: “This is a natural synergy; Casa Noble Tequila is deeply rooted in the pursuit of quality, craftsmanship and tradition. Santana through his life and his music has dedicated himself to those same values which are the key motivators behind this alignment.”

To read more about the partnership and to see some videos of Santana discussing the reasoning behind the partnership, please click here.

The agreement reminded Latino Leaders of the interview we did with Jose back in the fall of 2010. For those who missed it, here’s a little insight into one of the most forward-thinking minds creating pallet-bending spirits today.

Editor’s Note: The following is taken from the story, “Keeping His Spirits High,” which was featured in the September 2010 issue of Latino Leaders Magazine.

ose Hermosillo’s life is a rigid definition of balance. Even as one of the busiest CEOs in the DFW, Jose ‘Pepe’ Hermosillo has found time to enjoy life and, through his hand-crafted, high-end tequila, he is helping others to enjoy theirs. For Jose, life isn’t about how fast one can shoot a shot of tequila. It’s about appreciating the sensory experience that is fine spirits.

The sip-it-and-enjoy-it approach has served Jose well since he took over the company from his father when he was 19. However daunting, Jose has not betrayed the lessons of his heritage. With roots extending three centuries, Casa Noble is a modern lesson in devotion to craft and family. Like any cocktail, the blend of ingredients comes together in a harmonious way, perfectly complementing the other.

Since he was 12, Jose has learned and studied the process of creating spirits that would satisfy even the most critical of pallets. His dedication and leadership have turned Casa Noble into one of the premier boutique labels in the world, earning the praise and notice of celebrities, food and spirits publications as well as numerous restaurants and bars in more than 25 countries.

At 42, he is a family man, with a wife and three children. After spending much of his youth in Dallas — Jose studied at University of Dallas before finishing his education in Mexico — he took over the helm of Casa Noble. The company remains small, preventing sacrifices in excellence and the ability to ingrain the company’s philosophies to each employee and patron.

Taking it all in aptly describes Jose, who has been his own best marketer, leveraging  social media tools and numerous interviews to enlighten people about what tequila drinking could and should be. In Jose’s mind, if someone is going to hear about Casa Noble, it’s because he told them about it.

That level of intimacy is part and parcel of the Casa Noble business. ‘Knowing your customer’ takes on a different interpretation with Jose, who is a regular at expos and conventions where he remains the face of the brand.

With the future in front of him, Jose takes it on with the same vigor and energy he has for more than 20 years, and yes, he’s still digging the ride there.

LATINO LEADERS: You took over the company at a young age relatively speaking. What was it like taking over that responsibility?

Jose Hermosillo: It was a challenge that has come with a lot of satisfactions. When I took over, I wanted to create a tequila which would stand out and represent another side of Mexico —sophisticated, contemporary and at the same time continue with the commitment of quality we have with Casa Noble.

LL: You were kind of thrust into the leadership role. Was this a good thing?

JH: I believe so, although now it seems as so long ago. It has been a great experience that has helped me mature in the business world and be a better asset to Casa Noble or any business I am involved with.

LL: What does the heritage of Casa Noble mean for you? Do you see it more as a business, a family legacy or both?

JH: Casa Noble’s roots can be traced to the late 1700s, and I think tradition and heritage are so important. In the long run, it is something that is a big part of who we are and hopefully what we are teaching our kids. I see Casa Noble as a creation which both has a lot of tradition and heritage, and that I am proud to be a part of, but I also see it as a business where a lot of people count on it and therefore has to be successful. There are a lot of expectations for Casa Noble, both from the view of the consumer and internally with our people, so it is a big commitment from my part.

LL: Did you have other interests as a child or did you know that you would eventually take over the business?

JH: I think as a kid, like most in Mexico, I wanted to play soccer. As I got a bit older, tennis was my passion, but I, of course, was not good enough to play either (at) a high-competitive level. So then you look and see what your options are, which for me was the business world. At 19, when my father passed away, I guess I just dived blindly at the opportunity.

LL: Were there any life and businesses lessons passed on to you by those who ran the company?

