WHITE PLAINS – If there are two words that describe the inaugural class of Westfair Communications Hispanic Innovators, they are “resilient” and “passionate.”
That was a recurring theme of the night at the Woman’s Club of White Plains’ C.V. Rich Mansion Thursday, Dec. 4, as the owner of Westchester County Business Journal and Fairfield County Business Journal kicked off another in its series of events honoring the business community.
The event was sponsored by partner Robison and supporters Action Entertainment, drbank, Manhattanville University, Moneco Advisors and the Gentleman’s Lab.
“Seeing this room filled with a lot of you, a lot of people supporting the Hispanic community, means a lot,” said Dan Viteri, Westfair Business Journal co-publisher. “When we created this event, the goal was simple: to spotlight the incredible Hispanic professionals in Westchester and Fairfield counties for leading, innovating, building and making a real impact. And let’s be honest, we as Hispanics know how to show up, work hard and get things done.”
Ramon Peralta, CEO, founder and creative director of Peralta Design in Shelton, knows a little something about innovation as a Hispanic businessman. He was the guest speaker at the event.
“We see you and we celebrate you and thank Westfair Communications for shining a light on the success stories in the Hispanic community,” Peralta said. “These stories need to be told because we are not just contributing to this country, we are shaping its future.
“For many of us, coming from nothing was not a limitation; it was a motivation. It built a drive, the discipline and the resilience that brought us all together tonight.”
The resilience and passion of the Hispanic business leaders has become a necessity for those honored by Westfair.
“As far as the political climate, innovation has always come from political strife, political issues and we always find a way,” said honoree Millie Hernandez-Becker, president of SkyQueen Realty in Harrison. “We are resilient people. We are creative people. And we don’t give up.”
She told a story about when she was living in Manhattan as a young girl.
“A lot of my neighbors were Cubans who came from Cuba and were running away from something.,” she added. “They assimilated. That’s the great thing about America. We need to keep that in this country and remember that. Because that’s where our strength comes. That diversity.”
Another honoree, Diana Loja – the community liaison for the Village of Sleepy Hollow – came from Ecuador at the age of 12. When asked how she sees the current political climate affecting the future of innovation within the Hispanic community, she responded that it only makes them stronger.
“We are always going to see political changes that have an impact in the Hispanic community,” Loja said. “I can tell you right now, this has only united all of us. I have been getting together with community leaders doing workshops to help the community understand the rules and, especially, that they understand they have rights. The rights that are there and can’t be taken away.”
For Sabrina Santiago, a woodworking artist of Yonkers who runs Casa Cherrywood Carvings and who was also honored Thursday night, she sees the political challenges for Hispanics in the prism of world history. She compared the great works of Beethoven composed during the Napoleonic Wars, Basquiat’s art that reflected the AIDS and drug crises of his time with the political challenges for Hispanics living through a U.S. administration deporting their innocent brethren.
“It took the climate or crisis that they were surrounded by to inspire them to do something great, something that we still admire long after they have been gone,” Santiago said. “What I see in front of me tonight are artists in their own right. So, whether you are the subject of the pandemic or politics, take what you are doing it, run with it and inspire others. Be revered now; don’t wait until you are gone.
The MC of the Hispanic Innovators event was Gilda Bonanno, owner of business advisory and executive coach firm Gilda Bonanno LLC. The awards were given out by Maria Fraile, a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates who was also the judge.
The following Westchester County and Fairfield County Hispanic business leaders who were honored include:
JAMES AMIGON: co-owner, The Gentleman’s Lab, New Rochelle
VERONICA BAZAN: program director, Women’s Enterprise Development Center, White Plains
LUCELLY ESPINAL: vice president, relationship manager, M&T Bank, Bridgeport
LADYS GUERRERO WILLIAMS: owner, director of hospitality, Simple Motive Brewing Co., Yonkers
MILLIE HERNANDEZ-BECKER: president of SkyQueen Realty, Harrison
DIANA A. LOJA : community liaison, Village of Sleepy Hollow
DIANA MERCHAN: Spanish teacher, Greenwich Country Day School
NELSON MERCHAN: business advisor, Connecticut Small Business Development Center, East Hartford
EDDIE MONROY: executive vice president, Strategy & Growth, Wow! Facility Services, White Plains
WILFREDO AND SONIA MONTANO: president and vice president, Montano Wood Care Corp., Yonkers
LEIDY NUNEZ: CFO, DR Bank, Darien
JENNIFER RIVERA: R&D director, Henkel Consumer Brands, Trumbull
MARIFER RODRIGUEZ: founder, Zamfer Group, Greenwich
RONALD ROSADO ABAD: CEO, Community Housing Innovations, White Plains
SABRINA SANTIAGO: woodworking artist, Casa Cherrywood Carvings, Yonkers
FELIX TAPIA: director of marketing, Robison, Port Chester
MARIA TAPIA-PEREZ: client service manager, Moneco Advisors, Fairfield
ANDREA TORRES FODOR: vice president, business relationship manager, Newtown Savings Bank
