Book on successful women to be presented Oct. 12
By The Star Staff
The stories of 21 women who lead various companies in Puerto Rico are captured in the book “Women Who Lead: Reframing Perspectives,” which will be presented on Oct. 12 with an economic support component for an equal number of nonprofit organizations with service programs for women of all ages.
The founder and CEO of Women Who Lead, Frances Ríos, said the book -- published in English to reach other markets -- is a compendium of 21 chapters that aims to raise awareness about the gaps in the professional world and the strategies that the co-authors share when narrating their experiences to get ahead in their careers and businesses.
“We’ve all had to rethink our perspectives at some point,” Ríos said. “This is the first book that gives visibility to 21 women who are referents of various economic sectors in Puerto Rico. It is about knowing through their testimonies the common challenges they have faced and how they have managed to overcome them to succeed in their professional careers … .”
She said the 21 co-authors are presidents, partners, founders, CEOs and market leaders with fascinating stories, who after overcoming obstacles for simply being women, turned their stories into something bigger than themselves individually and today serve as a guide for others.
Ríos noted that, despite the progress, in Puerto Rico there are still many challenges for women in the world of work.
“If there were no lack of equity in Puerto Rico, the numbers would tell another story,” she said. “Of the top 200 local companies, 85% are led by men. When we go to their direct reporting groups, in most cases, women do not exceed 20% in leadership positions and in many cases they do not exist. This despite the fact that women represent 51% of the population and that it is she who decides 85% of purchases at home.”
Ríos added that the co-authors stand out in different economic lines such as finance, manufacturing, insurance, architecture, retail trade, law, maritime industry, construction, advertising, public relations, academia, human resources, hospitality, automotive and nonprofit, among others.
The co-authors of the book are: Melissa Rivera Roena (ManpowerGroup Puerto Rico), María Soto (Walmart), CPA Doris Barroso (RSM Puerto Rico), Lizette Vélez-Rivé (Saldaña, Carvajal & Vélez-Rive), Milagros Cabrera (The Retail Group), Frances Berríos (Colegio de Peritos Electricistas), Camalis Flores (Risk One), Olga Ramos (Boys & Girls Club), Alexandra Caraballo (Lopito Ileana & Howie), Agnes Suárez (Agnes Suárez Risk Management & Consulting), Maricelis Rivera Santos (Access All Services), Iliette Frontera (Boston Scientific), Gladys Nieves (EDP University), María Betancourt (DNV Consulting), Clarivette Díaz (Puerto Rico Terminals), Ilia Ríos (V Architecture), Brenda Abad (Pepe Abad), Debbie Alonso (Mayagüez Resort), Lisette Villavicencio (VA Contractor), Flávia Tejada (Mentor Group), Josely Vega (Universal).
“This book is not just for women,” Ríos said. “Every man who wants to promote female talent in their companies, organizations, even at home, should read this book to understand the challenges that women face in growing their careers and businesses.”