Fernando serves as Supplier Diversity Director for Microsoft Corporation. In this position, Fernando supports executive business leaders at Microsoft to achieve their supplier diversity goals and objectives. He is responsibility for Microsoft’s supplier diversity outreach efforts, and serves as the leader of the Corporation’s national team of supplier diversity advocates.
Fernando served as SVP of Multicultural & Diversity Strategy for Washington Mutual Bank where he lead, developed, and implemented comprehensive multicultural market strategic plans inclusive of all aspects of Washington Mutual’s mission, business goals, and representative diverse segments. Fernando drove the strategies, tactics, and investments in the multicultural markets.
He established and communicated the strategic importance of the multicultural markets to improve shareholder performance. He was responsible for translating and transforming the multicultural markets strategic objectives into profitable initiatives.
Fernando served as Executive Director of Supplier Diversity with AT&T. He focused on providing strategic direction to AT&T’s Supplier Management & Business Unit clients in development and implementation of policies, strategies, and programs related to the enterprise-wide MWSDVBE (Minority, Women, Service Disabled Veterans, Business Enterprise) Business Development Program. In that regard, he served on various boards, including National Minority Supplier Diversity Council, Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, Business Consortium Fund, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Procurement Council, United States Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Billion Dollar Round Table, Telecommunications Industry Group, and NJ Board of Public Utilities/Supplier Diversity Development Council.
After starting his career as a commercial Real Estate Broker in New York, Fernando joined AT&T’s International Sales Group in 1990. He directed the development of Multicultural Marketing programs for both AT&T’s Business and Consumer Markets Divisions, headquartered in Bridgewater, NJ. A pioneer in the field of multicultural business to business and consumer marketing, Fernando launched AT&T’s first Hispanic, African American, and Asian business marketing programs in 1991. He and his team developed and implemented strategies to reach the growing number of U.S. multicultural business owners. Fernando’s experience includes leading AT&T’s National Multicultural Marketing and Marketing Communications Directorates, and managing four national advertising agencies with programs in seven languages.
He directed AT&T’s International Alliance Channel programs responsible for business development in Canada, Mexico, and Latin America.
Fernando’s commitment to the community goes beyond his professional responsibilities. He has served as Chairman of the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund New York City Walk-A-Thon and President of AT&T’s HISPA Association New York Chapter.
Fernando has taken every opportunity to leverage his bilingual and bicultural abilities throughout his professional career, using his numerous skills and multicultural sensitivity. This has served him well in successful launches of marketing programs, but has also made it possible for him to sell the original business case and concept for multicultural marketing to forward thinking senior management.
He holds a degree in Accounting from Saint Peter’s College and his Masters in Information Systems from Stevens Institute of Technology. He has also studied at the Wharton School of Business and has been recognized by the American Marketing Association for his leadership in sponsoring multicultural marketing conferences at the United Nations.
Fernando is an active speaker in professional and academic settings, and has authored various articles for national and business publications. He is frequently quoted on diversity and multicultural issues in national publications.
