Wikipedia

Nina Vaca

Nina Vaca is an Ecuadorian-born American entrepreneur. She is the chairperson and CEO of Pinnacle Group, a large provider of information technology and workforce solutions in US and Canada with around 5000 employees, which was named among the Fastest-Growing Women-Owned Business in the United States by the Women Presidents' Organization in 2018.[1] The story of Nina Vaca and Pinnacle Group opens the Entrepreneur chapter of the McGraw-Hill textbook, "Understanding Business".[2] Vaca was named one of the top 100 CEO’s in STEM publication by STEM connector.[3]

Nina Vaca
at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, 2016
Born
Quito, Ecuador
Alma materTexas State University
OccupationChairman & CEO Pinnacle Group
Years active1996 - Present
Board member ofComerica Inc Kohl's Corporation Cinemark Holdings
SpouseJim Humrichouse
Children4

Early life and education edit

Vaca was born in Quito, Ecuador and is the third child of parents Amanda and Hernan Vaca' s five children. The family spent the majority of Vaca' s childhood living in Los Angeles, California where her parents owned several small businesses.[4] The family moved to Texas in 1994 following Hernan Vaca' s death. Vaca credits her mother's example as being a major influence on herself.[5]

Vaca began college at Texas State University shortly after relocating to Texas and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts in speech communications and a minor in business administration. She later completed executive education programs at Harvard Business School – Corporate Governance Executive Program, Tuck School of Business, and Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern. Vaca was named a Distinguished Alumna of Texas State University in 2012, and was the youngest alumna in university history to be honored with this award. Vaca also holds honorary doctorates from Northwood University, Mount Mary University,[6] and Berkeley College.[5]

Career edit

Early work edit

Vaca began working at a young age in her family's businesses. Following her father's death, she and her sister, Jessica, ran his travel agency. After college graduation, Vaca moved to New York City to begin work in the IT industry and then relocated to Dallas, Texas to work at Computer Development Services, Inc.[7]

Pinnacle Group edit

In 1996, Vaca founded Pinnacle Group.[8] The staffing business became one of the fastest growing businesses owned by a woman with a gross revenue of around $1 billion in the 2010s.[1]

Corporate boards edit

Vaca is a director of Comerica Inc. (2008–present) and Cinemark Holdings (2014–present),[9] and was a director at Kohl's Corporation (2010–2019),[10][11]

Civic leadership and philanthropy edit

Barack Obama appointed Vaca as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) in 2014,[12] an advisory group tasked with growing American entrepreneurship. In this capacity, Vaca traveled with Secretary of State Penny Pritzker to Ghana in May 2014 to promote entrepreneurship globally.[13] Vaca served as chairman of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from 2010 to 2012.[14] and she is part of the 2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows.[15]

Personal life edit

In July 2018, Vaca was sued in a lawsuit filed by Javier Palomarez, former president of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Palomarez claims Vaca orchestrated a campaign to destroy his reputation because he ended an alleged affair between the two. Vaca has denied the charges and filed a motion to have the case dismissed.[16]

She is a mother of four children and competes in triathlon also for charity[17]

Appearances edit

As a PAGE Ambassador, Vaca spoke at the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit.[18][19] She also participated as a panelist at the Women's Business Enterprise National Council's Conference and Business Fair, which Pinnacle co-chaired.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Women Presidents' Organization Unveils the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies Worldwide". Women Presidents' Organization. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  2. ^ Markelz, Michelle (16 June 2013). "Nina Vaca: Reaching for a Pinnacle". Hispanic Executive. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  3. ^ "100 CEO Leaders in STEM" (PDF). STEM connector.
  4. ^ Inc. "'I Grew Up Watching My Parents Fail Over & Over Again'". Inc. Retrieved 7 December 2012. {{cite web}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ a b Blanco, Octavio (28 September 2015). "Nina Vaca: Daughter of immigrants now runs a $650 million firm". CNN Money. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  6. ^ Pabst, Georgia. "New U.S. Hispanic Chamber chair to give commencement". Latino Connection. Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Nina Vaca: Reaching for a Pinnacle". Hispanic Executive. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  8. ^ Abril, Danielle. "Cover Story: The DBJ Interview with Pinnacle Group's Nina Vaca". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  9. ^ Cinemark. "Cinemark Holdings, Inc. Announces New Board Members". Cinemark. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
  10. ^ Kohl's. "Nina G. Vaca Elected to Kohl's Corporation Board of Directors". BusinessWire (Press release). Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  11. ^ "Register". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  12. ^ "PAGE Ambassador – Nina Vaca of Pinnacle Technical Resources". Department of Commerce.
  13. ^ Castellanos, Melissa. "Nina Vaca, CEO of Pinnacle Technical Resources, Champions Entrepreneurship Worldwide". Latin Post. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  14. ^ Jean, Sheryl. "Dallas' Nina Vaca named chairwoman for U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
  15. ^ "Aspen Institute Mobilizes New Generation of Leaders". Aspen Institute. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  16. ^ "Scandal surrounding alleged extramarital affair of former U.S. Hispanic Chamber leaders from Dallas moves into court". The Dallas Morning News. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  17. ^ "From immigrant family to tech CEO, Nina Vaca uses her success to spread global entrepreneurship". Dallas News. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Vaca, Nina". ges2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  19. ^ "PAGE Video Series: Pinnacle Technical Resources' Nina Vaca". GES2016. 30 January 2019.
  20. ^ "Nina Vaca Co-Chair". wbenc. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
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