Latinas share accomplishments
Business women are honored at Hispanic chamber conference.
By Robert Rodriguez / The Fresno Bee www.fresnobee.com
 

Ten years ago, Suzanne Moreno was a struggling, single mother with a desire to change her life. After going back to college, Moreno focused on reshaping her career by launching several businesses, including one dedicated to helping young people also struggling in life. Moreno's entrepreneurial spirit and her community advocacy earned her the 2006 Business Woman of the Year award Wednesday during the Latina Women's Conference sponsored by the Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"I am truly honored," Moreno said. "We have accomplished much, but this has been a lot of hard work." One of Moreno's enterprises is a tutoring company called Encourage Tomorrow. The program teaches students skills to become successes, academically and socially.
"We started out with 10 girls, and we now have programs in schools from San Diego to Sacramento," Moreno said. "This year, we will serve 1,500 students."
Moreno's company employs five full-time administrators and hires about 100 tutors, many of them college students. She is also an educational consultant and provides executive business services through a separate company called SuMo Enterprises. During her acceptance speech, Moreno encouraged the audience to do three things: continue learning, network and give back to the community. More than 400 people attended Wednesday's luncheon and conference that honored the accomplishments of Latinas from the past, present and future.
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America, urged the audience to be politically active and socially aware.
"We need women at the decision-making table," she said. Yrma Rico, president of Weber BMW in Fresno, talked about the challenges of succeeding in the corporate world. Along with owning a car dealership, Rico was a founding partner of Entravision Communications Corp. and was general manager of a Univision television station affiliate in Denver from 1992 to 2003. "I am glad we have accomplished a lot, but we still have a long way to go," Rico said. "The glass ceiling has not been broken, but we are putting cracks in it."
Rico is also this fall's Entrepreneur in Residence at California State University, Fresno's Lyles Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
"I met with a lot of entrepreneur students, and there was a lot of Latino and Latinas there," Rico said. "... And if you are the parents of one of those students, please listen to them. They want to be counted."
Representing the future of Latina women was central San Joaquin Valley musical performer Marilyn Fernandez, who sang several songs during Wednesday's luncheon. Fernandez, who began singing at 13, has toured the United States and Puerto Rico, and her videos have appeared on VH1 and MTV International.
"I believe anything is possible," she said. "You just have to believe in yourself and work hard for your dreams."