JH: I have learned a lot from people in Casa Noble. I cannot thank them enough for the many lessons I have been taught, some very hard (lessons), and some that have given me a lot of satisfaction: patience, the importance of relationships for this particular business, who to trust and who not to trust.

LL: Do you think there is a general misconception of Tequila in this country? Most people assume it’s just for shots and margaritas.

JH: Although most of the tequila in USA is done as shots and Margaritas, I think the USA is one of the most educated countries for tequila, and the people here are hungry to learn, which for me has been wonderful. Maybe it is the influence of us being neighbors and the influence of our Hispanic culture or maybe it is their hunger for knowledge.

I find more people every day as I travel throughout the country that now appreciate handcrafted, luxury tequila such as Casa Noble. They take the time to analyze them from the basic characteristics of color, body and taste to the more complex aromas.

Tequila is such an amazing spirit with as much history as sophistication; Tequilas will vary according to the (region) — how they are made, the barrels which it is aged in. More people every day are realizing that you can enjoy premium tequilas in a nice snifter as we do in Mexico or creating a great cocktail as it is being done in cities such as New York and LA and others throughout the country.

LL: As a successful businessperson, what would you say are the biggest challenges facing your company and industry?

JH: I believe, as a handcrafted product, to be able to communicate Casa Noble’s quality message against the large multinational corporations with their mega-marketing budgets is probably one of the hardest things. We work hard educating; presenting Casa Noble to as many people as we can so they can taste and compare, but it is very difficult sometimes against TV ads, billboards all over the place, ads in every magazine and a swarm of sales people.

LL: With such a saturated market, how do you ensure that Casa Noble stands out among its competitors? What does make your Tequila different?

JH: I think Casa Noble stands out because we are always trying to go above and beyond anybody else. Our agave is single estate grown in the mountains for a long period of time guaranteeing the best tequila; we do the old traditional stone oven cooking which takes 36 hours instead of six hours; we do natural fermentation; we are the first to do a triple distilled tequila in pot stills; we are the first to use brand new French White oak to age our reposados and anejos; we are one of the first USDA organic certified tequilas; we developed the Single Barrel together with the Regulatory Counsil of Tequila. We are big believers that every detail will count and that always trying to find the best way of making our tequila make Casa Noble unique.

LL: It seems that you’re specifically targeting a different clientele — affluent, educated tequila connoisseurs.  Is this intentional, and how do you go about educating these people about your product?

JH: We target people that enjoy good spirits, enjoy the small pleasures in life, people that will appreciate something such as Casa Noble.

LL: Your brand seems to b everywhere: Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, event promotion. Is this part of the new way of doing business? Have you seen gains from this marketing strategy?

JH: These are such great tools to communicate and to be in direct contact with the people that matter, the people that are drinking Casa Noble. It also is a great way to get our message across in a way that the big guys do not have that advantage of their large budgets.

LL: How difficult is it to manage and ensure quality of your product with so much of the operation occurring in Mexico?

JH: I travel all the time, but every batch is tasted by a team and personally. We also have a great business partner, Carlos Hernandez, that is there all the time making sure all is working as it should be, as well as some great people that have been with us a long time.

LL: Over the course of your career, what qualities have you most demonstrated and benefited from?

JH:I  think the quality of accepting there are people that know more than I do and learning from them.

LL: Where does Casa Noble go now? Are there future projects planned? What about you, are there any other ventures you have coming up?

JH: Casa Noble is growing in a very healthy way, and it is my intention to dedicate for now my time and efforts to keep developing it. We still have so many opportunities, and we have just touched the surface. We have great partners in the United States that represent our brand (Infinium Spirits), and we look forward to keep working hard together to make Casa Noble a preferred premium tequila in this country.

t’s a gorgeous winter’s day in West L.A. , and I’m shaking the hand of a legend in Elysee, a noisy patisserie a scone’s throw from the UCLA Medical School.

A grueling week has found its Friday, and Dr. William Vega is relishing the impending holiday downtime he will use to play piano, catch up with his wife, converse with his kids, and hit the gym. Every minute is precious to Bill Vega, and therein lies the secret to his spectacular success: time management. He concurs.

