Latinos Making a Difference

Congratulations to the Special 2013 Honorees!

Cross-Border Leader: Frank Carrillo

President & CEO / SIMNSA Health Plan

Carrillo has dedicated much of his career to helping Latino workers and families get cross-border healthcare. In 1998, he was primarily responsible for the development and passage of legislation that amended California law and created opportunities for true cross-border health plans in this state. Today his award-winning company, SIMNSA, stands a leader in cross border healthcare coverage. SIMNSA is the only cross-border health plan that works in collaboration with the San Diego County Health Department. His generous Fundación Simnsa, A.C., a Mexican nonprofit organization, donates funds to needy organizations, special education services, and underprivileged youth and families. Carillo’s dedicated group also supports Maria Inmaculada, an orphanage for abandoned and abused children.

Entrepreneur of the Year: Enrique Schon

Founder & Chairman / Vibra Bank

As Founder and Chairman of Vibra Bank in Chula Vista, Schon is changing the landscape of banking and business in both San Diego and Tijuana through his entrepreneurial efforts and leadership. Schon has been applying an innovative banking framework to empower entrepreneurs who may have trouble receiving services from larger banks, thus enabling many Latinos to bridge the gap of business between Mexico and the U.S. Vibra Bank was recently recognized for its visionary contributions by receiving the Pioneer Award from the South County Economic Development Council. Schon personifies commitment to community, with nearly all of his businesses bringing value to local populations and organizations. Schon has positively influenced Latinos by understanding their unique challenges and building a bank to provide solutions.

Inspirational Leader: Celina Caprio

Contracts Administrator, Legal Department / Senomyx, Inc.

Program Director of the Hermanitas Program, MANA de San Diego

Beyond her successful career at the biotech company, Senonyx, Inc., Capio has diligently served as part of the Hermanitas Program at MANA de San Diego for the past eight years.  As the Hermanitas Program Director for four years, she has

shaped this flagship youth mentoring program that has a 100 percent success rate and empowers young Latinas through education, leadership development, community service, and advocacy. This one-of-a-kind program is the largest Latina youth mentoring program in the nation, where young girls are guided to make positive educated choices by exposing them to different resources for education and life skills. Her astute leadership has also helped maintain a steady number of dedicated participants. Capio has received numerous community awards for her exceptional work such and continues to work as a 100 percent volunteer, steering this tremendous program and mentoring young women to achieve success.

Event Information

San Diego Magazine, in partnership with Univision KBNT San Diego, debuted the inaugural “Latinos Making a Difference.” The event (on October 10) and special section (in the November issue) honored San Diego’s most distinguished Latino leaders.

Procopio

525 B St #2200 San Diego, CA 92101

Street parking and valet parking available

October 10, 2013

5:00 – 8:00pm

Complimentary valet parking is available at 525 B Street.

Nominations

Nominations are now closed.

Nominations for several unique award categories opened July 15, 2013 and closed September 4, 2013.

San Diego Magazine would like to extend a thank you to its Advisory Board members. The Board served as the judging panel to determine the honorees in the following categories: Entrepreneur of the Year, Inspirational Leader of the Year, and Cross Border Award.  The judges based criteria on work that is done above and beyond the nominee’s normal employment responsibilities.

Latinos Making a Difference Advisory Board:

Margarita Wilder, General Manager at Univision KBNT San Diego, Deanna Mackey, Station Manager at KPBS, Catherine Arambula, Northwestern Mutual and new president for MANA, Alex Montoya, Manager Latino Affairs for San Diego Padres, Francisco Sanchez,  Procopio, Tony Rodriquez, Ivy Advisory Resources , Tom Wong, UCSD, George Ramirez, Chief Diversity Officer at Union Bank, and Francisco J. Urtasun, Director of Community Partnerships at Sempra Energy.

Advisory Board Members can’t be nominated but they can have people within their organization nominated.

Tickets

The event is now sold out.

Advertising & Sponsorships

Advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available for 2014! Please contact Bethany Odell at bethanyo@sandiegomagazine or 619.744.0516.

Sponsors

Supporting Sponsors

Finalists

Congratulations to these finalists who are up for our inaugural Latinos Making a Difference awards. These awards will be announced at the event on October 10 so buy tickets early. We will sell out. The following award categories will be recognized: Entrepreneur of the Year, Cross Border Leader and  Inspirational Leader of the Year.

