FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:Diana Martinez

dmartinez@prospanica.org

Prospanica Announces New Tagline 

The Association of Hispanic MBAs & Business Professionals

DALLAS, Texas - May 20, 2020 – Prospanica is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to reach their full educational, economic, and social potential. Since its founding in 1988 as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), it has served MBA and business professionals. In 2016, the organization adopted its new name Prospanica to expand its reach and provide services to all professionals.  

For more than 30 years the organization has advocated for the pursuit of higher education and advancing Hispanic leadership. “Our new tagline better reflects our core and strength as an organization. It better identifies who we are and serve for those new to our organization,” stated Thomas Savino, CEO of Prospanica. 

The new tagline reinforces Prospanica’s core community and network of MBAs and business professionals that are connected throughout its 47 Chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico. The 2019 Prospanica Member Demographics echo the core of its business focus, with the top five functional areas of its members being: Accounting/Finance, Marketing/Media/Communications, Information Systems/Technology, General Management, and Operations/Logistics/Supply Chain.

Prospanica’s mission to serve MBAs has continued since its days as NSHMBA by being one of the few Hispanic organizations to support graduate education through its annual Scholarship Program. It is most known, however, for its annual Conference & Career Expo, which brings together the largest gathering of Hispanic MBAs. Since 1989, the Conference & Career Expo has been a space where Hispanic business professionals and students have gathered to connect on diversity, industry trends and professional development. In 2019, Conference attendees reflected its core of MBAs, with 62% of attendees having MBA’s, 9% Non-MBA and 2% Doctorate Degree. To learn more about the Conference, visit www.prospanicaconference.org. 

About Prospanica 

Prospanica is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to reach their full educational, economic, and social potential. The organization was first formed in 1988 as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), but outgrew its name, adopting its new name Prospanica in 2016. The organization advocates the pursuit of higher education and advancing Hispanic leadership. Prospanica is The Association of Hispanic MBAs & Business Professionals with more than 47 Chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information on Prospanica, visit www.prospanica.org.

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The 2018 Prospanica Conference & Career Expo marks the organization's 30th year serving as a platform for companies to connect with Latino professionals, entrepeneurs and students. This year's theme is titled ¡IMPACTO! Rising & Thriving, which will focus on the last 30 years of Hispanics in the professional sector and provide insight on what's to come for Latino influence, innovation and ascension. Over the last 30 years, the Hispanic population in Milwaukee has tripled, making the city a rich source for corporations to attract new talent to contribute to their business objectives.  Click here to read more

IRVING, Texas, Feb. 11, 2016 – The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) announced today it has changed its name to Prospanica, pronounced Pro-span-i-ca, effective immediately. The new name more closely aligns the organization’s image to its strategy and mission. This rebrand is the positive outcome of the organizations ambitious strategy to include a broader scope including all Hispanic professionals, regardless of educational level or area of work. It also embraces a wider focus to empower Hispanic professionals to achieve their full educational, economic and social potential.

For over a year the organization has been operating under its new strategy and brand initiative, reaching deeper into the community to help Hispanics attain higher educational opportunities and attain leadership positions in proportion to their share of the U.S. population.  Prospanica will continue to provide and build on: educational opportunities through undergraduate programs, chapters, and scholarships; professional opportunities through internships, mentoring, career management seminars, job fairs, networking and professional development; and social opportunities through corporate responsibility programs to improve the Hispanic community as a whole.  

“Simply put, NSHMBA has outgrown its name,” said Thomas Savino, CEO of Prospanica.  “This is a profound moment for the organization and we are excited to continue connecting Hispanic MBA talent to corporations and go even further by taking our 28 years of experience to lend support and go deeper within the Hispanic community.”

The new name was chosen because it is unique, uplifting and embodies the mission of the organization. Prospanica is the first word of its kind derived from the prefix Pro- and root word Hispanic. The organization is full of proactive, progressive professionals, and it is Pro Hispanic.  The new logo is symbolic representing a community of professionals coming together to achieve greatness.