“I believe time is the most important asset we have, and we can’t waste it.”

In the madly competitive research domain of drug, tobacco abuse, aging and health services, there are experts, and then there is Dr. William Vega. Vertiginously high on the totem pole, Vega is in the top 0.5 of 1 percent of the most cited authors in social science worldwide, a spot he’s held for more than 20 years, according to ISI Web of Science.

This is no statistical error. A long-established authority on mental health, substance use and health services utilization, Vega has published hundreds of articles, chapters, and has co-written a quartet of books on these radioactive subjects, including “The Stress and Hispanic Mental Health”, “Ethnicity and Drug Use in Early Adolescence,” “Latino Male Health”, and “Culture and the Restructuring of Community Mental Health”.

Underscoring his decades of extensive studies of Latino children, families, women and men, his present job, a logical progression in a career of consequence, fits him like a glove.

Dr. Vega’s January 2010 appointment as Executive Director of the Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, based at the USC School of Social Work is a major milestone in a career paved with progress.

The Roybal Institute, dedicated to translational research, policy advocacy and training that improves the health, mental health and care of older persons, particularly those from low-income and multi-ethnic backgrounds, is the perfect spot for William Vega. As E.D. Of Roybal, he comes full circle; at 66, he is positioned to make a difference, resonating uniquely with the study. High praise from USC Executive Vice President and Provost C. L. Max Nikias greeted Dr Vega: “He is widely considered one of the visionaries in this increasingly important field.”  He could also lecture effectively on ‘scheduling as it relates to career advancement.’ Vega additionally holds present joint appointments at the Keck School of Medicine of USC as Provost Professor and as Adjunct Professor for the Department of Family Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California.

All of these lofty plaudits, acclaim and commitments could cloud the goals of a lesser man, but Bill Vega’s idols keep him grounded. Who inspires Vega? “Of course, there are paragons of self sacrifice which progressive people always look to such as MLK and Cesar Chavez, but probably more consequential [for me] have been the everyday leaders that I have had the good fortune to have as friends. My closest friends were Joe Serna (now deceased), former councilman and two-time mayor of Sacramento, who was an exemplar of principled leadership for me. He was the son of a farm worker and grew up in a house with no indoor plumbing in Lodi, California, yet went on to become a college professor, mayor and run presidential campaigns in California.

Similarly, my lifelong best friend and compadre Juan Carrillo who was a long time executive and later Acting Director of the California Arts Council, who could with natural facility move between worlds as diverse as the L.A. Symphony and artists in the schools and minority neighborhood programs. For me, this was the type of leadership we need — leadership that could transcend worlds and cultures and be effective in making changes that improved lives.”

Vega’s own litany of prestigious awards, appointments and accomplishments stretch over a 25-page curriculum vitae; it is safe to wager that it is because of, and not in spite of, these many milestones that Dr. Vega has retained his compassion and perspective. Acutely aware of the suffering of others, Dr. Vega hip pockets his own humble grass roots, holding them close like a talisman. It has been more than 40 years since Bill Vega took charge of his life, but the touchstone of the past still grounds him and continually authenticates his connection to humanity, and to Latinos. It seems that he’s always on the edge of research trends. Way back in 1987 he led studies that sound current even now;  “Border Health Research Program,” and “Social Learning of Diet and Physical Activity in Children.”

Even at this stage of his life, after all he has accomplished, there are no cozy laurels for Vega to recline upon. There is so much that needs doing and just so many hours in the day. In person, he comes across as a calm, easy-going and obliging professional, not the high-strung, antsy Alpha-intellectual one might expect. Bill Vegas has learned to smell the roses while driving at 90 mph.  “It has been a very rich life. When you’re not sleeping, you’re working. It’s super competitive. To do what I do, you have to do a lot of work to maintain my legitimacy. I have to work that hard.”

Vega has strong intentions to rectify what is in his power. Solid, accurate research justifies grants, federal and state funding and private donations. Bill Vega’s stellar credentials help to get Latino studies and clinics funded. Lock that down with the ultra-prestigious USC hook-up and this spells good news for Latino future health care. Vega has the respect of the community and his colleagues.

