AEM DFW Chapter New Chairman, Willie Hornberger

WILLIE HORNBERGER,

Newest Chairman of AEM DFW

Elsa Cavazos Willie Hornberger not only serves as a Partner for Jackson Walker but he’s also involved in several organizations serving the Latino community. He most recently took the role of Chairman for AEM DFW Chapter, an organization encouraging economic competitiveness by helping promote business between companies in the United States and Mexico.

PASSIONATE for Mexican culture, Willie Hornberger appreciates and honors his background. Growing up in Laredo, his grandparents immigrated from Mexico and worked hard to survive.

“I am living out my grandfather’s, dream. The dream that he had for his. grandchildren, the dream of a better life. I felt in my life a tremendous responsibility to give back to help people like us, the many people that helped him build and grow his business here. This is why I'm very proud to serve as President of AEM. There was no way that with my story I was going to turn this opportunity down,” Hornberger said. Willie also shares about his father’s influence on him, lawyer and politically active. Willie grew up immersed in the political sphere. He pursued an accounting and law degree as well as a master's in tax law from New York University. At the beginning of his career, he was able to work with investors from Mexico and other countries which Hornberger said helped him launch his career.

Throughout his career, he has been able to work collaboratively with plenty of people in Mexico. He stressed the importance of the partnership and the important role Dallas plays in it. His goal is to continue to open market opportunities for people in Mexico.

“We were very selective about whom we wanted on the board of AEM DFW so that we represent various industries. We plan to have seminars, webinars, for businesses in Mexico, on helping them diversify here into the US, and helping them open up channels for the distribution of their products,” he said. “Mexico is one of Texas's five “WHEN WE START WITH MORE COLLABORATION, WE WILL ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH.”

largest trading partners and in the metroplex of Dallas it is like a “hurricane of businesses”.

“AEM is all about relationships. We’re not a chamber but we will be working closely with organizations such as the Dallas Regional Chamber and the Dallas Hispanic Chamber. Our objective is to enhance these relationships so that our main targets are reached including both Mexican companies and companies here that serve the Latino market,” Hornberger said.

“When we start with more collaboration, we will accomplish so much.”

AEM Dallas looks for members to meet a cross-section between business and community. They want various industries to be represented on the board as well.

AEM Dallas continues to grow together with its brand awareness. Willie wants businesses to understand how relevant they are in the DFW metroplex area. “I want businesses to grow a network here and have the access to the Latino buying power here in the US. I want to help them understand this access,” Hornberger said.

Plans for events in Washington, Guanajuato, New Orleans, and other places are in the works in order to continue that path of networking and collaboration.

“We want to share what we're about. We should be sharing the beauty and how wonderful Mexican culture is with everyone not only here in Dallas but at a National level as well.”

FORGE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS TO ACHIEVE

SUCCESS Joanne Rodrigues JORGE EURAN

FOUNDER OF ALVENI How do we find success in today’s fastpaced world of instant gratification? According to serial entrepreneur and changemaker Jorge Euran, the secret lies in everyday accomplishments and maintaining strong human connections. We picked Euran’s brain to learn more about what keeps him motivated, how he scaled his business from Mexico to the United States, and the important life lessons that have shaped him along the way.

Alveni, Euran’s interactive digital solutions company, turned 18 years old recently. The firm has come a long way since establishing its headquarters in Monterrey, Mexico. It was one of the first Mexican companies to immerse itself in the development of personalized interactive kiosks.

“It was revolutionary,” recalled Euran. “Large corporations were struggling to streamline and effectively manage their HR processes. With hundreds and thousands of employees on their payroll, they needed us to provide a digitized solution to help systemize it productively.”

Since then there’s been no turning back for Alveni.

In 2010 the company successfully made it through the TechBA accelerator program, which facilitated their expansion into the US market. This breakthrough enabled Alveni to branch out into a diverse portfolio of sectors and niches. Today they provide digital signage and interactive solutions to most industries including healthcare, entertainment, and the financial sector.

But what sets Alveni apart from its competitors in the US? “My customers value the close relationship I have with them,” said Euran. “One of my first big clients was located in Dallas and purchased two kiosks from us. As soon as the pieces were ready and shipped, I got into my car and drove all the way to meet them on arrival,” he recalled.

Euran was able to provide a personal touch to a business transaction that his clients had never experienced before. That is something he holds dear to his heart and professional code.

