Every year from September 15 to October 15, Americans celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month by appreciating the history, heritage and contributions of American citizens whose heritage is rooted in Spain and 19 countries and territories: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
The theme this year is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together” – a message that mirrors the efforts of coatings industry leaders like Sherwin-Williams, who recognize the importance of Hispanic painting contractors and have developed numerous programs and initiatives to help them thrive and grow.
Hispanic Customer Advisory Board
Along with the challenges all painting contractors face, Hispanic paint pros have their own unique barriers to overcome. That is why Sherwin-Williams has established its Hispanic Customer Advisory Board.
The board includes 15 paint company owners from across the U.S. and held its inaugural meeting in Dallas in 2023, followed by quarterly virtual meetings along with more frequent one- on-one communication.
The goal is to join forces to share tips and strategies that will help all Hispanic-owned painting companies – large and small, residential and commercial – improve and build their businesses.
Like its Latino Pro Shows, the Hispanic Customer Advisory Board is another way for Sherwin-Williams “to engage the community and identify what challenges they’re facing. Our goal is to be el Aliado del Pro (the ally of the pro) and help reduce barriers and promote a sustainable growth for our customers,” says Gabby Torres, Marketing Director of Pro Contractor Programs at Sherwin-Williams.
Five of the charter members of the Hispanic Customer Advisory Board are profiled in this issue:
- Juan Carlos Banda De Leon, the Herban Group, Marietta, Georgia
- Efrain Medina, Medina Painting, Inc., Seattle, Washington
- Eduardo Esquivel, 360° Painting, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Lucero Jiménez, PRH Residential Paint, LLC, Kansas City, Kansas
- Jonathan Rodriguez, Just Right Painting, Inc., Los Angeles, California
This story was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue of Pintor Pro magazine. ©2024 Fusable.