“The institute is poised to make a powerful contribution locally and nationally with the recruitment of William Vega as director,” said Marilyn Flynn, dean of the USC School of Social Work. “The planned focus on mental health and health disparities of minorities will also make the institute unique among others.”  Before the Roybal appointment, Vega was director of the Luskin Center on Innovation at UCLA. In 2002, he received the Society for Prevention Research’s Community, Culture and Prevention Science Award and the National Hispanic Science Network on Drug Abuse’s National Award of Excellence in Research by a Senior Scientist. He has served on numerous task forces, among them health disparities work groups of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Attorney General’s Task Force on Methamphetamine, the Institute of Medicine Board on Population Health, the Committee on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Effectiveness and the Institute of Medicine Health Disparities Roundtable. Being an expert on mental health holds a mirror to your every action; Vega is self-aware, possibly to a fault.

“Once I became somewhat successful, it was self-reinforcing, you learn the professional ethic and the expectations, and the opportunity to at least try and make a contribution to improving the human condition any way you can and that is the most frustrating part. At the personal level I’m challenging myself, at the professional level I’m competing against a universe of smart people for access to research money, and it is a very tough business.”

Here’s the story of William Vega, may it inspire.

EDUCATION: THE CURE

Dr. William Armando Vega: “The single greatest place where we are falling down is education.”

Good for what ails us: Education. It certainly was a make-or-break in the life of William Vega. He travels lecturing worldwide, and while on the road he still conducts his business in L.A. Vega puts his heart in the work, not just his head. “It’s exhausting, it’s a treadmill, and to stay on that treadmill, I actually have to run a real treadmill,” Vega jokes. But it almost didn’t happen.

As a high school graduate with an uncertain future, Vega was driven by some invisible force which even he is at odds to define. Unlike many academics, who follow in the footsteps of some ingrained family tradition, Dr. Vega had no such aspirations when he grew up. His story is even more Dickensian than most; Bill’s immigrant dad was a gardener, and Bill was his willing assistant. “My dad came to the US as a farm worker; and later he was a gardener. I was his assistant.

Vega’s mother was sickly; she contracted tuberculosis when Bill was a young boy and was taken away to live in a hospital. Between the ages of 8 and 13, he rarely saw her; she was a resident of Olive View Medical Center for many years, in tragic isolation. She died at 40. William grew up in East Los Angeles and South Central Los Angeles. “As a kid, I bounced around. I stayed with family and friends. For a while, I lived in Tijuana. I was not in any way an academic major; I was a product of the marginal public education system.”

Bill Vega went to work in a factory making cannon shells where he worked the graveyard shift. He knew that this was not his path.  “My drive initially for an education was to escape poverty and limited opportunity.”

By the time that Vega realized his future lay in higher education, he had already been on the wrong track. He didn’t have the ‘academic cluster’ to get into schools like USC or UCLA. The only school that Vega qualified for was the University of Oregon. “I applied, took out a loan from B of A, packed up my car and drove up there.”

U. of O.’s enrollment office had his paperwork, but had not bothered to call Bill Vega back. At this juncture, he would not be denied. “I said to myself, ‘if I worked as hard as I could, I’d get C’s’. That was a big step from where I’d been. Working full-time and studying was physically draining. I was lucky to stagger through. After that, I got into Berkeley, where I received all of my degrees.”

In the moment before settling down to 30-plus years of non-stop work, William Vega experienced Europe, living there from 1970 to 1971, writing his dissertation and again in 1973 to 1977. He learned Flamenco guitar in Seville and lived on Paris’ Left Bank. Returning to the United States, he began by lecturing on sociology, but quickly found his calling in health and research. Subconsciously the loss of his mother left its mark on Bill Vega, but it wasn’t until many years later that he would recognize this.

