Excelencia Award Recipients to be Honored
CLAUDIA SAN PEDRO
Anthony Perez of Pump and Seal Improvements, Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc. and Bank of America will be honored for their dedicated support to Tulsa’s Hispanic business community at the sixth annual Excelencia Awards Dinner on March 2, 2006.
The event’s theme is “Progressing Together: For a Better Future.” It will be hosted at the DoubleTree Hotel at Warren Place by the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Anthony Perez will accept the Avance Award, given to Tulsa’s Hispanic Business of the Year. This award profiles a growing and successful Hispanic business contributing to Tulsa’s economic growth and expansion.
Perez is a local Hispanic business owner whose Tulsa-based company, Pump & Seal Improvements, Inc. is on the rise. He has been very involved with the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber and through his affiliation has made a significant contribution to the Hispanic business community. In an effort to take his business to the next level, Perez is also enrolled in the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber Small Business Academy.
Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc. will receive the Bendaña Amigo Award for its outstanding community leadership by illustrating the importance of embracing Tulsa’s Hispanic community. The award goes to a company that is active in the Hispanic Chamber and its programs, and has a demonstrated record of working with Hispanic businesses both locally and nationally.
A public relations consulting firm based in Tulsa, Schnake Turnbo Frank has helped elevate awareness about the burgeoning Hispanic business community through pro-bono media relations and marketing programs.
The firm has implemented numerous Hispanic outreach programs for its clients and has actively worked to seat Hispanic leaders in various community leadership positions. Its members are also active in the Oklahoma Conference for Community & Justice, an organization that promotes respect and understanding among people of all racial, religious and cultural lines.
Russ Florence, vice president of Schnake Turnbo Frank, will accept the award on behalf of the firm.
Bank of America will be presented the Adelante Award for corporate partner of the year. Bank of America has been a Gold Sponsor of the Hispanic Chamber since its inception in 1999. They have also provided the Hispanic Chamber with office space for not only the Chamber’s operations, but also in support of Hispanic Small Business Incubators and English as a Second Language classes. Their commitment to the Hispanic community is illustrated by their growing market share of Hispanic customers.
Kevin McKinney will be accepting the award for Bank of America.
Dr. Tom McKeon, president of Tulsa Community College, is the honorary chair for the Excelencia Awards. The keynote speaker for the ceremonies is Claudia San Pedro, director of the Office of State Finance for the State of Oklahoma. The Most Rev. Bishop Edward J. Slattery, Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, will give the invocation.
San Pedro is the first Hispanic Oklahoman to be appointed to a high-profile position in a gubernatorial administration. She immigrated with her parents to the United States from Mexico City at the age of two. After earning a bachelor’s degree in economics from Smith College in Northhampton, Mass., San Pedro went on to get an M.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma.
Throughout her career, San Pedro has worked on several key public policy organizations such as the Oklahoma Academy and the State Regents for Higher Education. Prior to being named to her current position, she held a variety of other positions with the state government such as assistant director and financial analyst for the Oklahoma State Senate Fiscal Staff, as well as the budget staff director for the Oklahoma Office of State Finance.
San Pedro was appointed to her current position by Gov. Brad Henry with the advice and consent of the State Senate. She plays an important role developing, communicating, and implementing fiscal policies for the executive branch, as well as supervising preparation of the governor’s executive budget.
The Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which is the first Hispanic Chamber in Oklahoma, was established in 1999 with the mission of advocating, developing, and advancing Hispanic business interests in the greater Tulsa area and throughout the state.
For more information on sponsorships and tickets to the Excelencia Awards Dinner, call the Greater Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at (918) 664-5326 or visit their website at www.tulsahispanicchamber.com.
Updated 02-23-2006
READER COMMENTS
