E-mail a friendAugust 30, 2007
Promérica Bank founder-chair Maria Contreras-Sweet says minorities are extremely entrepreneurial. Fashion model Alek Wek describes her journey from the Sudan to stardom.
Maria Contreras-Sweet
Maria Contreras-Sweet
Bank founder says, "the only difference between a sous chef and a restaurant owner is access to capital." (1:08)
Maria Contreras-Sweet is used to being first. She was the first Hispanic female member of a California governor's cabinet—Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing—and founder and chair of the first Latino-owned bank in California in more than 30 years. PROMÉRICA is a full service commercial bank, specializing in serving the small business community and Hispanic entrepreneurs. She's also founding president of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality and influences a wide range of public policy.
Alek Wek
Alek Wek
Top fashion model explains how she was discovered. (2:37)
One of the world's top fashion models, Alek Wek was born in the southern Sudan. After civil unrest forced her family to separate and seek asylum, she attended school in the U.K. and further developed her love of art and painting. Wek got her big break while shopping in a London market, and has since been on the runway of every internationally known designer in the world. She has her own label of handbags and belts and also works for several charitable causes, including the U.S. Committee for Refugees.