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Accolades

Annual Valle del Sol event honors business, community leaders

Success, both in business and in the community, will be honored for the 17th year at the Valle del Sol Profiles of Success Hispanic Leadership Awards at the Phoenix Convention Center on September 7.

The awards honor both leaders and advocates who have contributed to the Hispanic community. The event also raises funds for Valle del Sol’s behavioral health, human service and leadership development programs.

HALL OF FAME

Two Hall of Fame awards were given this year to retired Fannie Mae director Elisa de la Vara and grocery chain owners Eddie and Nadine Basha.

“To have someone acknowledge that it does make a difference, that it did improve quality of life, of course that makes me feel very proud,” says de la Vara, who is being honored for her support of Latino homeownership. She is known for her work at Fannie Mae and in organizations such as Bienvenido a Mi Casa, Chicanos Por La Causa, the Arizona State Housing Commission and the Hispanic Women’s Corporation.

“I’m proud of the fact that I can point to a number of communities and see the fruition,” of her work, she says. The results range “from a development that’s renting affordable units to the fact that there are a number of people -- whom I’ll never know -- who were able to become homeowners because there were mortgage products out there that helped them realize their dream.

“I’m happy to have had some involvement in making sure that these underserved communities do get served with products that are good for them,” she says.

“I’m a big fan of Valle del Sol and what they do,” she adds, “I don’t think it’s so much the individual that they’re recognizing, but rather the work that’s out there that contributes to developing a community, to providing services, to doing good things.”

The Bashas were awarded for their support and advocacy of health and education, and for their philanthropic, hands-on support of the Latino community.

HONOR ROLL OF LEADERSHIP

In addition to the Hall of Fame, eight honorees were recognized for their work. Sal Rivera is recognized as the Latino Advocacy Champion for his work with the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise.

“I was literally floored,” says the attorney, “and I usually have something to say.”

Rivera was inspired by the work he saw being done by Latino leaders to join in making a difference.

“There’re so many challenges and needs facing our community,” he says, “and frankly, a lot of opportunities.”

City of Chandler Public Affairs Director Nachie Márquez says being nominated for the Exemplary Leadership honor by co-workers is one of the highlights of her career.

As someone who has attended many Profiles luncheons over the years, Marquez says she’s come to admire the honorees. “It was very exciting both personally and professionally, because I know the caliber of people [who have been awarded].

“So much of my work involves…the outreach to Hispanics,” explains Marquez, who in her seven years at the city has been instrumental in making sure that all news releases are in Spanish. She’s also been influential in strengthening Chandler’s relationships with community leaders and organizations. “It’s been great to be part of the process of establishing that dialogue,” she says.

The Humanitarian Award goes to Cox Communications sales director Delma Herrera for her work with Stand Up For Kids, an organization that benefits homeless children.

“I’m obviously very excited about the award,” says Herrera, “and also what it means in the community and people realizing how important it is to give back.”

Among other roles, Herrera brought in and trained new outreach volunteers. Under her leadership, the number of volunteers has gone from six to more than 60 in the past year.

“Having grown up as a Latina and Spanish being my first language, and with my parents working and trying to make ends meet, I wanted to make sure that I was able to give back and help other children,” she says.

Herrera says the best part was telling her family about the award.

“My dad always taught us about hard work, and then giving back and taking care of people,” she says, “I wanted to share that with him and he was so proud. That was the best feeling.”

State Legislator Amanda Aguirre was nominated for her advocacy on behalf of Latinos’ health, including pushing through a bill appropriating $1 million to diabetes prevention and outreach.

“I’m always very honored to have been selected as a special honoree, most of all (for being) on such a distinguished list of honorees,” she says, “It’s very humbling to be part of that group.”

Exemplary Leadership Honoree Harry Garewal says he was “pleasantly surprised” at the nomination. “That’s not something that I look for, getting those kinds of awards, but …I am very happy to have been nominated.”

Garewal says he was nominated for his work in “the triad of business, community and education.”

“On the business side, I have always been very involved with small minority businesses: providing technical assistance and helping them to grow,” says Garewal, who is president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He also has stayed involved in the southwest Valley community where he has lived for nearly 40 years and has been an advocate for Latino students in education while serving on the Phoenix Union High school board.

“I think Valle del Sol has done a great job at recognizing that we do have exemplary leadership in the Latino community,” says Garewal, “There are a lot of Latinos and Latinas who have contributed very significantly to the quality of life and the economy of the state of Arizona.”

Other honorees include attorney Phil Austin, president of the Mesa Association of Hispanic Citizens, for Exemplary Leadership. The attorney, founder of the Annual Latino town Hall, is a constant advocate for issues on behalf of Latinos.

Phoenix College Professor Trino Sandoval is being recognized for Latino Excellence in Arts and Culture, who describes the accolade as “humbling.”

“I firmly believe in the work I do to bring opportunities for all people in the Phoenix area to experience art,” he says, “whether it is through a free Latin American Film Festival at Phoenix College or through the theater.

productions by Teatro Bravo that speak about the Latino experience in the United States.”

Sandoval says such recognition affirms “that art is important because it contributes to a spiritual balance in the life of an individual. It also testifies to the presence of the Latino community in Phoenix and establishes the foundation of the legacy we are forging for this city.”