“An important lesson my dad taught me is that ‘if you want to be successful, you can only do so by treating other people right’. I find ways to use my network in a positive way, to help whoever I meet. I know that good will come back my way when I least expect it,” he said.

Euran’s policies on business and life are further strengthened by his late son, who passed away in 2008. “Life is very precious and he taught us that you can’t waste a single moment of it,” he said. To commemorate this, Euran participated in the New York City marathon in 2009 and has been doing so every year since then.

“Through running, I raise money for nonprofit organizations related to sports and education, and tell my daughters that to live life to the fullest and to achieve longterm potential we need to work towards it every single day,” he added.

In many ways, Euran’s successful work ethic, entrepreneurial achievements, and personal triumphs can be attributed to his commitment to forging lifelong partnerships and living a life of positive impact.

Jorge Euran’s journey began in the small town of Tampico in the Gulf of Mexico. By the time he graduated from Tec de Monterrey in the ‘dot.com era’, he decided to put aside an MBA scholarship to start a business of his own. “It’s been a struggle ever since, but I don’t regret anything,” he said.

Since the current global pandemic, the potential to grow is endless.

“We’ve partnered with Zoom in Mexico to create its first video conferencing kiosk. It’s a gamechanger,” he added. “We’re also excited about where the healthcare industry is headed since COVID19. Our solutions will make it possible for even the smallest towns and those with limited access to specialized doctors to get live consultations or check their blood pressure and temperature through a kiosk.”

Alveni has major plans to scale into the realestate and education markets as well. “Everyone needs a way to communicate and interact better with their customers. And that's what we're trying to help out with,” he concluded.

Joanne Rodrigues Luis González

S.O.S TAX - A FAMILY BUSINESS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY

The long and winding road to prosperity is often filled with challenges and stumbling blocks. There’s so little room at the top and we need to work together to build each other up and add more seats at the table. This is exactly what a recent and inspiring conversation with Mario Motta has taught us.

Motta, CEO, and Founder of S.O.S Tax used perseverance and resilience to carve his journey. “My wife and I were working for the Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes in Baja California and we got an opportunity to move to the United States on a work visa more than thirty years ago,” he said. “The language barrier was real and made things tough. After a long time, I finally found work as a dishwasher at a restaurant.”

Motta soon worked his way up the restaurant’s chain of command as a cook and then a supervisor until eventually, he became a manager. We asked him how S.O.S Tax came about if he was spending most of his time within the restaurant.

“It’s all thanks to my wife. She’s a

Mario Motta

CEO, and Founder of S.O.S Tax

numbers lady and has accountancy in her. We had to learn to file our tax returns by ourselves using books from the IRS, while I was at the restaurant. With no access to computers and no other help, the two of us set up S.O.S Tax right there from our dining table,” said Motta. “My co-workers asked us to help them with their taxes as well. It soon became a small business.”

The Mottas would go knocking on doors to find clients – Even offering their services for free for three months to gain people’s trust. Motta goes on to explain. “Despite the obstacles, we had to continue. My advice to other Latinos is to never give up. Hispanics are very hardworking people, and we shouldn’t let a language or cultural barrier get in the way of finding success.”

Motta’s ethos of staying true to yourself while doing honest, good work shines bright across his business. “One thing that I love about my work is that we directly give back to the Hispanic community. I want people to know that if you do things the right way, and comply with the rules and regulations set by the governing authorities, then your future is going to look very bright.”

Motta is strict with his clients about adhering to rules and not trying to cheat the system. “Everyone wants to know how they can pay less in taxes. But that’s not how I work. We have to be careful and straightforward and pay what is fair. You’ll sleep better knowing that your accounting books are done the right way.”

Motta elaborates on the complexity that comes with operating a family-run business. There are plenty of family businesses in the Latino community, but not everyone has been successful for over 31 years like S.O.S Tax. “From a young age, we instilled the importance of hard work and earning each reward in our children,” he said.

Motta’s sons play an active role in running the businesses today. “They’ve seen how dependent we’ve been on the company since the beginning. They know that it is our livelihood and that a lot depends on it. We work together to not only grow the company but to always maintain the trust of our clients.”

Now three decades later, S.O.S Tax is doing everything it can to uplift their community and help others. “We have good roots and good values. But we also can’t do everything by ourselves. I want other Latinos to work together to build each other up. Many people hesitate to ask for advice, but you’ll learn a lot for free simply when you ask. That is what we are here for.”

RebeccaSchrock (center),recieving theawardforher dedicationand commitmentto service.

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