Chairman of the Prospanica Board of Directors Anthony López said, “We are very proud of our heritage and what the organization has accomplished. Our name change is not a way to leave our past behind, it’s a way to build our future on a great foundation. Re-branding ourselves as Prospanica is an important milestone in our history.  It reflects our commitment to lead the way and remain the premier organization for Hispanics to grow personally and professionally, serve our communities, and help advance the next generation of leaders."

The announcement of the new name and logo will be followed with the adoption of its new brand rolling out gradually throughout the next six months.  This change means greater talent and a greater ROI for Prospanica partners, more opportunity for involvement at various levels for its members, and the commitment to invest in the success of future Hispanic generations.

“The organizations national board of directors have been very excited for the rollout of Prospanica as it is necessary to help achieve our mission in a more effective way,“ said Savino.

About Prospanica

Prospanica is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the Hispanic community to reach their full educational, economic, and social potential. The organization was first formed in 1988 as the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA), but outgrew its name, adopting its new name Prospanica in 2016. The organization advocates the pursuit of higher education and advancing Hispanic leadership. Prospanica is The Association of Hispanic Professionals with more than 40 Chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information on Prospanica, visit www.prospanica.org.

A longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion, Alex has been named one of the “100 Most Inspiring Leaders” by Pharma Voice, and he was recently nominated by Modern Healthcare as one of the 100 most influential people in healthcare.

"Alex Gorsky is a man of great character and integrity, an influential business leader, and longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion,” said NSHMBA National Board of Director Anthony López.  “We look forward to hearing Alex share his thoughts about “Honorable Leadership” at the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo.  I believe his message will motivate and inspire our attendees to lead with purpose and practice the principles of honorable leadership that will enable them to achieve greatness in their personal leadership journey.”

Alex began his Johnson & Johnson career as a sales representative in 1988 and advanced through positions of increasing responsibility in sales, marketing, and management. He is a member of the Board of Directors of IBM, the Congressional Medal of Honor Board of Directors and was recently elected as a member of the Board of the National Academy Foundation.

“We are delighted to have Alex join us this year in Chicago, and I look forward to facilitating our “Town-Hall” Format discussion with him,” said López.  “Now in its 27th year, the NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo gathers over one hundred Fortune 500 companies to network, interview, and educate their members and attendees. Alex Gorsky’s keynote address is a much-anticipated message, among many, that we look forward to hearing at this year’s conference.”

More information about the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo in Chicago - including how to register for this event - can be found at www.nshmbaconference.org.  For more information on sponsoring or exhibiting contact Corporate Relations at corporaterelations@nshmba.org.

About the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo

The NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo is a 3-day event that brings thousands of recruiters and hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies together for the purpose of building and fortifying connections within the Hispanic community through a variety of recruiting opportunities. This year we are excited to be sponsored by Nationwide, the Lincoln Motor Company, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and GMAC.  MBA students, graduates and professionals will be able to explore top-choice job opportunities and can even get hired on the spot. Attendees will also be able to benefit from professional development, on-site career management services, and many networking events. For more information on the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo, visit www.nshbmaconference.org.

About the National Society of Hispanic MBAs
National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA): formed in 1988, as a non-profit organization aiming to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social, and earning potential. NSHMBA serves the Hispanic community and its constituents through a national network of 40 chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico covering 100 percent of the Hispanic community. NSHMBA is dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership, advocating the pursuit of higher education and providing its members with world-class professional development and career management programs. For more information on NSHMBA, visit www.nshmba.org.

Connect with NSHMBA National on Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Johnson & Johnson

Caring for the world, one person at a time... inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. They embrace research and science - bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well being of people. Employees of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world. Their Family of Companies comprises the world’s premier consumer health company, the world’s largest and most diverse medical devices and Diagnostics Company, the world’s third-largest biologics company, and the world’s sixth-largest pharmaceuticals company. They have more than 250 operating companies in 57 countries employing 120,200 people with their worldwide headquarters located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. 

