SHPE - Fall 2008 - (Page 40)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ity role models high up in the organization.” Benton called the affinity group activities “a business imperative.” “We have to compete with private industry,” he explained. “Diversity is people, but it’s also a matter of readiness. In order for us to be mission-ready, we have to have the talent.” Chevron: Aiding Personal and Professional Development Chevron has officially sanctioned 11 employee network groups, including Somos, the Latin American and Hispanic Employee Network that was formed in 2000 and now has more than 1,400 members worldwide. Chevron’s Office of Global Diversity has collaborated with the various employee networks to provide the Chevron Employee Network Mentoring program, which advances employees’ career enrichment and leadership skills, among other things, and the company’s diversity goals. Somos’ mission is to provide employees with appropriate resources for rewarding careers, creating avenues of growth that contribute to individuals’ success and Chevron’s organizational capabilities. With members spread across approximately 20 sites in several North and Latin American countries, the network is able to “provide ‘quick pulse’ responses, grassroots perspectives and raise awareness about various issues that relate to the Hispanic and Latin American community,” said Gemma Luces, total remuneration analyst and current Somos president. “Through my involvement with Somos, I’ve had the great opportunity to develop leadership skills that were not an integral part of my regular job,” said Gustavo Martineli, corporate comptroller analyst. “Working for an employee network is very rewarding because it offers complexity and challenges similar to any of Chevron’s business units.” “Employee networks support both the network members and the company as a whole,” said Luces. “They are a best practice in top-performing organizations and can further the company’s business objectives in a variety of ways.” In Somos’ case, the ability to identify with the Latin American culture for non-Latin Americans and the intrinsic understanding of the region’s diversity by Latin Americans foster overall diversity awareness and provide the talent a global company like Chevron needs to accomplish its business 40 goals around the world, said Luces. Through network leadership experiences and assignments that many do not get in their day jobs, Somos further provides members opportunities that aid their personal and professional development. DuPont: Alignment with Business Results The DuPont Hispanic Network, or HISNET, has been in existence for close to 20 years, with more than 100 members in chapters related to the company’s East Coast and Gulf Coast plants. All three work streams enable members to develop leadership skills and roles, said Dina Calvillo, production area manager for the DuPont Deep Water, New Jersey, plant. Calvillo and her husband, Carlos Saldana, a marketing manager, are the HISNET core team leaders. During her more than 13 years in HISNET, Calvillo has gone from raising general awareness and connecting with people to becoming a key player in network decisions that affect the company. “It’s very important that we’re proud of our ethnic group,” she said, but added that the network groups also exist to fulfill equally important goals. “HISNET is a vehicle that is aligned with our DuPont focus on business results,” she said. Calvillo pointed out that in the last couple of years, Hispanic employees have risen to the rank of plant managers, and within the last few months the first Hispanic vice president was named. The Hispanic plant managers, who are HISNET members, have become role models and are giving back to both the DuPont community and the greater community, she said. “There’s an appreciation (on the corporate level) of what a network can do in a big global corporation,” Calvillo explained. “Our visibility, perspective and capabilities can produce competent leaders.” Siemens: Constant Learning and Development Of the 20 affinity networks in the United States sponsored by Siemens, three focus on the Hispanic community. “These networks are a key component of the Siemens diversity organization,” said Joe Santana, senior director of Diversity for Siemens USA. “Siemens has a national policy that encourages and supports the formation of affinity networks, so we expect employee groups to form new networks in the coming years.” The Siemens Organization of Latinos (SOL) in the Siemens Energy and Automation division was formed in 2005 and provides networking, mentoring and learning opportunities to its 104 members. SOL’s two main committees, which focus on cultural awareness and networking along with education and training, have developed mentorship programs, career development seminars and networking events highlighting Latin American heritage. “Our organization welcomes everyone interested in Latin American heritage and culture,” said Nydia Rodriguez, a SOL leader located in Atlanta. “We appreciate the different ideas that the members provide, and we encourage constant learning and development.” Ariathni Pinacas, international logistics coordinator, agreed. “Bonding with colleagues, learning about different cultures within the Hispanic community, achieving professional growth through new opportunities – these are just some of the values I have gained from SOL,” she said. The next issue of SHPE magazine will feature the affinity groups at Texas Instruments, United Technologies Corporation, GE, Goldman, Sachs & Co., IBM and Lincoln Laboratory. ■ Since 2005, Siemens Organization of Latinos (SOL) has provided networking, mentoring and learning opportunities to its members. SHPE ❘ Fall 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SHPE - Fall 2008

SHPE - Fall 2008 Contents President's Letter From the Vice President Calendar of Events National Board of Directors The Great '08: Chapter Leaders Learn to Spread 'SHPE Fever' Browser National Retreat Provides a Redefinition An Engineer and a Politician Capitalizing on Engineering Talent Grupos de Afinidad A Focused Approach to Getting the Job You Really Want SHPE Conference 2008 IPC Update Programs & Services Keeping Warm with 'Yuper' Familia Spirit Promise of Spring Recruit, Engage and Retain Regional Student Representatives Regional Roundup Advertisers Index

SHPE - Fall 2008

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