Manny Hernandez for SHPE President 2011/2013

In 2004, I led the team that created the Professional Development Strategy (PDS). This was rolled out for the first time at the following national conference. The following year, I lead a team that created the Executive Leadership Institute (ELI). Finally, one year later I created Management Growth Training (MGT). These three offerings, PDS, ELI, and MGT, were intended to benefit our professional members. While many felt these classes were duplication of what our members receive on the job, the reality was that many of our members were unable to attend company sponsored classes due to the many obstacles Hispanics must overcome in the workplace.

To further emphasize the concept that these were targeted to benefit our members, only paid regular members were able to participate in the classes. Over the subsequent years, numerous professional members participated in these offerings. Many of the participants reported that attending these classes accelerated their careers.

Since these beginning steps, our national conference committees have expanded the workshop offerings to our members to include hands on classes and certification classes.
During my term as National President we created the Professional Development Committee. The committee charter was to expand the offering of professional courses offered to our members.

I am committed to continuing these benefits for our professional members.

Elect me SHPE President, 2011-2013.

If you are a professional member who has benefited from one of these programs, please share the value of these programs here–and ensure that focused effort on professionals continues with my reelection as SHPE President.

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On October 19, I joined government officials, experts in education and Hispanic community leaders as President Obama signed an executive order renewing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans.
The revised executive order places a high priority on raising Hispanic education attainment at every level – an essential aspect in the United States attaining the ambitious education goals set by the President and ensuring America’s future competitiveness in a global economy. It widens the scope of the prior initiative by increasing partnerships with the private sector and soliciting more input from the community.
The ceremony followed a daylong National Education Summit and Call to Action hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. It brought together Administration officials, experts in education and Hispanic community leaders from around the country on issues ranging from early childhood learning to higher education. They examined how to increase education access for Hispanic Americans, improve their lives and help the nation achieve the highest college attainment rate in the world by 2020.
The forum also connected national Latino education and community leaders to senior Education Department and Obama administration officials. Participants heard from organizers of community-wide education initiatives who are working in partnership with the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
In light of the many educational challenges facing the Hispanic community, this was an incredible opportunity to discuss with government officials how SHPE could engage with the Administration to achieve the goals of the Executive Order. There was particular interest how our Ph.D. members could contribute toward innovative solutions.
The White House Initiative was established in September 1990 to provide advice and guidance to the Secretary of Education on education issues related to Hispanics and address academic excellence and opportunities for the Hispanic community. It was subsequently continued by President William J. Clinton and President George W. Bush. Under President Obama, the office is led by Juan Sepulveda who has taken aggressive steps to hear from communities across the country about what works and what doesn’t work and how the Initiative can better serve the Hispanic community.

Details on the summit and signing, including the agenda and speakers are posted at https://sites.google.com/site/nationaleducationsummit/.

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As individuals who benefit from the training and experience provided to members of a diversity organization, we have the responsibility to not only grow our potential but also to confidently extend the invitation to prospective members: “Join SHPE. It’s good for you!” Indeed, diversity organizations are instrumental in supporting our personal and professional pursuits, but they also are critical in achieving a greater cause. For SHPE, that means acting as The Source for Quality Hispanic Engineers and Technical Talent.
At the Regional Leadership Development Conference held at the University of Utah, many of us were fortunate to hear Vice Provost Dr. Octavio Villalpando discuss the results of his research on diversity organizations. His findings? Students who are involved in diversity organizations become more effective critical thinkers and leaders. They also have better communication and organizational skills. “Hispanic peer groups help students mitigate the isolation they feel in education and present some of the central cultural resources that empower and nourish their success,” Dr. Villalpando concluded. “Their altruistic values are reinforced, and their commitment to pursuing careers in service to their communities is increased as a direct result of having been part of a peer group during college.”
When coupled with a recent study by the Pew Research Center, the findings underscore the critical role SHPE has in preparing Hispanic technical leaders. According to the Pew report, in 2008 minorities accounted for three-quarters of the increase in college freshman enrollment, with Hispanics representing the largest percentage. Yet two out of three of these students won’t graduate college, and those that do graduate won’t be majoring in the STEM fields. The unfortunate outcome leaves a vacuum of technical talent at a time when the world is facing scientific issues of enormous magnitude.
Now more than ever, Hispanic engineering students must anchor themselves to their education and their culture, harnessing their combined power to complete their degrees and join America’s technical work force. As I attend SHPE conferences and events across the nation, I am encouraged by the quality of our student members. They prove that SHPE is meeting its responsibility to fill the talent gap through the programs and services it provides to middle, high school and university students as well as professional members. But we can − and must − do more.
Today SHPE has 241 student chapters, 40 professional chapters and 29 junior chapters who are buoyed by 53 corporate partners and $2 million in grants generated through AHETEMS, our nonprofit foundation. In January SHPE joined 22 partner organizations in receiving a $250,000 grant from Google. Barely a year old, our Washington, D.C., office has already established stronger ties between SHPE and the federal government as well as sister organizations such as the National GEM Consortium, National Society of Black Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.
In May, our Management Growth Training program enabled 35 professional members to obtain all the credits required to take the Project Management Professional exam and gain certification. As SHPE expands and improves on such programs, it deepens my conviction that we can go beyond preparing qualified members to become team or project leads. Why not vice president of engineering or president of a business unit? We can fill any gap by expanding our emphasis on serving as a learning organization. As we increase our visibility and improve recruitment and retention, the organization will grow. Through it all, it will be important for us to continue leveraging our community involvement, emphasizing performance excellence and strengthening our partnerships.
While assimilating to certain norms and practices is expected in the workplace, Dr. Villalpando discovered that true success is intrinsically linked to diversity, even on a personal level. “In the lives of minority students,” he said, “claiming and maintaining a critical identity grounded in their cultural beliefs, values, norms and languages become an issue of endurance, resilience and self preservation.” Ultimately, SHPE seeks to validate the individual and collective contributions of its members and ensure the success of their every endeavor.

