Maite Nolla

June: 9.2%

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) proudly announces the appointment of outstanding national leaders to its Board of Directors.  These six board members will be formally inducted at the upcoming 32nd Annual National Convention & Business Expo to be held in Miami Beach, Florida on September 18-21, 2011.

“I am delighted to be working with a forward-thinking board which understands that broadening our representation will enhance our effectiveness,” says Nina Vaca-Humrichouse, USHCC Board Chairman and Founder and CEO of Pinnacle Technical Resources, Inc.  ”For the first time in our association’s history, the USHCC Board of Directors will now include the integration of corporate executives who believe in the mission of our organization and who bring unique insights and skill sets that will help the USHCC continue to positively impact business in America.”

The new board members include: Raymond Arroyo – Global Diversity Officer at Aetna Inc., Mariano Legaz – Vice President of Supply Chain Services at Verizon, Rolando Pablos – Senior Advisor at SNR Denton, Maria Sastre – Chief Operating Officer of Global Operations at Signature Flight Support Corporation, Ruben Taborda – Chief Procurement Officer for Supplier Diversity at Johnson & Johnson, and returning USHCC board member Frank A. Rodriguez – Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel at Corporate Creations International Inc.

“These new board members stand out as leaders in their respective industries and will make a significant positive impact on supporting our core constituencies of Hispanic Business Enterprises, local Chambers of Commerce and corporations across America,” says Javier Palomarez, USHCC President and CEO.

Arroyo serves as the Chief Diversity Officer for Aetna, one of the leading diversified health care benefits companies in the United States and around the world. He was selected by Urban Professional Magazine as one of the 100 Top Executives in Corporate America in 2010, and selected by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics.  Arroyo serves as an Officer of the Board of Trustees of The Wheeler Clinic and is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Corporate and Philanthropic Council.

Legaz is the Vice President of Supply Chain Services at Verizon Services Operations and responsible for sourcing, warehouse and transportation, fleet operations, sustainability and supplier diversity, with an annual managed spend exceeding $30B.  In this role, Legaz has direct operating experience and staff support roles in both domestic and international markets.  Legaz also chairs the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Procurement Corporate Advisory Board (PCAB) and sits on the board of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the Advisory Board of Rutgers University Center for Supply Chain Management.  Diversity MBA magazine recently selected Legaz as one of the 2011 Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leaders.

Pablos is a Senior Advisor to the law firm of SNR Denton providing public policy and strategic business advisory services to domestic and international clients.  Pablos has extensive practical experience in economic development and trade promotion.  His bicultural and bilingual background has enabled him to work extensively in U.S. and foreign business environments.  Pablos is Chairman of San Antonio Free Trade Alliance and is the past Chairman of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Pablos sits on the board of the Associated Republicans of Texas and the Hispanic Republicans of Texas, two entities devoted to the promotion of conservative values throughout the State of Texas.

Sastre is the Chief Operating Officer for Global Operations at Signature Flight Corporation.  Previously Sastre served as President and CEO of the non-profit organization Take Stock in Children, and served with Royal Caribbean Cruises LTD where she held the positions of Vice President, International, Latin America, Caribbean and Asia and Vice President of Operations.  Sastre’s role included strategic growth across emerging markets, managing all aspects of operations and the guest experience onboard Royal Caribbean’s fleet of vessels.  Sastre previously served as Vice President of Worldwide Customer Satisfaction for United Airlines responsible for strategy development, airport operations, international call centers and financial management. Sastre began her career with Eastern Airlines and Continental Airlines.

Taborda serves as the Chief Procurement Officer for Medical Devices at Johnson & Johnson with enterprise responsibilities in Supplier Diversity and Procurement Operations.  He joined Johnson & Johnson in 1985 with a wide range of experience in the consumer, medical devices and pharmaceutical industries. Beyond specific sector healthcare experience, Taborda is engaged in functions related to sales, trade marketing, logistics, finance planning, procurement and manufacturing. Taborda leads the Hispanic Employee Resource Group at Johnson & Johnson and serves on several boards including the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC).  Taborda’s efforts helped Johnson & Johnson attain recognition as a leader in Supplier Diversity by the NMSDC, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), Diversity Inc., Diversity.com and the Minority Business Roundtable (MBRT).

Rodriguez is Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel of Corporate Creations International Inc. and is a returning board member of the USHCC.  Rodriguez is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and World Presidents’ Organization (WPO), global business networks of successful top executives of prominent companies. Prior to founding Corporate Creations, Rodriguez worked as a corporate attorney at the predecessor to Squire Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P. in West Palm Beach, Florida.  He is a contributing author and editor of the first edition of Florida Law of Corporations and Business Organizations.

Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of nearly 3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate nearly $400 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.ushcc.com.