Washington D.C. – On February 8^th, LATINA Style Inc., the premier company addressing the needs of professional Latinas in the United States, hosted the 20th Annual LATINA Style 50 Awards & Diversity Leaders Conference. The conference gathered national leaders from across the country wanting to learn and share best diversity practices and initiatives. The awards conference began with the Opening Breakfast awards honoring the 2017 Corporate Executive of the Year and the 2017 Employee Resource Group of the Year programs; followed by groundbreaking panel sessions and concluding with LATINA Style 50 Awards Luncheon honoring the 50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work for in the U.S. Prudential Financial, Inc. was honored as the 2017 LATINA Style Company of the Year. The annual LATINA Style Awards and Diversity Leaders Conference sets the standard for identifying corporations that are providing the best career opportunities for Latinas in the U.S.

The LATINA Style 50 program, launched in 1998, recognizes the top 50 companies that provide the best career opportunities for professional Latinas in the workplace. The LATINA Style 50 Report is the most respected evaluation of corporate America’s career advancement opportunities for Latinas. This year, Prudential Financial, Inc. topped the chart as the 2017 LATINA Style Company of the Year. Prudential Financial, Inc. and Colgate-Palmolive have been the two companies that have consistently participated since the conception of the survey in 1998.

Prudential Financial, Inc. is in the industry of diversified financial services, but they are also in the business of empowering their employees. Prudential Financial, Inc. has distinguished itself since the beginning as a company who nurtures its associates and paves their road to a successful career. With one of the company’s core values of respect, Prudential Financial, Inc. has found a way to empower its associates; women and men, despite diverse backgrounds, countries and nationalities.

In its 9th consecutive year, the LATINA Style Corporate Executive of the Year program honors influential Latinas, selected by their peers, as leaders and examples for the Hispanic community and for the professional women in the U.S. Each year LATINA Style Inc. recognizes the achievement Latinas are performing at the top of their respective companies and in various industries. Tony Gutierrez, Country Director of Mexico, at American Airlines was recognized as the 2017 LATINA Style Corporate Executive of the Year. Gutierrez oversees operations of more than 600 weekly flights to 21 destinations. With 43 years of experience at American Airlines she is the first Mexican woman to lead an international airline. Gutierrez is recognized for her contribution to the expansion and growth that American Airlines has experienced in Mexico. This year, she also received the highest honor given by the Metropolitan Association of Travel Agencies, “La Presea Metropolitana 2017” award for her contribution to the development and growth of the travel and tourism industry in Mexico. Most recently, Gutierrez helped launch and became president of the first Mexico City Chapter of the employee resource group, Latin Diversity Network of American Airlines.

LATINA Style also presented the 8th Annual Employee Resource Groups of the Year Award. Crecer, the Hispanic/Latino BRG at UPS was recognized as the 2017 LATINA Style Employee Resource Group of the Year. Crecer, the Hispanic/Latino BRG was established in 2012 to empower individuals through leadership and professional development, and to accelerate business growth for UPS. Its vision is to make UPS the company of choice for Latinos. Crecer has grown to over 1,500 members across 17 chapters globally with members ranging from entry level to Vice Presidents. Crecer has logged more than 22,000 volunteer hours this year. The ERGs mission is to develop a connection between the company and employees by empowering, nurturing and retaining talent. ERGs have also proven to be essential in business impact by building a relationship with the consumer and providing valuable insight on cultural appeal and cultural generalities to business units.

LATINA Style thanks sponsors and partners: Prudential Financial, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, American Airlines,  Marriott International, Inc., Aflac Incorporated, AT&T,  Accenture, United Technologies Corporation, PepsiCo, Inc., Nationwide, Walmart, Inc., UPS, TIAA, Colgate-Palmolive, General Motors Company, USAA, Masco Corporation, Wells Fargo & Company, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Hilton, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, State Farm, INFINITI Americas, Bank of America, Comerica Bank, JCPenney, Freddie Mac, Boston Scientific Corporation, MetLife, Sodexo, Inc., the Navy Exchange Service Command, Hyatt Hotels Corporation, and New York Life.

About LATINA Style Inc.

LATINA Style Inc., is the publisher of LATINA Style Magazine, a lifestyle magazine for the professional Hispanic woman. The magazine has been published for 24 years and has a national circulation of 150,000 and a readership of nearly 600,000. The company is host of the LATINA Style Business Series, the LATINA Style 50 Report, the National LATINA Symposium and the LATINA Style Hero Initiative. To learn more about LATINA Style visit www.latinastyle.com or call (214) 357-2186. Connect with LATINA Style at @LATINAStyleMag, Facebook, and Instagram.