The HACR Board of Directors is proud to announce that Alma Morales Riojas, president and CEO of MANA, A National Latina Organization was elected as the new chair of the board. Hector Flores, national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens was re-elected vice chair and Ronald Blackburn-Moreno, president and CEO of ASPIRA Association, Inc. was re-elected as treasurer. Raul Araujo, president of MENTóR, The National Hispanic Employee Association, was elected as the new secretary.
"The incredible leaders who serve on the HACR Board of Directors have made this the powerful coalition that the founding members envisioned, a critical advocacy organization for the Hispanic community. HACR Coalition Members play an important role in the rising corporate understanding and valuing of the Hispanic community, in moving the Hispanic agenda forward, and in bringing about a more multi-dimensional view of Hispanics. Never before has HACR been in a better position to advocate for and advance our community and I am deeply honored to have been elected chair by colleagues I admire and respect. The fact that this Board elected the first Latina as its chair also speaks to the growing role of Latinas in all aspects of society and as consumers."
"Alma brings great expertise in the areas of advocacy, leadership development, corporate and government relations," said Alfonso E. Martinez, president and CEO of HACR. "Her comprehensive knowledge relative to corporate responsibility and Hispanic inclusion will greatly benefit HACR."
Morales Riojas career spans the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. She served as national executive director of Federally Employed Women, Inc.; executive director of the National Alliance of Veteran and Family Service Organizations; associate director of the National Network of Runaway and Youth Services; and president of ALMA Consulting Services.
After specializing in Hispanic placements with President Reagan's Transition Team and in White House Personnel, she subsequently handled personnel responsibilities for the Offices of the Secretaries of Agriculture and Defense. Morales Riojas served as executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Manpower, Reserve Affairs and Logistics; executive assistant to the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization; and national director of the Office of Equal Opportunity for the Department of Agriculture
Prior to moving to Washington DC, she taught school and was a manager with USAA Insurance in San Antonio, Texas. She took a position as expert consultant in personnel and equal opportunity issues with the Washington Headquarters Services, The Pentagon where she developed the first Affirmative Action and Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Plans for the Offices of the Secretary of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Morales Riojas has received numerous professional and civic awards including the President's Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives and Tomas Rivera Leadership Award from the National Hispanic University. In 2003, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement presented her the Hero's Award for her work on financial literacy for Hispanic women.
She also serves on the boards of the National Consumer's League, National Committee on Pay Equity, National Council of Women's Organizations, and Catholic Charities and is vice chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. She serves on advisory councils for AARP, Pfizer, and Bennett College.
A National Science Foundation Scholar, she attended San Antonio College, Our Lady of the Lake University, the University of Texas in Austin and executive programs at the Harvard School of Business and JFK School of Government.
