PepsiCo SVP of growth acceleration on experience, paving the way for Latina-owned businesses
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Marisa Perez is PepsiCo's senior vice president of growth acceleration. She's a first-generation Cuban-American whose past has contributed to her successful present.
Perez was born and raised in Southern California; she's the first generation in her family born on American soil.
"My mom came as part of Operation Pedro Pan," Perez explained. "Which was the largest exodus of children, minors in the western hemisphere, from Cuba. So, by herself - actually she and her sister, without any parents; not knowing the language, not knowing what was going to happen - came to this country. It was part of the Cuban Revolution."
It was her mother's determination and resilience that helped fuel Perez's drive to succeed.
One of her first jobs upon graduating from UCLA was at Pepsi. She was the first Hispanic female multi-cultural marketing leader in the country. She was responsible for building relationships with retailers catering to the Hispanic community.
"I didn't realize at the time how valuable my experience, my cultural, my personal connection was actually going to be in creating that job opportunity for me," she said.
Over the past 18 years, Perez has worn multiple hats as she transitioned from PepsiCo's beverages division to its foods portfolio, which brought her to Plano and Frito-Lay, a decade ago.
"Along the way, I have done marketing roles, sales roles, field leadership roles," Perez said. "And now I love the job I'm in and our growth office where I get to bring all of that together."
One of PepsiCo's new initiatives is to help support other businesses through its recently enacted racial equality journey. Last fall, PepsiCo created a program called Juntos Crecemos, or together we grow. The program aims to help Hispanic restaurant owners succeed in the current challenging economy. Furthermore, this spring, PepsiCo launched Jefa Owned; assistance for businesses specifically owned by Hispanic women.
"Latina small businesses are actually growing at a faster rate. So, they're growing at six times the national average of all small businesses," Perez said. "And when you look at all Latino-owned businesses, 87% are jefa owned. So, it's actually really the dominant force there in the marketplace; and they also are more challenged with gender bias with cultural and systemic barriers."
Any business, not just food and beverage based-businesses qualify for Jefa Owned assistance.
"PepsiCo knows it's just the right thing to do," she said. "We help our communities by helping businesses thrive."
Perez is fiercely loyal to PepsiCo, in part because it's been so loyal to her. Two months ago, she lost her husband of 20 years to a rare and very aggressive form of prostate cancer. She's naturally an optimistic person, but says it helped to have such tremendous support from her work family.
"I tell people why sit in bed and cry every day that doesn't solve anything," she said. "And my husband would want me to put one foot in front of the other; that's what I'm doing every day for my kids, for myself."
As Perez begins this new stage in her life, she says she fondly recalls her mother's sacrifices, and is committed to do what she can to pay it forward.
"I feel like I have been so blessed to grow up here. I feel like I have been blessed with an amazing education," she said. "Now, it's about how do I reach my potential and then continue to pass on to future generations, lift them up? How can they achieve whatever they want?"