Joe Lovato: Following His Dreams One at a Time

Mr. Lovato grew up in Denver, Colorado, in a family of seven brothers and seven sisters. His father was a carpenter and his mother took care of the family. “We didn’t have much money, so I couldn’t dream about my future,” he said.

“I didn’t know that being a Latino meant I was different. I grew up in a Latino neighborhood, but when I was in the third grade, we moved into a white neighborhood. I realized that I was different when the kids at school made fun of us because we weren’t white.”

In the new school, the Lovatos were the only Hispanics and, compared to the other students, they were behind. “The other school I went to taught less than the school in the white neighborhood, so the questions we asked were taught the year before - which was another reason for kids to tease us.”

But Mr. Lovato’s third grade teacher, Ms. Carpenter, took the time to help him reach the other students’ level. “Once I was at grade level, I did pretty well,” he said. “My brothers and sisters were also smart and soon we started getting the best grades in classes. We were not stupid, we were just behind.”

Because Mr. Lovato’s two older brothers were gang members, he got in trouble with other kids for things his brothers had done. “From the teachers I learned what to do and from my older brothers I learned what not to do,” he said. “But I always knew at a really young age what I didn’t want to be. The teachers provided me with the access to opportunities to be someone with dreams for a better future.”

When Mr. Lovato was in seventh grade, his History teacher, Mr. Salazar - who was also Hispanic - encouraged him to do things and to get involved in school.

When Mr. Lovato was age 14, his parents divorced. As the oldest son at home, he had to take care of his younger siblings: He almost dropped out of high school. “When they were sick, I had to help them so my mother could go to work. He’d get sick, too, he explained. “It was a downward spiral.” Thanks to his best friend, who would bring Mr. Lovato his homework and turn it in for him, Mr. Lovato was able to maintain his grades.

Mr. Gardner, his high school counselor, kept inviting Mr. Lovato to return to school. “I had lost hope when other people were trying to give me hope,”Mr. Lovato said. But Mr. Gardner persisted. He took Mr. Lovato to an engineering firm in Denver where the one of the owners had gone into the military and afterwards college. “Mr. Gardner showed me that the way to get out of a poor neighborhood was to use the strengths I had developed based on standardized test results.”

Using the GI Bill, Mr. Lovato went into the military. “For me, Mr. Gardner was a mentor and a coach. He opened my eyes and showed me a picture of how to achieve my aspirations. I did not know what being an engineer really meant. My grandfather worked for the railroad and that was the only time that I heard the word engineer.”

A day after his 18th birthday Mr. Lovato left Colorado. He went to the army and later he volunteered to go to Vietnam where he was the youngest sergeant in his Unit. “I cannot picture it,” he said. “I have three sons, 25, 27, and 29 years old now. When they were 18, I couldn’t picture them being in my own shoes. I celebrated my 19th and 20th birthdays in Vietnam. At that time, my only worry was how to lead my Unit. I was lucky. I got involved with some things that scared the heck out of me. And I still came out thinking rationally about it.”

In 1970 Mr. Lovato was accepted at West Point, he wanted to be an engineer. “I could go to West Point through engineering, but there was a year of prep school, four years in West Point, and six years of service, which totaled thirteen years. I didn’t see myself committed to doing that.” So he turned down West Point and stayed in Vietnam for a second tour of duty.

When he was in Vietnam, he put all his earnings into a savings account and, when he finished his service, he used his savings and the GI Bill to go to college.

Mr. Lovato returned to California in 1973 and later enrolled in the San Bernandino Community Valley College. Then, in June 1975, he started the Chemical Engineer program at Cal Poly Pomona. He received his engineering degree in 1977. “I was like a man on a mission,” he said, very focused on his career and his reason to succeed.

Scholarships and part-time work enable Mr. Lovato to pay for college. “My mother was poor; she couldn’t support or send me anything. My dad couldn’t either. Frequently I was sending them money, I have to help when things came up.”

During the summer, Mr. Lovato worked as an intern. That gave him experience and the Getty Oil Company interviewed him. The following year, he was interviewed and hired as a manager with The Procter and Gamble Company.

“One of the things I have learned over time, is that people don’t get to places unless you help them,” Mr. Lovato said. “Thanks to Ms. Carpenter, Mr. Salazar and Mr. Gardner, I learned that what we have to do in life is to help others.”

