Yearning for Southern charm, hospitality
I’m originally from Peru and came to Memphis in 1993 to save the life of my youngest brother. St. Jude granted us a miracle and since then I have chosen this city as my new home. I have left at different stages of my life for school and for work, but have always returned yearning for that Southern charm and warm hospitality. I’m currently with AT&T and thrilled to have the opportunity to empower a team that I respect and admire. I also have the privilege to positively impacting our community through supporting the missions of local entities like DeNeuville Learning Center and Christian Brothers University.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I love that my job allows me to be a change agent for my company. One day I can be talking to an enterprise about their strategy and plans while the next day I’m talking to a friend about escalating an issue with their home service. I feel that as an ambassador for AT&T, every day is an opportunity to improve in all areas of our business. This allows me to not just learn about how the largest enterprises in the U.S. do business and empower them through innovation to realize their goals, but also how to be a better customer advocate for the larger AT&T and provide ideas on how to improve what we do. Every day is a challenge and an opportunity for growth and I’m blessed and happy to use my exposure and experience as feedback to push for positive change within AT&T.
Q: Greatest opportunity for Memphis?
A: The greatest opportunity is the Memphis airport. We have recently lost hub status with Delta Air Lines and I’m not sure we all understand the impact this change can have with local businesses and our logistics infrastructure. What is certain is that if we want to attract people and businesses to Memphis, we have to start by making it easy to get here. The reduction in flights and the increase in prices are counterproductive to what we need. In 1973, the Memphis airport was wise enough to grant help to upcoming company FedEx, which prompted the move of the company from Little Rock to Memphis. Years later we can appreciate the foresight of that decision. It’s time for another strategic move to continue to grow Memphis.
Q: What company are you most impressed with?
A: I’m impressed by a company not only because it delivers results, but also because it invests in growing its people. My experience tells me that there is a direct correlation between the leaders in a company and how impressive they are. One that comes to mind is International Paper. I have had the privilege of meeting many of its leaders and they all are humble, focused and all about their people. Moreover, ask any IP employee and they all understand the vision of the company and the importance of their role in achieving their goals. Through the years, I have seen many close friends grow their careers at IP with the guidance and support of their leaders. This impressive quality is present in many other companies in Memphis and it’s another source of pride for our city.
Q: First memory of Memphis?
A: I arrived in December of 1993, so my first vivid memory of Memphis is the ice storm of 1994. What a way to be welcomed to the winters in the U.S.! What stays with me is the concern and help that strangers would give us during those cold days without power. We all pitched in, we all helped out. The spirit of Memphis is my first memory and what keeps me coming back.
Q: What do you find surprising about Memphis?
A: I find it surprising that we don’t speak up about Memphis more. Memphians don’t argue very much when you have someone from another city talk down about Memphis. I hear this often, “Memphis, really? I hear there is a lot of crime” or “It’s not like X, where we have tons of attractions.” OK, so what? We’ve got nice weather, a comfortable living, enough attractions and most importantly, all heart, grit, grind. We have to take pride in our city. “I Choose Memphis” spotlights Memphians who are passionate about calling this community home. New Memphis Institute provides the profiles.