Latinos Climb Corporate Ladder Movement into Upper Management Not Coming as Fast as Many Would Like

Comerford, Mike, Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)

Byline: Mike Comerford Daily Herald Business Writer

When Sears, Roebuck and Co. was looking for a new member of its board of directors, it specifically sought out a Latino candidate.

Sears drew up a list of prominent Latinos from across the country and interviewed them before selecting the head of the National Council of La Raza, Raul Yzaguirre. Shareholders overwhelmingly approved the choice last month.

"The board wanted to bring someone on who could relate to the Latino community," said Yzaguirre, whose Hispanic advocacy group is based in Washington, D.C. "Generally, Sears has a good diversity campaign. But in upper management, they have a ways to go."

Yzaguirre is one of two Latinos to join a local corporate board this year.

In February, shareholders at Northbrook-based Allstate Corp. elected J. Christopher Reyes, head of Rosemont-based food and beverage conglomerate Reyes Holdings LLC. He's also on the boards of Lake Forest-based Wintrust Financial Corp., Dean Foods Co. and four area not-for-profit boards.

Reyes and Yzaguirre add to the …

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Publication information: Article title: Latinos Climb Corporate Ladder Movement into Upper Management Not Coming as Fast as Many Would Like. Contributors: Comerford, Mike - Author. Newspaper title: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL). Publication date: June 16, 2002. Page number: 1. © 2009 Paddock Publications. COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group.

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