The honor of being the first Independent Board Director
by Luisana Rodríguez
Gaddi Vasquez is a seasoned Board Director who hails from a migrant farm working family, which he is proud of. His parents moved to Southern California to pursue other economic opportunities after he was born in Carrizo Springs, Texas. "I spent most of my life in Orange County, where I grew up and graduated from college."
Throughout his professional development, he was the first in many cases, including the first Latino to serve as the head of the United States Peace Corps. "It was a great privilege for me to serve and trailblaze at a time when the Peace Corps was working to be more inclusive and diverse as well as expand program opportunities for Peace Corps volunteers.”
Some of his spearheading experiences are he was the first POC elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, the first Hispanic-American to serve as the head of the US Peace Corps, and the 8th U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome Italy, and the former Director of The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands.
When reminiscing about his board services, he's had the opportunity to work in the public and private sector with vast experience. The blend of serving in senior leadership positions in the public and private sector has provided invaluable insight into the important balance between the two sectors and the corresponding challenges associated with each.”
The combination of two decisive factors allowed him to build such opportunities; "First, neither of my parents graduated from high school, but they firmly believed that achieving a higher education could break the cycle of poverty that my family had endured for generations.” Second, I have always believed in the importance of overcoming the fear of the unknown and having the courage to face daunting tasks. I was 32 when I began my service on the board of supervisors, and I was the first person of color elected to the board in the county’s history. It was not without challenges, but I was willing to take that leap of faith and was elected by a trusting constituency."
It is no secret that times are changing compared to when Vasquez started serving on boards. The current strategies for board compositions are changing due to the rise of diversity as a crucial factor. Gaddi is a firm believer in the richness that different perspectives bring to the conversation. "It's a competitive advantage because you're gaining the insight of individuals that the company probably didn't have before and is increasingly more important as the nation and markets become more diverse." he adds.
Change in life is inevitable, and there are always unexpected situations that will shift things around. Following this train of thought, Gaddi reflects on how the pandemic has changed the expectations between employees and companies, In an era of economic instability and periods of uncertainty, boards will have to step back and consider the challenges that will be upon us in the future. There was a time when people worked for a company and stayed for 10 or 20 years. Today, there's considerably more movement in the workplace and employees have different expectations. Change and transformation are inevitable," Gaddi says.
Hence, his advice for the new generation of Latinos moving forward into the corporate world is to exhibit strong leadership skills, with a high ability to be decisive and articulate their perspective on issues. "Don't be afraid or shy. As you go through life and career, you want to leave a legacy. Even if you're young, use your voice to influence outcomes"
He's excited to be living in this time where there's greater diversity in the boardroom, but the duties of corporate board members are pertinent to work with consequences. He affirms, "Our responsibilities continue to evolve." Even today, Gaddi Vasquez strives to maintain a high level of curiosity, where his illustrious expertise shines through. He represents a story of success to look up to, having come from a small town in Texas to establish a distinguished career.
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Editor’s pick:
“I believe that a great leader needs to have a set of important values that will be useful in both good and bad times. Those are the ones that will guide your path.”
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Photo credit: Courtesy of Gaddi Vasquez