By that time, he was on his way to academic greatness. Initially, Vega did not take any health related studies, he majored in sociology, and earned his M.A. and PhD in criminology, but eventually found himself drawn to the people who were “historically neglected.” Vega became committed to “getting them the care they needed. ” He focused on how to improve access and quality health care, but not before he spent considerable time studying the effects of substance abuse. His impressive academic endeavors included a stint as Task Force Member, to U.S. Attorney General, National Methamphetamine, Secretary of National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention; Washington, Director of Research, Behavioral Research and Training Institute; Robert Wood Johnson, and President of the Board, National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention,  Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION AND ECONOMICS:

“We know where this is going – only those well-educated will survive.”

Dr. Vega is passionate about education for Latinos. “Particularly in this state of California, where we have the highest concentration of Latinos, we need to have educated Latinos whose incomes can support the economy.”

With the population growth pointing to Latinos as the fastest growing group in America, we cannot afford to have high school dropouts. A majority of low income Latinos will prove disastrous and could bring the U.S. to financial collapse.

“Estimated population in LA in by 2050 will be half Latino. You need high incomes to sustain the state. If the population cannot support the state, it will fall into ruin. We need to talk about why schools are so bad. We have to take responsibility to get kids educated and to find support and advocacy to raise the educational level. We can’t be passively accepting the failure of kids in public education.”

 WHERE ARE ALL THE LATINO DOCTORS?

Education is the only solution for raising the Latino salaries and maintaining financial balance. But, according to Dr. Vega not just ‘any’ education’: “We need more, many more Latino doctors, and the situation is dire.” Dr. Vega exclaims: “Nobody’s in the pipeline!” Latinos are getting educations but they are going into other things; most coming out of low-income backgrounds are going for the quick money. They go into business; medicine is too long a road.”

Vega laments, “It’s a shame, because the ones with good grades; A’s or  A minus, can go to Harvard on scholarship, or at the very least get partial support. With a 30 percent Latino population in California, we only have between 5 and 6 percent of doctors as Latinos. And what’s especially lacking are Spanish-speaking.”

AGEING AND SUSTAINING

I was 66 a few months ago and received my first social security check; it was a wonderful experience to receive it, after 43 years of paying in. Of course, I work out three times a week for a couple of hours each time with weights and cardio. It’s the only way to keep yourself in peak condition for a heavy work schedule. I’m no saint when it comes to personal care…I love to eat, but a balanced life is how you go forward.”

FUTURE OF AGING LATINOS AND LOW INCOME HEALTH CARE SOLUTIONS

“I’m shifting my focus to the population of 60 and older, as it affects the entire family. Current trends are alarming. If you look at the fragmentation of families from first generation forward, it’s profound. The assumption is changing that multi-generational family care is a given.

“What  we’re seeing is a complete collapse of aging care; families are under tremendous stress, emotionally and financially. We need a local solution.”  We have to stop siloing money, we have to find ways they [elderly] can live in communities that are safe, with transportation. The problem is to depend on formal networks.”

 LATINOS, DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND HEALTH TRENDS

“Research on Latinos, drugs and drinking habits, reveal that immigrants show very little drug use; that’s American-born Latinos who are the big users. Immigrants are more prone to be weekend binge drinkers. Here we see high rates of liver disease; these problems and the social conflicts associated with it are clear, and nobody’s really dealing with it.”

“Latinos have very low smoking rates and breast cancer rates. Generally the health of immigrants is much better than the health of U.S. born Latinos. Latinos, per capita use less health care, which is lucky because two-thirds are ineligible for Medicare.  Obesity is a recent threat in the last 20 years; obesity is a world-wide crisis; very poor countries obviously have low obesity. The problem is, as societies change, they come in close access to high fat and fast food.”

s the Senior Manager of Multicultural Marketing for the Home Depot, Alejandra Barron oversees the Hispanic and African American marketing segments for the home improvement mega-store, making sure the brand’s message of empowerment is heard loud and clear. From her headquarters in Atlanta, this young marketing giant shares the insights that continue to make The Home Depot the No. 1 home improvement retailer, and the fourth largest general retailer in the United States.

Latino Leaders: How did your relationship with The Home Depot begin?