At Procter & Gamble Mr. Lovato helps other people solve problems. My son asked me, “What do you do at Procter & Gamble, Dad?” I said to him “I just help other people to make good decisions around what we have to do. I help them build their confidence by being clear on their objective, the assumptions they’re making, and the equipment or work process that they have chosen,” Mr. Lovato said. “This is what I have been doing in Procter & Gamble for the past thirty years. It has been a great job.”

Mr. Lovato explained that now the challenges for Latinos are more difficult. “Today, over 50 percent of children in the United States five year-old and younger are Latinos,” he said. “About half of those children are from immigrant families and about half of them are born here in the United States. A lot of the immigrant families are arriving with less education than the families in the United States. How do you help these children believe that they can succeed and reach their dreams?”

When Mr. Lovato retires, he wants to dig for dinosaur bones. “I have always been interested in Paleontology and Geology,” he said. “Another thing that I want to do is to invest in the Hispanic community. I want to help young Latinos in the way my teachers helped me.” He has consistently been involved in leadership programs for Latino youth, he said, because he believes a duty of being successful is to invest back into the community. “Other people inspired me. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, so teachers were my mentors and coaches. I didn’t have that coaching at home.”

For Mr. Lovato the most important thing is to change the life of young Latinos, just as his teachers did for him. “I can trace things back to Ms. Carpenter, Mr. Salazar and Mr. Gardner,” he said. “They were my mentors and encouraged me to follow my dreams.”

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Mr. Lovato said. “I’ve been able to do a lot of things that I wouldn’t have thought I would do.”

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Luis Campos. VP of Human Resources of Procter & Gamble, speaks aobut his participation in “Education for Success” of NSHMBA

By Lorena Mora-Mowry

This interview was posted in EscapeLatino.com on October 25th, 2006.

At the approach of the Seventeenth National Conference of NSHMBA (National Society of Hispanics with MBAs) and Career Expo to take place in Cincinnati, from the 26th to the 28th of October. The Local Chapter of NSHMBA joined other organizations, businesses and area schools to create “Education for Success,” a program that has become the legacy of the NSHMBA conference in Cincinnati.

The goal for the program for “Education for Success” achieved not only the participation of sixty-five high school Hispanic students to the conference, but also has provided the opportunity to meet Hispanic executives who have succeeded professionally.

EscapeLatino.com interviewed Luis Campos, Vice-President of Human Resources of Procter & Gamble of North America to speak about his participation in the “Education for Success” workshop.

Luis Campos is a Venezuelan native, who began working for Procter & Gamble at the age of 22 as a “foreman” at a detergent factory located in Venezuela, and now, after twenty-seven years, he is one of the Hispanic Executives carrying the highest position worldwide of Procter & Gamble.

How do you feel to having been invited to the “Education for Success” of NSHMBA?
For me it is an honor, and it gives me a great responsibility. I accepted this responsibility to try and help this youth group to show them that opportunities and methods exist, which will make their dreams come true.

What has been your philosophy or your secret for success in your profession?
I am going to answer this with what I define, or I call the five factors or commandments.

The first factor or commandment is to DARE TO DREAM. It is simple allowing no limits based on the experience of those around you, or your parents. If your parents were not professionals this does not mean you cannot be professional.”

Dare to dream! Do no set limits before the game starts (I mean, if we call life this way) and if you don’t dream, you lose even before this game started, the game of living.

My second factor or commandment is HAVE DISCIPLINE. When I listen that such and such person made it to this position or success because of his or her gook luck, I say to myself, “if they only knew all the work and sweat behind that success!” Luck, say many people, is 90% sweat and 10% of other variable, but one must have discipline, be organized, work, and be responsible.

My third factor is the fundamental of being HUMBLE. One must be humble. This is referred to, as no one is owner of the absolute truth; we all have something new to learn every day of each experience. Everyone sees things and opportunities of a different way, and we all have the opportunity to always learn.

At this time of my life, I am learning from my children, my spouse, my bosses, and my co-sponsors. I learn from everyone I interact with daily. My parents taught to be humble because with humbleness one never stops learning and continues to progress.

The fourth of my commandments, and for me the most important one is, that you must have COURAGE. No one should be afraid in life because if you lack courage, no one can dare to dream.

Fear defeats humbleness, and when one believes in something, it is said, expressed, and one must fight for what is believed. Only with courage we contribute with our best, whether as an employee, leader, at home, and everything you do.

The last of my commandments is: NEVER, NEVER QUIT. I did not say this, Winston Churchill said it: Never, Never, quit.