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 10, 2015 – NSHMBA is excited to announce Karen Flores, a leading Director in the Consumer Solutions Group at a United Health Group Company called Optum and a NSHMBA member for over 10 years, has been elected to the NSHMBA National Board of Directors. 

Flores provides strategic direction, financial management and operational execution for a group of over four million individuals that are part of the Managed Infertility Program at Optum. She is also the President of the Minneapolis – St. Paul Chapter of NSHMBA and has helped it grow to be over 800 members strong. She has served on the Minneapolis-St. Paul Board as the Corporate Relations Chair, Executive Vice President (EVP) and treasurer, and has developed a successful fundraising model adopted by the chapter.

"Becoming a member of the NSHMBA National Board is not an easy feat,” said Stuart Jara, NSHMBA’s Board ^Chair. “Flores passed a rigorous screening process and several interviews and elections to be considered for a seat on the board.”

Prior to her current position, Flores worked with Fortune 500 companies recruiting accounting and finance talent and as a District Manager at an international retailer. She holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management and an undergraduate degree in communications from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.  

“Karen Flores is an energetic and driven leader committed to excellence in her career as well as in her work with NSHMBA,” said Thomas Savino, Interim CEO of NSHMBA. “She is a born leader and I am confident she will be a great asset to the NSHMBA organization.”

Connect with NSHMBA National on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the National Society of Hispanic MBAs
NSHMBA formed in 1988, as a non-profit organization aiming to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social, and earning potential. NSHMBA serves the Hispanic community and its constituents through a national network of 40 chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico covering 100 percent of the Hispanic community. NSHMBA is dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership, advocating the pursuit of higher education and providing its members with world-class professional development and career management programs. For more information onNSHMBA, visit www.nshmba.org. 

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 9, 2015 – The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) announced today the winners of its most prestigious and highly anticipated Brillante awards. Presented during the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo in Chicago, this honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to improve the educational, economic and social well being of the Hispanic community.  This year’s winners are:

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Brillante Award for Corporate Excellence

Winner – Ford Motor Company

Placing tremendous value on finding, developing and retaining Hispanic talent, Ford Motor Company has been engaged with the Hispanic community in the U.S. and abroad for decades. Ford has a history of providing opportunity for Hispanic achievement and advancement and continues to do so.

“Ford Motor Company is very proud and honored to receive the 2015 Corporate Excellence award,” said Human Resource Manager Samuel Warnock who is accepting the award on behalf of the company. “Hispanic MBAs are key to our diversity pipeline at Ford and we look forward to many years of future success with NSHMBA.”

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Brillante Award for Education Excellence

Winner – Donna Maria Blancero, PhD

Donna Maria Blancero from Bentley University illustrates Hispanic leadership through her drive to encourage and prepare Hispanic students and communities to further their academic and professional pursuit.

"I have spent my professional career working to help educate Latinos at all levels, through my research, my teaching at Bentley University, and my work in executive development,” said Blancero.  “Through strong, ethical, and caring leadership, we can continue to have our community make a difference in society today."

______________________________________ 

Brillante Award for Entrepreneur Excellence

Winner – Keith Fernandez

Keith Fernandez exemplifies Hispanic leadership through his drive to succeed in business and dedication to further the academic and professional pursuits of the Hispanic community. "I am very honored to be receiving the 2015 Brillante Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence from NSHMBA,” said Fernandez. “It is through this award and the success of my start-up Healthcare Company, National Diagnostic Solutions LLC, that I wish to empower and inspire other young Hispanic individuals to go out and take chances, chase your dreams and never stop the pursuit of your full educational, economic and social potential."

__________________________________________ 

NSHMBA Brillante Award for Member Excellence

Winner – Rosanna Durruthy

New Jersey chapter member Rosanna Durruthy is a role model for her NSHMBA chapter and a leader in the advocacy of educational and community collaborations empowering Hispanics to pursue academic and professional milestones.