AB: Even though I have only been with The Home Depot eight months, I have been in the multicultural stage targeting the Hispanic market for over 10 years with companies like JC Penney, where I was senior Manager for Marketing. So when the opportunity presented itself to work with one of the longest standing advertisers and marketers for the Hispanic market, I knew I had to take it. I really like the fact that the company has addressed the Hispanic market for a long time, and the stands, the attitude it has had with our community since the beginning.

The Home Depot was founded the year I was born, so I have seen them grow in my neighborhood; I’ve witnessed how the company has developed. I am originally from Mexico, but I grew up in Atlanta where my family is based, so the fact that the headquarters are here sealed the deal. As a Latina, that is always important — to be close to family. So all in all, this is the perfect job.

LL: How important was it for you to stay connected to your roots to effectively market to the Latino consumer?

AB: I’m certainly very representative of a large segment of the Hispanic market. My father was the first to arrive in the US; he is from Ciudad Mante in Tamaulipas, but we had been living in Mexico City, where he met and married my mother. So for him the shock of arriving in Atlanta, finding himself in this greenery was a huge change after living in a city for so long. He fell in love with it immediately, and realized he wanted his family to grow up here.

I was still in elementary school when we joined him, and I loved it. It is idealic in so many ways, the kind of place you read about where you don’t lock your doors, old school Americana. But even though I came here so young, I am a Latina, part of the Hispanic segment. I think that if it’s part of your cultural makeup, it is something that you don’t have to seek out; it is just part of your lifestyle. Whether it is your media consumption, habits or your cuisine, it permeates in very particular ways.

I travel to Mexico frequently, and in terms of my everyday life, some of the best times I’ve spent with my mother are in the kitchen cooking. We take it on as a project and spend half a day making tamales, exchanging stories and really enjoying our time together.

LL: What is your role at The Home Depot?

AB: My role is to lead multicultural marketing for both the African American and Hispanic markets, and in partnership with our agencies to create our strategies, whether it’s the annual plan or the programs that we have across the different disciplines of marketing at the company. But the agencies are the partners that help me make it happen.

LL: What is the most excting aspect of this opportunity?

AB: It is humbling and exciting to learn about the complexity of the tapestry of the Hispanic community. Whether it is in terms of affluence or mindset and behavior, it is beyond the intricacies of language that so many people focus on. The other exiting aspect about my position is that everything we do is first and foremost based on consumer insight, so we really go out there and learn about what moves them. We want to discover what is at the core of the Hispanic community, so that when we approach our customers, whether it is through advertising or another channel, we do it in a way that is meaningful.

LL: How do you translate these insights into specific strategies?

AB: We apply the nuances that we derive from consumer insights on a national level, so that we talk to Hispanic universalities that really differentiate Hispanic from the General Market. When we bring our messaging down to the grass roots level, for example, focusing on the Hispanic passion for soccer, what we want is to create a unique experience, remembrance, and a connection to their roots that is not easily achieved through other means.

We don’t just sponsor the Mexican National Team and the friendly soccer games, but organize in-store appearances, so that our customers have the opportunity to meet legends of the sport, and with our Football Fiesta’s they can not only experience the brand, but the passion of caring for their team. So we always look for ways to take these experiences beyond.

In Miami, we have our Calle 8 festival. There, our customers are working on their gardens so they might be a little more interested on edible plants, and we focus on this because we need to understand not only what the home improvements needs are, but also what the customers’ focus is depending on where they live and where they are from. To be effective, we need to understand key points and insights: What spaces of the home are important to Hispanics, the time they have been in the US and their acculturation scale. We break it down as far as possible, analyzing brands and colors and even the type of projects they want to work in around the home.

Understanding the Latino market is key for The Home Depot because it is key for our success. To give you an example, The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reported in 2009 that Hispanics spent $21.7 billion in home improvement. That is a huge number. And this derives from the fact that as Latinos, we like spending time at home, and are constantly trying to improve our surroundings.

LL: Is it different marketing to Latinas?

