Roxanne Ramirez participated as a panelist for JPMorgan Chase & Co. Hispanic Business Owners Luncheon. The thought-provoking discussion provided personal stories and insight to business owners’ successes while also sharing ways to further engage and support the Hispanic community.
The panel discussion opened with a brief history of the business and Roxanne’s unique path to her former CEO position and now Principal of the company and board member. Strengths within the Latin community of San Antonio were addressed while also noting areas of improvement. Roxanne mentioned, “I’ve learned through our internship program, meeting, and mentoring students from across San Antonio that this city has so many bright and determined individuals. We need to bridge the gap between Hispanic girls and women starting and completing STEM related education and fields.”
The panelist also spoke of pivoting operating and adjusting to new work environments due to Covid-19. Roxanne spoke on having self-awareness when adjusting to the unexpected and always keeping the safety and welfare of her people first.
JPMorgan’s Head of Community Impact, Alice Rodriguez, spoke about some of the programs and initiatives the company has started to support Hispanics across the country. One of the programs, the Supplier Diversity effort, is dedicated to the development and utilization of qualified diverse businesses from historically underrepresented groups. This includes companies owned and operated by minorities and women. Another is JPMorgan’s $30 billion commitment known as Path Forward to help advance economic opportunities to underserved communities.
When asked about a final thought or piece of advice she’d like to share with the audience, Roxanne spoke of creating meaningful relationships with individuals you encounter on all levels and leaning into those relationships in time of need.