Month: September 2024

Ted Tanner, Executive Vice President of Real Estate Development, AEG, has recently been named to Sports Business Journal’s (SBJ) Power Players list, recognizing his influence and leadership in shaping the landscape of sports and entertainment venues across the globe.

With over 26 years of experience at AEG, Tanner has played a critical role in the design, development and management of world-class venues such as L.A. LIVE, Dignity Health Sports Park, The O2 London and Uber Platz Berlin. His leadership has significantly contributed to the transformation of cities into world class sports and entertainment destinations.

Tanner’s inclusion in this year’s list highlights his visionary approach, focusing on sustainability, fan experience and community impact. His work not only enhances the venues where the world’s biggest events take place but also drives urban revitalization and economic development in the surrounding areas, creating long-lasting benefits for local communities.

The Power Players List, compiled by Sports Business Journal, honors top executives in the sports industry who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. To learn more about SBJ’s Power Players, please click here.

Our purpose is what unites us at Henkel North America: Pioneers at heart for the good of generations. Our pioneering spirit is reflective of the diverse backgrounds, experiences and talents of our employees and partners. They dare to make an impact on the world by collaborating to tackle challenges, find solutions and open new perspectives.

Their contributions allow us to deliver products, services and innovations that enrich and improve everyday life. We invite you to “meet” our pioneers in our series, “Pioneers for Good.”

Introducing Guillermo

As Senior Communications Manager for Joico – one of Henkel’s professional haircare brands – Guillermo’s impact expands beyond his day-to-day responsibilities of guiding creative strategy for digital marketing and communications.

What Guillermo brings to his work is a deep passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and understanding of the importance of integrating sustainability. He has become a leading voice within Henkel’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), an advocate for embracing sustainable practices, and a mentor for the next generation.

Making a Difference Through Leadership

At Henkel, ERGs help create a culture that values and elevates different perspectives and backgrounds. Guillermo volunteers his time to build a strong network and promote leadership development. He co-founded ¡Unidos!, the Latinx/Hispanic ERG, and is an active member of the PRIDE ERG.

Just being exposed to those conversations and topics on a regular basis helps me keep diversity in my paradigm of thinking, and I’ll bring it back to my work, whether it’s a fully fleshed-out idea or just a kernel.

Guillermo Güereque, Senior Communications Manager, Joico

Guillermo understands how sharing his own experiences can support others. It’s why he represents the company at recruitment events like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers’ (SHPE) National Convention and the Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Conference where he’s connecting with Hispanic STEM students and LGBTQ+ business students, encouraging them in their own professional journeys.

The first time I went to SHPE,” he says, “I was emotionally impacted. I had never seen so many people like me in a room like that. We need to see representation of others like us at all levels.”

Laying the Groundwork for Diverse Representation

Guillermo’s work is an extension of his commitment to DEI and multicultural representation, drawing inspiration from his own diverse background. “I was born in Mexico and raised in Southern California from age four. I think the duality of those cultures has influenced a lot of my decisions.”

Culture and inclusion are at the heart of Guillermo’s work to ensure Joico’s brand content and messaging – as well as the models and artists the brand hires – represent the diversity of the consumers who use their products.

He has engaged Henkel interns in an annual audit process that analyzes the company’s social media presence and seeks ways to constantly optimize content for representation, diversity, and inclusivity. These audits have grown tremendously, from reviews of Joico’s Instagram page to full assessments of the brand’s online presence. It is just one example of Guillermo’s impact – not only for the brand, but also for the interns who learn the value of representation.

Empowering the Next Generation

Guillermo believes in empowering the next generation and has helped bring the Henkel Researchers’ World curriculum to life for students attending events like STEM Day at Henkel.

When you invite students to learn about what we do, you encourage them to ask more and to think, ‘maybe I want to do that.’ That can be very powerful in expanding their possibilities.

Guillermo Güereque, Senior Communications Manager, Joico

Guillermo’s family has been a particular inspiration for him – especially his sister, who opened his eyes to wider possibilities for the future. He has watched her excel in aerospace engineering, a male-dominated field, which helped transform his own perception of being a leader.