AB: Strategies are slightly different between African-American and Latina women. For African-American (women), the target is independent, head of household, and they are looking to improve themselves and then their families, so she plays a primary role in home improvement. The African-American woman is taking it on herself.

With Latinas, there is increasing self-empowerment. They are starting home improvement projects on their own, even though for them, it is first for their families and then for themselves. She is more interested in adding a personal touch to the projects that she takes on, so for her we have do-it-yourself workshops called Proyecto Latina, which are bilingual, to give her confidence and knowledge. We are also present in shows like Despierta America and have partnerships with radio personalities like Maria Marin, so we are constantly hammering the ‘You can do it, and we want to be your partner’ message.

It is very exciting to see how this segment is evolving, the numbers don’t lie, and Latina entrepreneurs, for example, are a hot and growing segment. Proportionally speaking, there are more Latina entrepreneurs than men. Up to now we haven’t felt a palpable market change of shopping patterns due to Latina entrepreneurs, but I’m excited to continue to research and be up-to-date and insightful about this segment. As a professional Latina myself, I really look forward to better serving the Latina entrepreneur.

L: How was the “Retool Your School” program developed?

AB: In 2006, The Home Depot donated $1 million to bring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. papers to Atlanta to display them at the Woodruff Library of the Atlanta University Center. This collection includes more than 10,000 original documents written by Dr. King, including drafts of the “I Have A Dream” speech, so “Retool Your School” was the evolution of that initial effort.

We knew we wanted to support education, so we developed a grant program designed specifically for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that would enable them to make enduring improvements to their facilities, benefiting their students. This is the second year of this program, which derives from The Home Depot’s mission to empower communities and make positive improvements, and in 2010 we awarded eleven HBCU’s with a total of $150,000 in grants for sustainable on-campus improvements.

LL: What can the Latino consumer expect in the years to come?

 AB: We will continue to engage them. It is wonderful any time that you can give someone the tools to be empowered, so we want to partner in the need to constantly be better for their families, for themselves and for the community.

We are working to make sure our customers can be serviced in language, which operationally is a huge task.  We created a toll-free hotline, and launched children’s workshops that are bilingual. There is also a Home Depot You Tube channel in Spanish, which was launched about a year ago and is a very tangible expression of what the company wants to do for this segment, focusing on partnership and empowerment so our customers feel confident in the projects they take on.

I don’t think that there are many companies that approach the marketplace from a partnership stand point. You always see it in the tag lines, but with The Home Depot, you also see it in the way it engages the community, and it is about ‘let me help you be empowered.’ To me this approach is impressive and exciting. And Hispanic consumers are very resourceful. If there is a way to do it, they will figure out that way.

LL: Do you have a rule of thumb when it comes to marketing?

AB: Marketing is ever-evolving. Today, the general market is questioning whether it’s about mobile or social media because it is a time of change, but for us in multicultural, it has always been like that because minority segments are constantly changing. There is movement all the time. So it requires you to be really nimble because you are always looking for what the accurate picture of your segment is. The Hispanic consumer is not what it was five years ago, and it is not what it will be years from now, so what, when and where you are able to communicate is always in constant evolution.

hat do you get when you mix San Francisco’s top 150 Latino business and community leaders, recognitions for five of the city’s most influential people, first class accommodations, freely flowing wine and cocktails, and overall fun-times galore?! You guessed it – The recent 2011 San Francisco Maestro Awards, and Latino Winemakers Tasting Reception!

Wednesday, July 27th, 2011, at The Parc 55 Wyndham Hotel, was an evening of much enthusiasm among San Francisco’s Latino community. The evening began with an arrival cocktail reception for all of the Latino Leaders Magazine VIP guests. The four awardees – Mr. Tony Quintero, Mr. John De Luna, Mr. Orson Aguilar, and Mr. Frank Alvarez – were all in attendance, taking official magazine photographs and enjoying the conversations with event sponsors and other special guests. The Johnnie Walker brand made sure that all of our guests were well-received with specially mixed cocktails, and the Latino Winemakers generously provided guests with magnificent blends for the arrival reception. Among our guests were past Maestro awardees and high-tier representatives from companies such as IBM, Comerica, AT&T, ING, and Southwest Airlines. University representatives from the University of California and UC Berkeley intermingled with our guests, along with several founders of local leadership and non-profit organizations.

