When I think of resiliency and overcoming all odds, I think of my Abuelos (grandparents). With just an elementary school level education, they instilled in our family a sense of strong work ethic and passed down the value of education. They also taught me to be my authentic self and to be proud of my heritage. Reflecting on my family’s story and being part of their legacy is a driving force for reaching my limitless possibilities.
As a second generation Mexican American, the daughter of parents who were the first to graduate from college, and the granddaughter of an U.S. Army vet and janitor – I’m very aware that grit and determination alone don’t guarantee success. I follow in the footsteps of fierce women and people of color that understand that together as family and teams, any barrier can be broken. It’s this perspective that I bring to my young daughters as I prepare them to navigate their own journeys.
Today, thanks to my family’s support and sacrifices, I am one of the few Latina executives leading a multi-billion-dollar enterprise at AT&T. I’ve seen firsthand the importance of representation and the positive impact that providing access to economic opportunities can bring to the communities where we live and work. I’ve also experienced how important it is for our work atmosphere to mirror our communities. Everything from diverse representation of employees and suppliers coming together to form a rich environment to serve our customers, in turn, creates meaningful economic impact.
Our spirit of resiliency rings through across the Hispanic community. We’ve overcome adversity and have shown optimism, navigating through challenging social and economic times, including the pandemic recovery which disproportionally affected people of color. Throughout my 17-year career at AT&T, I’ve connected with so many entrepreneurs and Hispanic-business owners whose stories are the embodiment of the resilient spirit needed to reach limitless possibilities.
Through the AT&T Supplier Diversity program, one of the first such programs in the U.S., our company is making meaningful and measurable contributions to the economic growth of diverse companies and communities. Over the years, our mission has remained simple: create an inclusive supply chain that is as diverse as our employee base and the customers we serve. In 2021, AT&T surpassed our corporate goal which represented $13.3 billion spent with businesses owned by certified diverse firms, specifically spending over $3 billion with certified Hispanic minority business enterprise!
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to recognize our Hispanic suppliers, their journeys, and how their teams are making a profound impact on their local communities. Here are some of their inspiring stories:
Karel Gomez, CEO, draftPros
Founded in 1998, draftPros is proud to be a Hispanic-owned, nationally certified minority business enterprise. With offices in eight major cities across the U.S. and over 180 employees, draftPros is one of the largest telecommunication engineering firms in their home state of Florida and around the nation and provides best-in-class design-build installation of voice, data, electrical, and fiber optic cabling to commercial and government clients.
In Karel’s words:
“At a time when I was trying to decide to start my own business or stay in my position and continue with what at the time was a very good career, a former manager told me: ‘As long as you have faith and believe in what you are doing, no one can stop you and you will always be successful. Never fear the unknown, as long as you give it your all. I believe in you and what you can do.’ Today, I am the CEO of a very successful telecom company, and I am proud to have achieved this while being a Hispanic immigrant raised by a single mother who had very little in the way of financial ability to support us.”
LTG Ricardo S. Sanchez, CEO, Optech Enterprise Solutions (OES)
Optech Enterprise Solutions (OES) was founded in 2012 to provide cost-effective, streamlined solutions for device refurbishment, forward and reverse logistics, and enterprise inventory management.
OES provides expert, high value-added, cost-effective solutions to customers. OES is committed to providing all services with absolute integrity, excellence, and the highest ethical and professional standards. OES embraces innovative solutions in order to maximize benefit to customers, people, and shareholders.
Since the company’s inception, OES has celebrated diversity in all facets of the business. This unwavering commitment to diversity can be seen in both the team of dedicated employees and in the vendors and suppliers with whom the company chooses to work. OES also actively engages with councils and associations that support diversity on a larger scale.
In Ricardo’s Words:
“My English professor, Dr. Emil Muchetti, made a concerted effort to get me to attend Harvard graduate school in 1973 upon graduating from Texas A&I University. Up to this point, no professor, other than the Army ROTC cadre, had invested any time or effort to mentor or encourage me as a student. Even though I chose to join the Army immediately upon graduation, Dr. Muchetti’s efforts over my last semester of college were critical in setting a foundation of self-confidence that would stay with me to this day. He believed in me, saw my potential and he invested the time to change the life of one of his students.”
Jose Mas, CEO, MasTec
MasTec, Inc. is a national infrastructure construction company, serving industries within the energy and communication sectors. MasTec is a publicly traded, Fortune 500, certified Minority-Controlled Company, with a workforce of 30,000 and a footprint extending through North America and parts of Latin America.
The company performs both wireline and wireless communication services including engineering, design, construction, and maintenance services. MasTec are experts in cell tower construction, broadband fiber optic cable installation, OSP engineering, wireline construction, and emergency maintenance services, combining cutting-edge technology, innovative solutions, skilled professionals, and an unfailing commitment to safety to ensure that customers' communication needs are met.
For more information on our AT&T Supplier Diversity efforts, and the year-round impact of our Hispanic suppliers in local communities, please visit our Supplier Diversity page.
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