I believe, fundamentally that when we are learning to walk as children, we learn from the more important lessons in life. What happens is, we forget it. This lesson is that at every fall, we are required to get back up again, and must learn from each fall. If we do not learn, this means that we lack discipline, we are not humble, and we have no courage. We learn so to walk; we must walk so in life, ready to fall while learning and getting back up again, no matter how painful the fall.

What was the answer from the students regarding your presentation?
Some students approached me to tell me they were attracted to the simplicity and clearlyness of the rules, which were not difficult to achieve or to understand.

When I was as a foreman in the factory, I worked different shifts, and I had conflicts with my parents. My parents wished for me to be in a higher position. My answer to them was always “I am learning and growing professionally.”

Are you participating in the event “Education for Success” at the NSHMBA National Conference?
Yes, I am going to attend for many reasons: First as Vice-President of Human Resources in North America; second, as a Hispanic and who can acquire Hispanic talent for the company and third, for the reason of being a citizen of Cincinnati.

I have many reasons to be part of this event and make it a complete success; is good for the city, companies, and the community.

While we count on the youth who need guidance, help in their progress, and go places where there is no other way for them; we are committed to help. It is our civic duty.

Do you believe that “Education for Success” may become an annual event?
The help must come from different sources. I am involved with the “”Latino Multicultural Center” managed by NKU who works with organizations such as, “Su Casa” and “Centro de Amistad” in helping Hispanic children from early age to university level.

This year, I was co-Chairman of the “Hispanic Scholarship Fund Gala” and we have worked to make sure that if we do not help our youth now, we will have problems in the future.

Luis Campos concludes our interview reminding the Hispanic youth that “Triumph can be achieved.”

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Samy, the celebrity stylist, shares the secret of his success

By Lorena Mora-Mowry

This interview was published in Escapelatino.com on March 12th, 2007

Not every day a famous person visits Cincinnati, especially if it is one of the top ten hairstylists of the United States. For a couple of hours, Samy was promoting his hair product line “Samy” before more than one hundred fifty managers of the different Walgreens in Ohio.

Escapelatino.com was invited to interview Samy, one of the most famous and influential Latino entrepreneurs in United States and in the world.

We had the opportunity to talk to Samy, a cordial man who invited us to talk about more about his dreams and his life.

Who is Samy?
“ I am a creator, a beauty expert, a person who has dedicated his whole life to embellish through products that truly are able to solve the problem for each hair type.”

How did Samy become a hairstylist?
“Imagine, since I was eight years old, I already knew what I wanted to be. For me, to look at hair is like looking at the sea; is something that excites me and fills me with passion. My purpose is to embellish because I have always said: There are no ugly women; there are only woman that do not know how to use cosmetics and hairstyling well. I find beauty in each person and believe that there is beauty in all human beings and that is the key to my success.”

What is the most impressive thing about a woman? Meaning, what makes a woman pretty?
“I believe it is a combination of several things; in the first place, her attitude, because a good attitude opens many doors. Physically, I believe that pretty hair says everything, either thin or curly, as long as it is taken care of and with the nice haircut.”

How can you have a perfect haircut?
“Many people’s mistake is that they do not know what hair type they have, and sometimes they end up getting a haircut that does not go well with them.

But the important thing, is to put together a person’s lifestyle, with the hair type and their personality. There are women who have a lot of time to dedicate it to their hair, and others want something that is fast, simple and that makes them look good.

My secret for good hair is that it must be easy, manageable and sexy, and of course, that use Samy’s Hair Products.”

How did you come up with the idea of creating a hair product line?
“I wanted to have products that didn’t have either wax or residue or accumulation. Ninety and nine percent of the products tha

There wasn’t either in stores; professional products with the quality of a beauty salon that were not low-priced. In order to have a spectacular shampoo, or a special treatment, you must go to an expensive beauty salon, and pay sky-high prices.

What I did, was to put twenty-five years of my creativity, and my professionalism, in each bottle that you purchase.”

Do you have a line of hair products for men?
“The important thing is: That my products are for women… and men. I am giving quality. If you are a man with dry hair, mistreated, thin, and fragile, my products will work on you. If I make products for men, to satisfy their ego, Well, I could change it to a black box with gray letters, to say they have a touch of masculinity, but, it would be the same product.”