Once everyone was settled in, it was time to begin the one hour long awards ceremony which took place in the Wyndham’s Grand Ballroom adjacent to the VIP reception room. The modern-lit and excellently decorated stage, designed by Target Productions (Latino Leaders’ contracted AV team), coupled with the room’s spacious layout, offered a comfortable mix of round-table and theater style seating, which provided an intimate feel for what would prove to be a proud ceremony for everyone in attendance.

Latino Leaders Magazine’s first recognition of the evening, announced by Publisher Jorge Ferraez, was given to the young San Francisco Ballet soloist, Isaac Hernandez. Isaac was first introduced to Latino Leaders by its parent company, Lideres Mexicanos. He is an illustrious member of the Mexican magazine’s ‘Club Lideres del Futuro‘, and is now being introduced to LLM’s audience as an eminent artistic prodigy within the U.S. Latino community. Isaac’s “Professional Dreamer” video inspired strong emotions within the crowd, and his speech showcased his ambition to be a world renowned ballet dancer.

[You can view Isaac's “Professional Dreamer” video on our home page]

Then came our Maestros. Southwest Airlines presented the Maestro Award for Leadership to Frank Alvarez, President & CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Exxon/Mobil then followed, presenting the award for Innovation to Orson Aguilar, Executive Director of The Greenlining Institute. The award for Entrepreneurship, presented by AT&T, was given to Mr. John De Luna, Founder of De Luna Partners, and finally the award for Professional Achievement, presented by ING, was awarded to Mr. Tony Quintero, President & CEO of Plaza Investments. As part of their acceptance, our Maestros received uniquely engraved medals and Johnnie Walker Blue Label bottles. The awardee’s dynamic recognition videos and resonating words were evidence to what Latino Leaders Magazine aims to promulgate each year in San Francisco, and in every Maestro Awards designated city!

The ceremony continued by recognizing the newly formed alliance of the Latino Winemakers of Napa Valley, now formally known as the Napa Valley Mexican-American Vintners Association, for their work and talent, and as a commitment of LLM’s support to all of its members. Rolando Diaz, Winemaker and Owner of Mi Sueño Winery – and first acting President of the association – delivered a speech of appreciation following the Winemakers acknowledgment video.

And of course, no ceremony is complete without a toast to cheers the evening’s triumph. Johnnie Walker’s Senior Master of Whisky, Mr. Steve Beal, presented everyone with their own glass of the refined JW Gold Label, and eloquently saluted everyone in the crowd.

Standing ovations and shots of high-end whisky can really work up an appetite, so off we were to the ballroom’s foyer for the Latino Winemakers’ catered reception. A spread of pasta, tenderloin, antipasto displays, and passed hors d’oeuvres, adorned the spacious area along with the presented wines of: Mi Sueño, Ceja Vineyards, Realm Cellars, Frias Family Vineyards, Marita’s Vineyard, Sotelo Cellars, Delgadillo Cellars, Rios Wine, and Oak Cliff Cellars.

As the winemakers gracefully poured their romantic blends, our guests enjoyed the upbeat Latin Jazz music, and the chocolate delicacies provided by Casa de Chocolates. As a special addition to our reception, which is now becoming a staple for all of our Maestro Award Receptions, was the displayed artwork of local Latino Artists – in this case it was the works of Brazilian artist Rafael Vieira, representing the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. A very special thank you goes out to Maurizzio Hector Pineda, Curator of the gallery for making this happen.

Latino Leaders Magazine would also like to thank our two volunteers for the evening, helping us at the registration desk and within the event – Itzcally Ponce, and Johnny Barrantes!

As we move towards our last Maestro Awards Ceremony of the season in Dallas, TX in October, we are very pleased to see the great response to our mission in recognizing the nation’s merited Latino Leaders. Thank you to everyone for your support, and we hope to see again next year in San Francisco!

Check out the photos from the San Francisco Maestros here…

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