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AT&T is right to highlight their Latino executives. "Alicia Abella PhD, executive director, AT&T Labs, gave the commencement address at the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering on May 6, 2011. ...Thaddeus Arroyo, chief information officer, has been named to Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology’s 2011 Most Influential in Technology list ...  Carmen Nava, senior vice president, Consumer, has been listed in Hispanic Business magazine was as a finalist for the Hispanic Business Woman of the Year award." The Bells have long been known for hiring groups shunned by some other companies. AT&T calculates that 12% of their workforce is Latino, and the quotes are from a press release encouraging more Latinos to apply for jobs. For decades, blacks have known they have a better chance of success at the telcos than at many other companies.

    Ralph de la Vega, born in Cuba, is president of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets and running much of the company from Atlanta, the old Cingular base. Ralph started with very little and rose to the top based on ability. He's an extraordinary executive who wrote a book, Obstacles Welcome, intended to inspire others. I reread it recently and noticed that in a plain spoken way there's a great deal of business wisdom passed on. It's definitely worth reading even if you're not part of the target group.

Priya Lopes on 05 12, 2011

Dallas, Texas – AT&T’s* most senior Hispanic executives have received broad recognition by prestigious U.S. organizations this year for their professional contributions to the company as well as the industry and the community.

* Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, received the Hispanic Federation’s 2011 Orgullo Award; Northern Illinois University’s College of Business Distinguished Alumnus Award; the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Excellence Award in the category of Business Achievement; and the American Association of Community Colleges’ 2011 Outstanding Alumni Award.

* Thaddeus Arroyo, chief information officer, has been named to Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology’s 2011 Most Influential in Technology list. Arroyo directs the company’s information technology organization and infrastructure, including Internet and Intranet capabilities, application development for customer and corporate use, and AT&T’s enterprise data centers.

* Carmen Nava, senior vice president, Consumer, has been listed in Hispanic Business magazine was as a finalist for the Hispanic Business Woman of the Year award and was profiled in the April 2011 issue. Nava previously led an inter-departmental team to improve processes and the customer experience for AT&T U-verse® services, and was recently appointed senior vice president of Consumer Small Markets.

* Angie Wiskocil, senior vice president, AT&T Wi-Fi Services, has been named to Hispanic Engineer and Information Technology’s 2011 Most Influential in Technology list. Wiskocil leads the strategic growth of the AT&T Wi-Fi division, which operates the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network with more than 24,000 U.S. hotspots.

* Alicia Abella PhD, executive director, AT&T Labs, gave the commencement address at the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering on May 6, 2011. Dr. Abella leads a research team whose efforts result in the development of new consumer and enterprise services. She is also a leader in the effort to bring women and minority students to science, technology, engineering and math fields.

“The recognition bestowed on these executives is indicative of both the caliber of Hispanics working at AT&T as well as AT&T’s longstanding reputation as a company where individuals can achieve their highest potential regardless of their origin, beliefs or background,” said Cindy Brinkley, AT&T’s senior vice president for talent development and chief diversity officer. “We are proud of these executives’ achievements and we’re honored to have them in the senior leadership ranks at AT&T.”

The 50-state AT&T workforce is 12 percent Hispanic compared to the 10 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. labor who have a high-school degree, according to the 2010 U.S. Department of Labor data.

To explore career opportunities at AT&T visit http://www.att.jobs/.