Designed to highlight Latina achievement at the corporate level, the 2nd Annual LATINA Style Executive of the Year Program presents Latinas that demonstrate excellence in leadership, give back to the community, contribute to the development of their respective company, and contribute to the growth of Latinas nationwide. In 2010, Gisel Ruiz, executive vice president, Human Resources, Walmart Stores U.S. was named as the LATINA Style Executive of the Year. In addition to selecting the top Latina, LATINA Style also highlights four additional outstanding Latinas that demonstrate leadership in their respective companies and in their community.

Gisel Ruiz
Executive Vice President, Human Resources
Walmart Stores U.S.

With over 18 years at Walmart, Gisel Ruiz, executive vice president, Human Resources, Walmart Stores U.S., is responsible for human resources functions for Walmart U.S. associates, including talent management, merchandising, compensation, and store innovation. “It’s an absolute honor and privilege to be selected,” she says. “It’s such an honor to be in the company of such talented, compassionate, and powerful Latinas from all over the United States. I am also proud to accept this recognition as a Walmart associate. I feel I’m representing many talented Latinas across our company and that is very humbling to me.” Ruiz’s early steps began during college, while attending Santa Clara University, where she learned about Walmart during retail management classes, business, and marketing classes. Walmart recruited at Santa Clara and Ruiz was accepted into Walmart’s management training program later becoming an assistant manager trainee. Soon after, Ruiz worked in Madera, California, where she was promoted to store manager. “I ran two different Walmart stores, both in California and I had an amazing boss who saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. They began talking with me about potentially going to the Home Office (headquarters) for interviews and I said ‘yes’,” Ruiz explains. “After talking with my husband, we came to Bentonville, Arkansas, where I interviewed for a labor relations job. That was my first job here in Bentonville.” To Ruiz, many of the individuals she has worked with she considers mentors. Whether they are formal or informal, Ruiz finds it complex to name one particular name since she believes each one of them impacted her career in some way. “They had an interest in seeing me develop and grow. They had an interest and cared enough about me to give me candid feedback when I needed it, and sometimes it wasn’t easy to hear, or wasn’t fun to hear, but they cared enough about me to help me grow and develop,” she says. With pride Ruiz praises her parents for being the “best role models that anyone could ever ask for.” “My mother and my father were amazing role models,” she says. “They taught us a very strong work ethic.” Ruiz recalls that at the age of 12, alongside her sister, they would assist their father in his farm labor contracting business. “We helped him with payroll, we helped him write letters to OSHA, or to the Labor Board. We were always involved in some way or form in business. I saw my parents achieve their dream of becoming entrepreneurs and owning their own business, which was very motivating for me.” With courage and passion Ruiz’s aim is to make an impact with future leaders by developing people and help them succeed. Her advice to the rising Latina is “be proud of who you are. Who you are is a gift so leverage your strengths to help you succeed.” “Take what you learn, take your experiences, take your leadership and teach someone else. You will personally contribute to the future of Latinas in the workplace. I think Latinas are a powerful force to be reckoned with. I’m confident that we will see more Latinas take leadership position in business,” she says. “We are passionate, we have strong work ethics, and we are smart. I feel very fortunate, and I have to mention that I am very proud and honored to accept this recognition as a Walmart associate.

Dagmar Rosa-Bjorkeson
Vice President, Head of the
Multiple Sclerosis Business Unit
Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NPC)

With 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, Dagmar Rosa-Bjorkeson, vice president, Head of the Multiple Sclerosis Business Unit at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation (NPC), has held positions across sales, marketing, advertising, and general management. Having built the MS unit to a dedicated unit of ~250 MS-focused professionals, her responsibilities encompass the launch of the novel oral therapy Gilenya (fingolimod) and the management of the unit overall which also includes the established MS therapy, Extavia ( interferon beta 1b). Prior to her current role, Rosa-Bjorkeson led the Business Development, Licensing and Acquisitions group for NPC, a role in which she was charged with identifying, evaluating and negotiating partnerships that helped build the Novartis portfolio. Previously, she has led the Respiratory Franchise for NPC, ~$700M business with products in the area of Asthma and Cystic Fibrosis; and was Country Head and President for Novartis Sweden prior. Native of Puerto Rico, Rosa-Bjorkeson is involved with committees that support diversity and inclusion as well as the Pharma Industry such as WIL/EWIN and HBA. Today, she leads the MS Unit with focus on serving the needs of people living with MS. Rosa-Bjorkeson has a master’s degree in Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Texas, Austin.

Virginia Gonzales
Vice President
Operations at State Farm Insurance®

A 25-year State Farm professional, Virginia Gonzales is the vice president of Operations at State Farm Insurance®. In this capacity, she is responsible for the claims operation in a five-state area, which encompasses thousands of employees and millions of customers. Gonzales has played a central role in helping State Farm understand multicultural markets and maximize performance in multiple market segments and product lines. She is a founding member of the Texas chapter of the State Farm Hispanic Employee Resource Organization (HERO), has worked with the Multicultural Business Development Group and served on the company’s Hispanic Growth Strategy team. Gonzales has been with State Farm since 1982, serving in numerous positions of responsibility from Texas to New York, New England, and at the company’s headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois. She is also a 2007 graduate of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) Leadership Program. Gonzales has demonstrated her dedication to continued education throughout her career. Gonzales holds a juris doctorate from South Texas College of Law and has actively served on various educational foundations.

Susan Santiago
Vice President of Food & Beverage
Hyatt Hotels & Resorts – North America

A member of the Hyatt family for nearly 20 years, Susan Santiago, vice president of Food & Beverage for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts – North America, was appointed to this position in fall 2010, becoming the first female vice president of food and beverage. Santiago began her career at Hyatt as a server in Oystercatchers at Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay and worked her way through an ascending series of food and beverage positions before being promoted to assistant food and beverage director for Grand Hyatt New York. Today, Santiago is responsible for the overall success of food and beverage operations at Hyatt hotels and resorts in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean, including in-room dining, restaurants, banquets, stewarding, purchasing, beverage, and all other food and beverage outlets in the hotels. She works directly with the culinary operations team. In her most recent position as general manager of Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino, she was recognized as General Manager of the Year in the Large Hotel Category from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.

Mina Pacheco Nazemi
Principal Credit Suisse’s Customized Fund
Investment Group (CFIG)

Mina Pacheco Nazemi is the principal of Credit Suisse’s Customized Fund Investment Group (CFIG), which manages over $26 billion of client commitments to private equity, venture capital and real estate funds, and specializes in designing tailored private equity portfolios for investors. Pacheco Nazemi and her team work on a number of different client mandates but also invests for clients that have a specific interest in investing in emerging managers (women and minorities managers or companies) and the underserved sector. As head of Credit Suisse’s Los Angeles office Mina guides her team on all aspects of the business from investments, client management to business development. In the emerging market practice CFIG has approximately $5 billion of assets under management. Additionally, she is a senior investment professional on the co-investment team where CFIG invests directly in companies where the firm manages approximately $2.5 billion. Pacheco Nazemi sits on the board of Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO). She is both an alum and mentor for the Robert Toigo Foundation, whose mission is to bring increased diversity to the financial industry. She also actively supports the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. She is an active member of Credit Suisse’s Women’s network and has been instrumental in recruiting Latinos.