NCLR Board of Directors Elects Jorge A. Plasencia as New Board Chair NCLR Also Welcomes New Executive Officers and Board members

Washington, D.C. —NCLR (National Council of La Raza) is pleased to announce that Jorge A. Plasencia, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Miami-based República, an advertising, digital, and communications company, has been elected Chair of the NCLR Board of Directors.  Plasencia is the first Cuban-American and first Floridian to serve as chair of the NCLR board.

“With the historic election of this dynamic and committed entrepreneur and community leader, the NCLR Board has turned to a new and diverse generation of Hispanic leadership to help steer our organization into the future,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR president & CEO.  “During his tenure on the Board, Jorge has already helped NCLR immensely in strengthening our ties with the Cuban American community in Florida and nationwide.  And with his considerable expertise and rich experience in media, marketing, and communications, he has been a tremendous asset in helping to refine and promote the NCLR brand.  We look forward to having someone of his background and caliber at the helm of our Board.”

Plasencia joined NCLR’s board in 2006 and previously served as vice chair. Prior to founding República, he was the corporate vice president and operating manager of Univision Radio.  He also worked for Estefan Enterprises, the entertainment and hospitality conglomerate founded by Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio Estefan. As vice president there, he was responsible for all marketing, publicity and corporate strategy, which also included the management of global artists such as Shakira.

“I am beyond humbled to have been elected chair by the NCLR Board,” said Jorge A. Plasencia. “We are living a historic moment in the history of the U.S. Hispanic community, and I am looking forward to working with Janet, our board, the staff, affiliates and partners as we continue to build bridges that improve opportunities for the more than 50 million Latinos that call our great country home,” added Plasencia.

Plasencia is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Young Presidents’ Organization. He is a founding board member and serves on the advisory council of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, chair of the Cuban-American National Council and serves on the board of Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies and the Miami Dade College Foundation, among others. In 1991, he co-founded Amigos For Kids, a Miami-based non-profit organization, and NCLR affiliate, for underprivileged children and families, and his work there earned him the March of Dimes “Humanitarian of the Year” award.  And just last week, he was named the 2012 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® in the Florida Emerging Business category.

In addition to Plasencia, the new members of the Board of Directors’ Executive Committee are:

·         Renata Soto, Vice Chair-Nashville, TN

·         Juan Sanchez, Secretary-Austin, TX

·         Bea Stotzer, Treasurer-Los Angeles, CA

·         Daniel Ortega, Immediate Past Chair-Phoenix, AZ

·         Janet Murguia, President and CEO-Washington, DC

Members at Large

·         Fred Fernandez, Johns Creek, GA

·         Jim Padilla-Sarasota, FL

·         Nilda Ruiz-Philadelphia, PA

·         Cid Wilson-Leonia, NJ

And the NCLR Board also welcomed several new Board members including: Giselle Fernandez, President, Skinny Hippo Productions, Los Angeles, CA; Lorena Gonzalez, Attorney at Law, Schroeter Goldmark & Bender, Seattle, Washington; Maria S. Salinas, President and Founder, Salinas Consulting LLC, Los Angeles, CA; Gary B. Stone, CEO, Strategic Thinking One on One, Houston, TX; and Dr. Christine Swanson Cannon, Arsht-Cannon Fund, Newark, DE.

NCLR’s Board is a 24-member body composed of elected officials and representatives of community-based organizations, the corporate sector, and academia. Board members reflect the diversity of Hispanic nationality groups and the geographic distribution of the Hispanic population. By mandate, the Board must include equal representation of men and women.