• Alejandra González
  Walden Family Services
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Alexander Salazar
  Alexander Salazar Fine Art
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Alicia Rodriguez
  San Ysidro Health Center
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Amy Baca Lopez
  Amy Baca Lopez Art Studio
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ana Navarro
  UC San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ana Salcedo
  Tinsmith Old Town San Diego and Wallach & Goldman Square Old Town San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Annette Leon
  Mission
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Anthony Bernal
  Interim Mayor Council President Todd Gloria
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Antonio Barbosa
  Wells Fargo
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Dr. Ariel Ortiz
  Obesity Control Center®
  Cross Border Leader
• Beatriz Alexander
  InBiz Latino North County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ben Aguilar
  Law Offices of Ben Aguilar
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
   
• Ben Hueso
  CA Senate
  Cross Border Leader
• Carlos Chacon, Dr.
  Divino Plastic Surgery
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Carlos Maldonado
  California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Carmen Chavez
  Casa Cornelia
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Celina Caprio
  Senomyx, Inc.
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Claudine Contreras
  NBC 7 San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Daisy Lozano
  UCSD Network for a Healthy California
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Damian Esparza
  Diocese of San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• David Valladolid
  PIQE Parent Institute for Quality Education
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Dolores Contreras
  Boyd Contreras, APC
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Elsa Sevilla
  Sevilla Productions
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Enrique Coppel
  Coppel
  Cross Border Leader
• Enrique Hernandez Pulido
  Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & S
  Cross Border Leader
• Enrique Morones
  Border Angels
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Enrique Schon
  Vibra Bank
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Ermila A. Martinez, Esq.
  The Law Office of Ermila A. Martinez
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Esperanza Gonzalez
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
   
• Fanny Miller
  El Latino Newspaper
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Filex Alexandro Sanchez
  Union Law Group
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Flora Espino
  VCV Financial Services, Inc.
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Francisco Escobedo, Dr.
  Chula Vista Elementary School District
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Francisco Perez
  Aqui es Texcoco
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Francisco Valle
  Tri-City Medical Center
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Frank Carrillo
  SIMNSA Health Plan
  Cross Border Leader
• George Ochoa
  Scripps Health, Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego/Chula Vista MexCare
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Gloriaann Garcia
  Susan G. Komen for the Cure, San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
   
• Guadalupe Rodriguez Corona
  Alliant International University
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ignacio De La Torre
  AT&T
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Inez Gonzalez
  National Hispanic Media Coalition
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jesse Rodriguez
  Montage
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• John Gomez
  The Gomez Iagmin Law Firm
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Jordi Muñoz
  3DRobotics
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Jose A. Cruz
  Barrio Logan College Institute
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jose Galicot Behar
  Tijuana Innovadora
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jose Honold MD
  Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jose L. Betancourt, US Navy Ret.
  San Ysidro Education Vanguard Foundation
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jose Luis Laparte
  PriceSmart, Inc.
  Cross Border Leader
• Joseph Martinez
  Martinez + Cutri
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Josie Calderon
  MABPA Mexican American Business Professionals Association
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Jovita Juarez
  Heart to Heart Event Planning
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
   
• Juan Carlos Gomez
  Iberico Spanish Bistro
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Juan Ramon Diaz
  Testing Services & Inspection
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Juan Zuniga and Angela Gonzalez
  Cross Border Legal Group
  Cross Border Leader
• Lidia S. Martinez
  Southwest Airlines
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Lilia Larin
  South Coast Dental
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Linda Caballero Sotelo
  LCS Enterprises
  Cross Border Leader
• Lizzette Herrera Castellanos
  University of San Diego School of Law
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Lorena Slomanson
  Legal Aid Society of San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Lucia Matthews
  DIÁLOGO
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Luis Maizel
  LM Capital Group
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Luis Vargas
  City of San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Marcella McLaughlin
  San Diego District Attorneys Office
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Marisa Hugarte
  Bilateral safety Corridor Coal
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Marissa Bejarano
  CA Dept. Of Justice/Office of Attorney General
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Melanie Campanaro
  The Yoga Factory
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Mery Gallo
  Univision Communications Inc.
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Miguel D. Vasquez
  California Foundation Fund
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Miguel Ma
  The Steakhouse on Broadway
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Monica Bauer
  Anti-Defamation League ADL
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Myrian Solis Coronel
  REI
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Nadia P. Bermudez
  Garcia, Hernandez, Sawhney & Bermudez, LLP
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Natalia Molina
  University of California, San Diego
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Nellie Andrade
  Kaiser –  retired
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Nora Vargas
  Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Norma Chavez Peterson
  ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Olga Diaz
  City of Escondido/Interfaith Community Services
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Pablo Palomino
  Legacy, APC
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Rachel Cano
  San Diego County District Attorney
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Rafael Castellanos
  Solomon Minton Cardinal Doyle & Smith LLP
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Remedios Gomez Arnau
  Mexican Consulate General in San Diego
  Cross Border Leader
• Renee Galente
  Galente Ganci, APC
  Entrepreneur of the Year
• Ricardo Heredia
  Alchemy Cultural Fare & Cocktails
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Richard Nares
  Emilio Nares Foundation
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Rocio Perez
  Definitive Marketing
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Roxana Velásquez Martínez del Campo
  San Diego Museum of Art
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ruben Garcia
  U.S. Small Business Administration
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Ruth Ryan-Cruz
  Kehr Law, APC
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Susana Villegas
  Casa Familiar
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Tomas Urtasun
  Focuscom Inc.
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Vicki Estrada
  Estrada Land Planning
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Victor P. Galvez
  Bank of America Merrill Lynch
  Inspirational Leader of the Year
• Yolanda S. Walther-Meade
  Gomez Iagmin Trial Attorneys
  Inspirational Leader of the Year