“My sister did not have an example in her industry – she was one of only three women in her graduating class, and the only Latina. Had she not gone on to graduate school, would I have seen myself doing the same?” It’s questions like these that have driven Guillermo in his own career and to be a role model to others.

He is an advocate for early-in-career colleagues at Henkel, who he encourages to get involved in ERGs to find community and unique leadership opportunities. “Putting yourself out there can help you build your network, pull you out of your comfort zone, and open doors by introducing you to new tools and experiences that can impact your career in the long term.”

Embodying a Pioneer’s Spirit

Throughout his work, Guillermo has found endless opportunities to be a pioneer for good. He understands the voices we bring to the table and the choices we make contribute to innovating for the future. In addition to being an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, he serves as Regional Sustainability Manager for the professional haircare business and sits on the company’s Evergreen Council – a cross-functional team exploring how Henkel Consumer Brands can track progress and achieve Henkel’s sustainability goals.

“Sustainable business practices have been at the heart of our culture for decades.” he says of Henkel, “We continue to lead in sustainability. Those aren’t just words – they really are the focus of the company, and we all have a part in that.”

When asked what it means to be a Pioneer for Good, Guillermo reflects on the importance of understanding your power and impact as a leader. “We know our decisions don’t only affect the here and now – they will carry into the next generation and beyond.”

Joshua Parish knows the tragedy that can befall Veterans who don’t get the help they need.

His cousin, a Vietnam War Veteran, was never able to adjust to life back home. More than 50 years later, he struggles with alcoholism.

Parish hopes Battle Buddy, a new app launching in September, will connect Michigan Veterans like his cousin with services and benefits, helping guide them to healthy, fulfilling civilian lives.

“Veterans don’t like to ask for help,” the Iraq vet explains. “A large majority of Veterans struggle with a loss of sense of purpose and a loss of sense of identity. But navigating the benefit process is really difficult. We created Battle Buddy to help automate services and bring resources to the Veteran.”

Battle Buddy is an extension of the services provided through VETLIFE, the Michigan-based non-profit Parish and his wife founded in 2018, after he returned from serving in Iraq. From day one, the organization has helped connect Veterans with the support, services and benefits that can help them readjust to civilian life.

The Battle Buddy app is designed as a chatbot that asks the Veteran questions about where they live and where they served and then helps connect them with services and benefits they’re eligible for. It has been specifically designed for Michigan vets, but Parish hopes to expand it across the United States.

Feedback on the beta version is “phenomenal. Veterans don’t like to talk about their feelings to another person, but now, you’re just talking to an automated chat bot,” Parish notes. “Veterans are telling me they feel more at ease, and they’re more open to gaining access to their benefits because they don’t feel judged.”

Enbridge has been a VETLIFE supporter since the organization’s early days. Last year, we awarded the non-profit $12,000 in Fueling Futures grants to help put on Vet Fest, an annual event that attracts 4,000 Veterans and helps celebrate their service and get them connected to support.

This year, we were proud to contribute $27,000 to help develop Battle Buddy and improve life for Veterans in Michigan. We believe taking care of Veterans is essential for a safe and vibrant community.

The app will serve an important secondary function—to collect data on Native American Veterans.

“Ninety per cent of able-bodied Native American males have served in the military,” Parish says.

Statistics on Tribal Veterans in Michigan, though, are wildly inaccurate — potentially as far off as 20,000 people, he adds. Further, the percentage of Native American Veterans who are not accessing their military benefits is higher than any other demographic group.

“What I’m trying to do with this app is gain a better understanding of how many Tribal Veterans are currently living in Michigan or are currently enrolled in a federally recognized Tribe,” explains Parish, who grew up on a reservation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The app’s focus on helping Indigenous people aligns with Enbridge’s Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan and shows a commitment to strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities and advancing reconciliation.

“Veterans volunteered for a higher calling to serve their country and to preserve our freedom. I believe we owe them personally a debt of gratitude,” Parish says. “If somebody volunteers for a job that less than 1% of the population has volunteered to do, and they honorably served their country, they should be taken care of when they come home.

“By providing access to these benefits, we are improving the quality of life of the Veterans.”