SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Antonio R. Flores, President and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) this week was elected Chair of the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

“I am honored to be elected chair by the distinguished board members of this prestigious coalition of 11 of the largest and most respected national organizations that share our mission to promote the college and career success of our country’s youngest and largest ethnic population,” Flores said following his election at the HACR Governing Board’s annual meeting this week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

“We have a tremendous responsibility to ensure that promoting college and career access and equity for such a large part of our future workforce and leadership ranks also paves the way for far more Hispanic Americans to assume decision-making positions in all sectors of our society to best reflect our nation’s increasingly diverse citizenry,” Flores said.

HACR, founded in 1986, is a coalition of the leadership of nationally prominent Hispanic organizations that promotes Hispanic leadership initiatives and the equitable representation of the Hispanic community in Corporate America.

HACU, also founded in 1986, is the nation’s leading voice for Hispanic higher education, with a membership of more than 340 colleges and universities collectively serving nearly three-fourths of all Hispanic higher education students in the United States and Puerto Rico.

“Hispanics already comprise one of every three new workers joining the U.S. work force today, and the U.S. Labor Department projects that Hispanics will make up half of all new workers joining the U.S. labor market by 2050. Yet, Hispanics remain disproportionately under-represented in the leadership ranks of Corporate America,” Flores said.

“Higher education access and excellence are vital to achieving career and leadership success. All Americans will benefit by the work of HACU and HACR in equipping our Hispanic students and employees with the advanced knowledge, leadership skills and open doors to career advancement that will propel this country to a position of greater economic strength, security and global leadership.”

Flores replaced outgoing Chair Ron Blackburn-Moreno, President and CEO of ASPIRA Inc. at the completion of his two-year term. “The outstanding achievements of Mr. Blackburn-Moreno made a tremendous impact on strengthening HACR’s invaluable credibility and renown with the leadership of Corporate America and the Latino community,” Flores said.

“My goal for the two years of my tenure is to build upon his remarkable record of success and to work hand-in-hand with Anna Cabral, the distinguished President and CEO of HACR, and our board to secure a new record of success for this exceptional organization,” Flores said.

For more information, call HACU National Headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, at (210) 692-3805. Ext. 3214. Or visit www.hacu.net.