Ford Hispanic Employees Recognized for Leadership and Community Contributions

DETROIT, May 6, 2013 – Ford employees Claudya Arana and Jesus Cardoso were nominated by Ford and subsequently selected to participate in the 2013 Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HCAR) Young Hispanic Corporate Achievers™ (YHCA) program.

The annual HACR YHCA program recognizes 25 to 30 young Hispanic executives at Fortune 500 or HACR corporate member companies who have demonstrated leadership qualities in their positions along with a proven commitment to the Hispanic community.

Those selected for national recognition had the opportunity to participate in an intensive three-day leadership development, education and training conference held April 21-23 in Houston, Texas.

“My expectations for the event underestimated the impact the three-day experience had on my life,” said Cardoso, future model programs integration supervisor, Energy Storage and High Voltage Systems Department. “I am confident that the professional network I developed in those three days will continue to develop into lifelong friendships.

“The 2013 YHCA Cohort will serve as a sounding board and support network to improve my professional career as well as providing insight on the work streams required to help our community flourish through education and opportunities in the corporate world,” he said.

Arana, who works in Ford’s Environmental Quality Office, says the leadership program was one of the best she has ever participated in.

“It was a life-changing opportunity that allowed me to reconnect with my roots and understand our strengths and weaknesses as a community,” she said. “As a group we shared past challenges and future opportunities. We discussed issues that bring us together such as our passion for community service, our advocacy for higher education, the love we share for family and friends and our challenges to reach the top of corporate America.”