Why are you visiting Walgreens in a tour to the United States?
“Walgreens was the first that opened the doors to me, and that is why I do this. I am very thankful for Linda Conway in Chicago: she was the one that had confidence to put my hair products in Walgreens. “

After Cincinnati, Samy will be visiting Lexington‘s, Las Vegas’s, Los Angeles’s and San Antonio’s Walgreens. “According to Samy, “ if they open a Walgreens on the moon, my products will be there, because where there is a Walgreens, there are Samy hair products. “

The Samy hair products are in more than six thousand Walgreens in the United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. In the category of “Styling” the Samy products are the best sold, and he hopes that FAT Hair “0″ Calories will become another one of Walgreens’s Best-Sellers.

How did you get your name to be recognized …like a line of products for all the women?
“That is the most important, it can be a woman from anywhere. I have made products for the universal hair. Hair has neither sex nor a frontier. I, definitely, have dedicated myself to make the Samy brand as a sign of respect at worldwide level.

My products are sold with the other products, there are no special sections, they are at the same level as the best products of the world.”

The Samy hair product line is sold in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the South Africa, the Baltic countries and Europe.

Do you never stop growing? Why the eagerness to keep going ahead?
“God gives opportunities to all of us. We finished opening the first “Signature Salon” in Lincoln Road, South Beach, Florida. We want to take this concept to the entire world; soon you will be seeing more Salons like that.”

How do you feel when your products are used at the Victoria Secret’s Shows and at the most important catwalks of the world?
“My hairstylist team “Salon” is doing a great job. The artistic director of my company is called “Roque” and he’s been the one in charge, to make those special events possible.

To me, it makes me proud to know, that my products are being used at the best catwalks of the world specially directed by Roque; I have all my confidence in him to represent for me.”

What is Samy’s next step?
“You are going to hear more about Samy hair products. My company’s sales are breaking barriers and growing worldwide. We have more than seventy people and, they are very passionate about Samy Products.”

Could it be that you have so much passion that it is contagious?
“You ask me that question and it fills me with joy. Our company is a young and dynamic company. We have the solidarity of the greatest families “all for one and one for all.

All of us are in the same page. I am the founder of the company. My partner Luis Delgado handles the business in a constructive and dynamic way. And my sister Sara Soliz has a lot of responsibility. Let me tell you, if a product is not one hundred percent well made, my sister will not let it pass by.

Our company’s success has been possible; Thanks to people like Luis Delgado, Sara Solíz, Yvonne Chavez, Sam, Joe, Keven and Melinda.

When you look back upon everything you have achieved, did you ever believe you were going to get this far?
“I dreamed about it. As a boy I saw myself being a celebrity stylist. My family was not wealthy, but in my house love was better than any money.

There was a lot between my mother, my father and my sister. We were poor, but rich in soul. I have learned from my parents, not to hurt anyone. I volunteer at abused women’s centers and I encourage them to pursue their dreams and wishes, because I know what is to dream and to wish.

Are you living proof that dreams can come true?
Yes, I believe I’m living proof that dreams can come true through hard work. God helps to the ones that help themselves.

The United States is the land of opportunities. If you want to be successful, just do it, don’t limit yourself. There are people who always walk with a black cloud above them, but remember, the sun can shine for all of us.

Your interview is very important because people can see that dreams can come true. I am not a better hair stylist than anybody else, but I am a hard working person that has a talent that God gave me; I am a beauty expert.

People ask me why is it that I am not a soap opera artist and I tell them no. I am expert in beauty, end of story, nothing more, and nothing less. That is what I am, this is what I do: Beauty, hair and to embellish.

Where does Samy live?
“Samy lives in an airplane. At 35 thousand feet high, that is the highest house in the United States and that is what I like. Every two months I go to Europe to make my TV shows in Germany and England.”

What message do you have for the Latina woman?
“The Latina woman lives under her own shadow and is the victim of her own life. The blame is nobody’s, but her own.

You have to lift yourself up. Perhaps your Dad or where you were born, made you feel that way. You must stop feeling pity for yourself and turn yourself around and get out from under your own shadow and find your happiness.

Whenever you look in the mirror, it is very important to love yourself. Latina women are not taught to love themselves.

Remember, many women listen to their husband say they cannot make the money, because that is his job. But look, who is the one that washes, irons and clean. That is work too and it must be given value.

The day that you tell your husband that you are going to go to work, you must take action. “

Which star has the hair you love the most?
For me the stars are the ones that are reading your article right now.

Unfortunately we just ran out of time, and Samy said good-bye, “with a kiss and a rib-breaking hug, and reminding Latinas, to never censure or limit themselves, and to be proud of who they are.”

