2019 Latina of Influence Berta Maria Montoya | Thrivent – National New Business Development Director Latino Community
Hispanic Lifestyle is pleased to recognize Berta Maria Montoya, Thrivent – National New Business Development Director Latino Community as a 2019 Latina of Influence. Ms. Montoya along with our entire list of 2019 Latinas of Influence are invited to participate in Latina Conference 2019 taking place April 10 and 11, 2019 in Ontario, California.
Ms. Montoya has acquired 15+ years of Retail Management, Sales and Financial Services experience providing resources, offering a professional career, educating and empowering the Latino Market, fulfilling her passion. Ms. Montoya’s corporate career initiated with three years in retail management experience having worked with companies such as Target and AFLAC in management and sales exceeding company’s expectation within a short period of time. In 2003 she switched to the Financial Services industry and joined Wells Fargo as a Loan officer/Manager trainee and was chosen to create and launch a comprehensive financial literacy program for the Latino community. After two years with Wells Fargo she was offered to move to Massachusetts with the opportunity to create, develop and educate the Latino market expanding the companies Latino market initiative in the east coast. In 2006, after three years with Wells Fargo, Ms. Montoya joined New York Life. At New York Life, Ms. Montoya worked with the Latino Market team to provide educational in language (Spanish) seminars on 401k and Pension Plan guidelines, benefits and payouts. After obtaining two promotions in five years, as a Manager Associate and then Account Manager for the New York Life Investment Management Team, Ms. Montoya moved back to LA with New York Life Agency as a Sr. Associate – Latino Market. As a Sr. Associate and one of the first to become an integral part of the company’s largest multi-million dollar initiative, Ms. Montoya hired and developed talented Latino professionals to initiate a very rewarding career with a Fortune 100 company. Within her 10-year tenure with New York Life, Ms. Montoya hired, developed and managed over 250 Latino sales agents. She built strong community partnerships with local Latino organizations through branding, fundraising, financial literacy education, community involvement and marketing. On January, 2015, New York life granted her a fourth promotion as the Sales & Retention Manager – Latino Market for the Pacific Zone covering California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii and Utah.
In May 2016, Ms. Montoya was recruited by Thrivent Financial a Fortune 300 Non-for Profit faith base organization to create, build, launch and execute the organizations Latino Community Initiative Nationally. In this role Ms. Montoya gets to build a whole new business unit within a 110+ year organization and most important she continues to provide resources, opportunities and be a gateway to corporate America for the Latino community as the first Latina/o Director hired into an executive level position within the organization.
Ms. Montoya holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with an emphasis on Management from California State University, Los Angeles. Her commitment and involvement in the empowerment of the Hispanic community is unwavering, having launched and co-funded her won nonprofit at age 19 G.A.T.E.S to serve the community in South Los Angeles. Ms. Montoya serves as a director on multiple boards such as YWCA Pasadena, Saint Francis Center and Advisory Board member for CSULA Business School and many others across Los Angeles county for over a decade. In August, 2015 Ms. Montoya graduated from the prestigious Latina Global Executive Leadership Program in partnership with the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. As alumni, Ms. Montoya was chosen to join the Alumni Executive Board as the Educational Programming Chair and invited to be one of the program’s advisors for the 2016,2017, 2018 and the new cohort.
Nomination submitted by Carolina Jovenich
Berta has a heart of gold and everything she does is with her Latino community in mind. She has been supporting Latinas all of her life, at a very young age she started a nonprofit to help Latinas in need, she has opened doors to other talented Latinas in corporate America and has never stopped mentoring girls of all ages as well as her team members (me included). In her position she has been able to support many other nonprofit organizations such as the YWCA, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters and she is a Board Member of the Saint Francis Center and Endometriosis Partnership among others.
I have seen first-hand her commitment to help others. She is a proud immigrant from El Salvador and an example to all who meet her. A true leader always ready to lend a hand to others.