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I am writing this brief note to provide an update on my comments at the NILA general session.

SHPE’s National Board of Directors (NBOD) and selected national committee chairs participated in the National Strategic Retreat three weekends ago. We participated in three days of training; however, I am particularly excited about the material covered on the third day.

With the assistance of a management trainer, we discussed how to make NBOD meetings more effective and move them to a strategic level as opposed to an operations level. We were instructed on how to make our meeting agendas follow a higher level model, used by other successful non profits, with a focus on strategic initiatives. We will carefully transition to this type of model, where the group will have dialogue first to address the issues and options and fully understand the impact of all options before moving into deliberation, where the actual decisions are made. Once a decision has been made, the implementation of that decision will flow to SHPE National’s senior staff. The object of the transition is to move the NBOD to a policy board and away from a “hands on” board.

My excitement is based on the promise of a more business-oriented board which will focus on initiatives and policies. The staff will be focused, and responsible for, execution of the policies decided upon by the board. I welcome your comments and questions as SHPE Inc operations continue to evolve toward a business centric model.

Manny Hernandez, President
SHPE Inc

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How’s this for a ringing endorsement for the work the Society of Hispanic Engineers does in being the “Source for Quality Hispanic Engineers and Technical Talent”… Ricardo Alamillo states, “I will begin my studies this fall at one of the top 5 chemical engineering Ph. D. programs in the nation because of ‘the pipeline’ of mentorship and support of organizations like SHPE have established. I am where I am and who I am because of the networks and role models that I established along the ways as well the hard work ethics instilled in me and inspiration by parents and family.”

Alamillo began his SHPE involvement by attending our national conference as a freshman. Last year, Ricardo presented his technical poster “Heterogeneous catalysts for tandem alkane dehydrogenation and olefin metathesis” at SHPE 2009. He will begin graduate education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He had many choices for graduate school, including some of the nation’s top graduate programs for chemical engineering (Purdue University, University of Delaware, Northwestern University and Stanford University). Following his interest in green technologies and renewable energies, he will continue working in heterogeneous catalysis with specific applications to biofuels at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Alamillo graduated with high honors from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a B.S. in chemical engineering.

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Omar De Leon, National Graduate Representative, and past Region VII Student Representative, was selected among six of the top students at the University of Miami to be the Student Commencement Speaker for the graduating class of over 2500 students. He graduated first in his environmental engineering class at the University of Miami, where he earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a B.S. in Environmental Engineering. He is currently pursuing a graduate degree in those fields at Carnegie Mellon University.
Omar is another outstanding example of the potential of Hispanic youth in the USA. The future of the Hispanic community and the United States is riding on the continued success of Hispanic youth such as Omar. As SHPE National President, I am confident when I say that we are very proud of Omar!!

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By Manny Hernandez

As the conclusion of the SHPE elections approach, my stress level increases. Some of my friends try to help me but they do not seem to understand my worries and to be honest, it’s been hard to express them. On the surface, they think that my worries are about losing the election and they try to convince me that IF I were to lose this election I would win.

I would win more time and freedom to do the many things I have been postponing in my life, such as spending more time with my friends and family, riding my motorcycle, more skiing, playing more racquetball, and reading the pile of books I have not had a chance to.

Their words have no effect on me. So what is it then? Digging deeper I was able to find the right words. It was like finally finding a long sought piece in a difficult puzzle.

I am very worried about the future of SHPE. I realized that even after all the 20 plus years of work that I have put in to tryto  make it the great organization that it is, with all its faults, and all the great things that she offers us, there is a lot more to be done.

SHPE has done a lot for tens of thousands or people, but I know in my heart that it can do the same for hundreds of thousands of people. We can create the best Latino engineers and scientist in the nation. We ourselves can become the best engineers and scientists in the nation. But each of us cannot do it alone. We need SHPE. We need a stronger SHPE. We need her to be all that she can be.

My worry is that this bright future could be at risk.

Many of us have devoted a lifetime to this organization. We have carefully chosen the right strategies, the right governance models, the right problems to work on, and we have made the tough unpopular decisions, all with great results. Yet, a lot more remains to be done.

