HispanicBusiness

Edwin Negron
Title: SVP of Finance, School Services Division
Company: Sodexho
Currently: Responsible for the financial operations for the school services division, Mr. Negron also has experience at other well-known consumer goods companies such as Frito Lay and Energizer. He is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Negron says working in the international arena has been both demanding and challenging. "Despite numerous obstacles and the very dynamic environments of these economies, we are expected to perform and deliver the same or even higher results/growth as in the stable U.S. market," he says. "Given the complexity of these markets and the few resources provided, managers in Latin America need to be much better professionals in all aspects of their fields based on the inequities and difficult environments under which we operate."

Luis Nieto
Title: President, Refrigerated Foods Group
Company: ConAgra Foods Inc.
Currently: Mr. Nieto's latest promotion makes him responsible for the profitability of the Refrigerated Foods group. He was previously in charge of ConAgra's packaged meats and deli business including Armour, Butterball, and Healthy Choice. The Harvard graduate's experience in the consumer packaged goods industry includes leadership positions at Federated, National Refrigerated Group, Kraft Foods, and Quaker Oats. Mr. Nieto says 2007 will be a challenging year for the consumer food products industry. "There is significant raw material inflationary pressure across many key product categories," he says. "The competitive environment and retail customer strategies will make it difficult to recoup these inflationary effects." Mr. Nieto adds, "Hispanic consumers will remain a major growth opportunity for most consumer food companies."

Patrick T. Ortiz
Title: SVP and General Counsel
Company: PNM Resources
Currently: Responsible for legal services to all areas of the company, Mr. Ortiz's career includes leadership positions in many New Mexico organizations. Previously, he was the chief counsel for U.S. West Communications, the New Mexico public service commissioner, chief counsel to the NMPSC and general counsel to the New Mexico State Corporation Commission. In searching for promotions, Mr. Ortiz says there's no substitute for hard work and preparation. "Be vocal in sharing credit for successes. You can't do it alone and there's always enough credit to go around. I don't believe you succeed on the backs of others. Be flexible in working with people and through various situations, but, above all, do what you know is right."

Frank J. Quevedo
Title: VP of Equal Opportunity
Company: Southern California Edison
Currently: A veteran Edison employee, Mr. Quevedo was an appointee of President Nixon and served as chief of staff to Commissioner Tony Gallegos at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission during the Reagan administration. His tips for advancement include being prepared for any assignment and having a clear set of expectations. "Throughout my professional career, no matter the uncomfortable circumstances, I've been able to persevere by never being hesitant to push myself and others around me to work hard, take risks and meet the challenges before us," Mr. Quevedo says. He has served as chairman of the board of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund for three terms.