Aida Alvarez
Award-Winning Journalist, a successful investment banker, and a member of President Clinton’s Cabinet
The Honorable Aida Alvarez has been an award-winning journalist, a successful investment banker, and a member of President Clinton’s Cabinet. She currently serves on the boards of Oportun, Zoosk, and Hewlett Packard, Inc. Alvarez was a Director on the boards of PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. (now part of United Health) , MUFG Union Bank and…
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The Honorable Aida Alvarez has been an award-winning journalist, a successful investment banker, and a member of President Clinton’s Cabinet. She currently serves on the boards of Oportun, Zoosk, and Hewlett Packard, Inc. Alvarez was a Director on the boards of PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. (now part of United Health) , MUFG Union Bank and Walmart. She also served on the Deloitte Touche Diversity Advisory Board.
Alvarez chairs the Latino Community Foundation, serves on the Board of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and on the Board of Governors of the San Francisco Symphony.
Appointed by President Clinton to head the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Administrator Alvarez was the first Hispanic woman to serve in a President’s Cabinet. She presided over record activity: $61.5 billion in guaranteed loans and venture capital financing over a four-year period. SBA’s lending to women tripled. Lending to minorities doubled.
Administrator Alvarez developed a global agenda, expanding SBA’s international role: established an SBA office in Cairo, Egypt; led U.S. small business trade missions to Mexico, Canada, Ireland, and Egypt. She chaired the first ministerial (Cabinet level) conference for small businesses hosted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with 47 countries participating. Alvarez represented small business interests at the Seattle convening of the World Trade Organization. She traveled internationally with the President, representing U.S. small business, and with Vice President Al Gore as part of the Gore Chernomyrdin Commission.
During the first Clinton term Alvarez was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to be Director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). As the founding Director of the agency, she was charged with regulating the nation’s largest housing finance institutions, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Prior to her federal service, Alvarez was a Vice President in Public Finance at The First Boston Corporation and Bear Stearns. She was also Vice President for Public Affairs at the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Alvarez started out with a career in journalism. She won a Front Page award for journalistic excellence while at the New York Post. She also earned an Emmy nomination and an Associated Press award for journalistic excellence while at Channel Five, the Ten O’Clock News, for her series on the war in El Salvador entitled, “The Morazan Diaries.”
A Harvard graduate, Alvarez also holds honorary doctorates from Bethany College, Iona College, Mercy College and the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico. Alvarez was elected to serve on the Harvard Board of Overseers. She is a trustee emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!
LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!
MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!
SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!
SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!
CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!
PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!
FURMAN UNIVERSITY
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