“It has been my honor and privilege to be a member of NSHMBA, since 1994,” said Rosanna Durruty, Brillante Award recipient for Member Excellence. “Affirming excellence as a standard for Latinos in business, NSHMBA has been a brilliant beacon for corporate America to access the best of graduate level Latino talent. I am so proud of the difference NSHMBA has made for our Latino community, and for our nation, and I am humbled to be awarded the Brillante Award for Member Excellence.” 

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NSHMBA along with Ford Motor Company will host an Awards Gala to present the Brillante awards on Saturday, October 10^th from 6:30-7:30pm in the Grand Ballroom at the McCormick Place.  For the first time ever, tickets to this event are included with Full Conference registration.

“NSHMBA is very excited to be presenting the Corporate Excellence award to Ford Motor Company as they have been long-standing partners of ours,” said NSHMBA Interim CEO Thomas Savino. “This is a unique circumstance and the first time the sponsor of the event has ever won this award, but will definitely make for a more exciting celebration.”

Seats are limited so please come early to celebrate these tremendous recognitions!

Connect with NSHMBA National on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo

The NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo is a 3-day event created to fortify connections within the Hispanic community, through a variety of recruiting opportunities with thousands of recruiters and hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies. This year NSHMBA is excited about being sponsored by Nationwide, the Lincoln Motor Company, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and GMAC. MBA students, graduates and professionals will be able to explore top-choice job opportunities and can even get hired on the spot. Attendees will also be able to benefit from professional development, on-site career management services, and many networking events. For more information on the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo, visit www.nshmbaconference.org.

About the National Society of Hispanic MBAs
NSHMBA formed in 1988, as a non-profit organization aiming to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social, and earning potential. NSHMBA serves the Hispanic community and its constituents through a national network of 40 chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico covering 100 percent of the Hispanic community. NSHMBA is dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership, advocating the pursuit of higher education and providing its members with world-class professional development and career management programs. For more information onNSHMBA, visit www.nshmba.org. 

IRVING, Texas, Sept. 3, 2015 – Today the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) officially announced the finalists for the Case Competition sponsored by PepsiCo. This program is a unique event designed to give high-powered MBA student teams an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, problem-solving skills and teamwork abilities in a formal competition.

As part of the competition, teams are given a hypothetical business case to develop business solutions for a current operational, marketing or financial challenge. Each student team then prepares and presents its case before a panel of experienced business leaders from PepsiCo. Teams are judged on their analysis of the case, the likelihood of their recommendations and the value of their presentations. Though three teams are usually selected, this is the first year four finalist teams were chosen due to the effort and capability of the teams.

“We love to challenge MBA students with real-world scenarios, and NSHMBA’s Case Competition is an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their knowledge and capabilities to PepsiCo," said Thomas Savino, NSHMBA Interim CEO. "NSHMBA is excited to host this challenging event and proud to have an industry leader like PepsiCo serve as its sponsor for the past 3 years.”

Richard Velazquez of PepsiCo stated, "I'd like to thank all the student teams that entered the PepsiCo NSHMBA Case Competition. The entries were top quality and highly competitive. The results were so close we've decided to invite an extra team to present at the National Conference in Chicago. Congratulations to the top four teams!"

Final presentations will take place during the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo October 8^th-10^th in Chicago. Watch these future leaders in action on Thursday, October 8^th starting at 7:30 am.

The four finalist teams presenting are:

1.        Northwestern University

• Business School - Kellogg School of Management

• Team Name – #NowStreaming

• Team Members - Laura Araujo , Giuseppe (Joe) Verde, Marco De La • • • Torre, Abigail Staples

2.        University of South Carolina

• Business School - Darla Moore School of Business

• Team Name – #Bubbly Solutions

• Team Members – Galen Labotka, Kyle Jansen, Taimour Khan

3.        Northwestern University

• Business School - Kellogg School of Management

• Team Name – Inspire

• Team Members – Amrit Chavada, Siddharth Deekshit, Khushboo Kumra

4.        Northwestern University

• Business School - Kellogg School of Management

• Team Name – #PepsInvent

• Team Members - Ritwik Manan, Annie Doan, Ishvaria Raman, Michelle Udezue

The winning team will be selected at the conference. All participating finalists will be provided travel and accommodations and all will attend a special reception and dinner. To view the Case Competition's full information, visit: www.nshmbaconference.org/case-competition.html

