|
 Maria Contreras-Sweet
Chairwoman of the Board
Promérica Bank
Ms. Contreras-Sweet is the founding chairwoman of Promérica Bank, the first Latino-owned business bank in California in over 35 years which serves small to mid-sized businesses with a focus on the Latino business community. Contreras-Sweet becomes one of the first Latinas in the country to found a publicly-traded company.
She presently serves as a Commissioner on the Fire and Police Pension Fund and on the Los Angeles Mayor’s Trade Advisory Council.
Prior to founding Promérica Bank, Maria served for five years (longest ever) as the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency for the State of California, where she managed a $14 billion budget and a workforce of over 42,000. As the first Latina Cabinet Secretary, she oversaw the regulation of fourteen departments, including the Departments of Financial Institutions, Corporations, Real Estate, Transportation (Caltrans), Motor Vehicles (DMV), and the California Highway Patrol. During her tenure she created the Department of Managed Health Care and led the implementation of Proposition 46, a $2.1 billion housing fund, stimulating the state’s economy. She chaired The Infrastructure Commission which published “Invest for California: Strategic Planning for California’s Future Prosperity and Quality of Life.” She served as the Chair of the Census 2000 Decennial State Campaign. During California’s energy crisis, the governor appointed Maria to the restructured Independent System Operator board of directors. She chaired the Finance Committee of the state’s electrical power grid, helping to stabilize a highly volatile energy market.
Prior to her state cabinet post, Maria served on the Board of Blue Cross of California, as vice president and equity partner of the 7UP/RC Bottling Company. She is the Founding President of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE); a Founding Director of The California Endowment; a U.S. Senate appointee to the Federal Glass Ceiling Commission; a member of the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard University, the International Women’s Forum, the Children’s Hospital board, the Hispanic Advisory Board for PepsiCo and Frito-Lay Company and on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and their PAC.
Maria is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Spirit of California from the California State Legislature, Entrepreneur of the Year from the U.S. Hispanic Congressional Caucus. She has been featured on the covers of Latina Style, PODER and other magazines. She is a highly sought-after speaker in the areas of infrastructure investment, finance, and the Latino market and has led international delegations to Europe and Latin America to address infrastructure issues. She is married to Ray Sweet and they have three children, Rafael, Francesca and Antonio. |