We have got momentum. Lots of changes are needed, yes but we cannot and should not go back to the dark days. I have lived through them and it would be a sin, even if unintentionally. While I respect the ideas and enthusiasm of my peer candidates, I am not convinced that they understand how easy it is to repeat the mistakes of our past.

Someone wise once said: “Those who do not know history are destined to repeat it”. I care too much for SHPE to see this happen.

Help me build the future of SHPE forward, not back.

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By Melissa Villegas Drake

Please VOTE for Manny Hernandez!

The position of National President is the most challenging and critical position within SHPE.  I know this from personal experience having served as national president myself, 1995-1997.  SHPE is a much more complex organization today than when I was president.  The challenges are greater. The issues are more intricate and the solutions more elusive.

Manny Hernandez is the best candidate for SHPE President.

I met Manny Hernandez when I was serving as a committee chair for SHPE in the 1990’s and was immediately impressed by his commitment to the organization.  Manny has served SHPE in many capacities and has made SHPE a part of his life.  He believes strongly in what the organization promotes:  “Better Opportunities for Hispanic engineers”.  I have seen first-hand Manny’s growth as a leader within the organization.  He is without a doubt the best candidate for SHPE National President.  He is ready to lead.

One of Manny’s major focus areas is the SHPE National conference which he has championed, and has chaired over the last 20 years, including the SHPE 2009 conference, the most successful SHPE conference to date.  The SHPE national conference is our premier event and has enjoyed great success under Manny’s leadership over these years.  The national conference has the most impact on our membership, new and existing, as well as our corporate partners in that it serves as a showcase for our best Hispanic technical talent.  With Manny as National President, I am certain our conference will continue to enjoy great success.

Manny’s other passion has been the establishment of professional development programs.  He has championed these efforts longer than any other director on the national board.  Several SHPE members have attributed their career advancement to skills acquired and honed in these programs.  SHPE’s offering of these types of professional development programs has resulted in increased professional membership.  SHPE must continue to offer these programs for our member’s future career growth.  Manny is the only candidate that will make this a priority for SHPE.

Melissa Villegas Drake
Past National SHPE President
Lifetime Member
Tolleson Union High School Junior SHPE Chapter Advisor

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By Manny  Hernandez

Why does SHPE’s new management structure matter to the chapters?  Why do I feel that our new management structure is important to SHPE’s future?

There are four important elements in governing and operating a Membership Organization, or any business for that matter: Strategy, Policy, Management, and Operations. The reality is that today the National Board of Directors (NBOD) spends most of it’s time on management and operations. All changes, big and small, require discussion and approval by the NBOD.

This is a slow process given that we are elected volunteers with limited free time and we only meet 6 or 7 times a year. What this means is that even small improvements requiring investment or changes in operational priorities take a long time to approve and implement.

So how does this affect the chapters? Let me describe one example: We have very talented members, and they have great ideas which they try to implement at the local level, and sometimes they need national support. This support is usually slow in coming by today’s standards.

That is one serious problem, but it does not end there.

These great ideas would benefit the other chapters as well, yet to transfer these great ideas and programs to the rest of SHPE would again require the intervention of the NBOD. A rapid change process requires the right strategy and policies that protect our mission and the nature of the organization but yet frees up our chapters and staff  to act on behalf of our members and our community.

To accomplish this, the National Board of Directors needs to spend it’s limited and therefore precious time defining strategies and setting these policies, and  delegate the management and operations to a skilled and experienced professional staff.

We are a great organization but we have the potential to be a National Force for the betterment of the Hispanic community. I believe that under this new structure SHPE can become a 100,000 plus members organization with 10 times the operating budget within the next 10 years. One can only imagine the benefits this could bring to our members and our community. This will mean that more of our children will become engineers and scientists and more Latinos will occupy the corner office, which then, will use their position to further SHPE’s mission, the Hispanic cause, and as President Obama recently stated, drive America’s future.

We began the journey towards this governance structure three years ago. We all believed we were on the right path and we started the transition, but we are not done yet, it will take the right leader to keep us on course and complete the transformation.  Someonewho does not understand this will end up hurting the organization, our community, and our country.

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I am exceedingly encouraged by the news that the 2009 SHPE Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) passed a major hurdle this past Friday when 20 SHPE Members holding advanced management positions were selected to attend.

I was concerned that with the current economic environment, where professional development funds are being cut and similar programs offered by sister organizations are being canceled, that the program would not attract enough interest within the short deadline we established.

Having more than enough qualified applicants sign up in record time shows that SHPE has done a greatjob in designing a program that meets the needs of future executives. We have hit the mark again!

Even better news, we can still accommodate 10 more members. If you have the courage to aspire to some day occupy the corner office, and you meet the criteria for ELI, I encourage you to apply. And please also pass the word that this fine program is still accepting applications.

To find out more about ELI go to the SHPE website, at SHPE.org and click on the Events tab and then on ELI.

Manny Hernandez

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