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Blanca Fauble, talks about Ford Motor Company`s multicultural strategies

By Lorena Mora-Mowry

This news was published in Escapelatino.com on December 1st, 2006

During the 17th annual NSHMBA Conference and Career Expo that was celebrated last October in Cincinnati, EscapeLatino.com had the opportunity to talk to Blanca Quiñonez-Fauble, Multicultural Alliance Director and Team member of Ford Motor Company North American Strategic Operations www.ford.com

Blanca was born in Lima, Perú and has a degree on Industrial Relations and Personal Management from Iowa State University. She is currently the person in charge of maximizing, coordinating and creating multicultural strategies between Ford Motor Company’s organizations.

Through out her career, Blanca has contributed to the professional and personal improvement of Latin women and her leadership has been recognized through different awards. Blanca is a tireless volunteer for local community organizations and national organizations that support Latinos.

How did Blanca achieve such important occupation?
As we said in the conference, each one of us has to continuously study and work with a lot of integrity. To know the people where you work, not only the colleagues, but also the people that work for you or the ones you work for. To be up to date on the situations and changes that affect the industry where one works and is also important to be connected with the community.

Which are the multicultural strategies that Ford offers to increase the economic and social opportunities within the latin commmunity?
Ford offers different opportunities to help the Latin community in general. We have a philanthropy fund and we donate money to different causes, especially to education. An example is “Ford Partnership for Advance Studies” (Ford PAS), an educational program for high school kids.

The company invests on the schools where the majority of the students are minorities and do not have the advantages that other schools have. We teach them with interactive courses and subjects such as mathematics, analytical and critical thinking; which are areas where many schools do not have the money to focus in, but are fundamental to standing out on the workplace, the university and upper level studies afterwards.

We also help women that participate on Ford’s inside programs, for example, the professional women organization. We also have the ¨Employment Resource Groups” that is a program dedicated specifically to Hispanics – Ford Hispanic Network Group.

What has Blanca learned at the Corporate World?
As women we have so much passion for different subjects, when this passion gets in the middle of a decision making process, we generally become more subjective. That is when one has to control those passions so that one is not perceived as an emotional person, but an effective, rational and objective person.

Likewise, when one has good ideas, the important thing is to know how to present them. Then it is time to invest a lot on one’s presentations so that the ideas are well focused and they go straight to the point. In general, people that work on corporations like things to be concrete, succinct and short.

Collaboration, adaptation, personalization, diversity and motivation are good Leadership elements that give results. Think of the possibilities and have a good attitude, which only you can control.

What is your next step on NSHMBA?
With the new leadership on the organization, we are going to see a new focus towards professional and personal development of the members.

I personally want to keep contributing to the organization and the leadership of such. I also want to propose two things:

First, to increase the scholarship funds and second, to see what can we do to inspire the young man and women go to college and earn a degree. A mentor is needed, so when the time is right for the students to begin their MBA, they will have guidance, and push them. When one works, has a family, and has other tasks to take care of, is hard to move forward. Having a mentor who gives support and to help stay keep on track with their studies. Those are the two areas where I would like to put more of my energy.

I would also like that the scholarships would last more than a year. On the contrary they should accompany the student until s/he is finished with his university education until s/he starts working on a corporation. That way, we can make sure that they are being hired by the corporations and valued by their enormous talent.

What is your advice to the immigrant women who do to what to do with their new life in the U.S.?
Sometimes is good to be involved as a member of the board of an organization that help the community because you meet people that can help you develop a project or who will give you opportunities to engage different roles or occupations that will allow you to do something that you have not done before. There is no much risk, because the work is voluntary; nevertheless, one can develop his/her strengths and will be able to meet other leaders. They help you, you help them and that way we all help the community.

The point is that to become a voluntary is very important, because one can learn a lot of new things from its leaders, organizations and one can bring in the knowledge to one’s corporation.

As women we have talent and incredible skills, but some times we do not take the risk in using those talents and someone has to push you so that you can do it, and that is when you become stronger. You have to search for the opportunities and to give a lot of yourself, but to value yourself at the same time. What you think of yourself, others will think it too. The sky is the limit, C’mon!

How do you feel at a conference?
It gives me an incredible energy and happiness to see so many young Hispanic men and women that have such high education and who want even more education to succeed on their work life and to be helpful to the community. It is incredible.

We say good bye with the joy to have met an extraordinary example of a woman who has achieved a lot in her career, and also a person that we all know will continue helping Latinos and Latinas grow personally and professionally.