Connect with NSHMBA National on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo

The NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo is a 3-day event created to fortify connections within the Hispanic community, through a variety of recruiting opportunities with thousands of recruiters and hiring managers from Fortune 500 companies. This year NSHMBA is excited about being sponsored by Nationwide, the Lincoln Motor Company, Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) and GMAC. MBA students, graduates and professionals will be able to explore top-choice job opportunities and can even get hired on the spot. Attendees will also be able to benefit from professional development, on-site career management services, and many networking events. For more information on the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo, visit www.nshmbaconference.org.

About the National Society of Hispanic MBAs
NSHMBA formed in 1988, as a non-profit organization aiming to empower Hispanics to achieve their fullest educational, social, and earning potential. NSHMBA serves the Hispanic community and its constituents through a national network of 40 chapters and hundreds of community partners across the United States and Puerto Rico covering 100 percent of the Hispanic community. NSHMBA is dedicated to building and advancing Hispanic leadership, advocating the pursuit of higher education and providing its members with world-class professional development and career management programs. For more information on NSHMBA, visit www.nshmba.org.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com

The National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) announced today its second year partnership with the Lincoln Motor Company as their 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo Automotive Partner taking place in Chicago, IL on October 8 – 10, 2015. 

The 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo is the largest Hispanic career and job recruitment event in the nation. This 3-day event offers attendees various kinds of professional development sessions, resume and interview building forums, and the opportunity to network with hundreds of fortune 500 companies in Corporate America.

As part of this partnership, the Lincoln Motor Company will extend 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo attendees a unique test drive experience of its new line of vehicles, including the all-new Lincoln MKX. Participating guests will receive a luxury gift.

"NSHMBA represents the essence of Hispanic professional excellence in business," said David Rodriguez, Multicultural Marketing Manager, the Lincoln Motor Company. "Lincoln's partnership with the organization illustrates our admiration for uniqueness and achievement reflected in our brand as well as our support for Hispanic professionals."

"In order for Hispanic students and professionals to build successful careers in this ever-changing economy, they need professional advice on how to leverage the unique opportunities afforded to them," said NSHMBA Interim CEO Thomas Savino. "NSHMBA, alongside with the Lincoln Motor Company and our other sponsors, is here to provide professional development and as many opportunities as possible to succeed."

If you haven’t yet met Thomas Savino, be sure to send him a warm welcome as he completes his first 60 days as Interim CEO at NSHMBA without missing a beat. Savino took on his new role at a critical time for NSHMBA with the new strategy still unfolding and conference prep in full motion – yet Savino remains unfazed.

 “I’ve been a member of NSHMBA for about 20 years with growing responsibilities from member to chapter officer and most recently National Board Member,” said Savino.  “I look forward to continuing my contribution to NSHMBA’s growth with my new responsibilities as Interim CEO.”

Savino is a good choice to lead NSHMBA during this transition to new leadership. Not only does he have specific experience implementing new programs at the chapter level but his background in management consulting will serve the organization well in implementing the new strategy.

During his first couple of weeks as Interim CEO, Savino spent his time working closely with staff to identify roles and offer support.  Savino said he truly believes the best way to lead is to learn all the inner working and roles of an organization.  More recently, Savino has been traveling extensively visiting corporate sponsors, universities and chapter officers.

“I had dinner with a few of the NYC chapter board members just over a week ago,” said Savino.  "I have really enjoyed getting to know the members and officers of NSHMBA, the actual people who are the reasons for and face of our organization.” As October and the 2015 NSHMBA Conference & Career Expo quickly approach, Savino has been actively involved in promoting the event, meeting with corporate sponsors and working closely with the Chicago chapter.