|
The Los Angeles County Fair Association has expanded its membership, adding four leaders from the communities surrounding Fairplex in Pomona.
Bringing their experience, expertise and insight are Maria Contreras-Sweet, Jimmy Espinoza, Robert Mendez and John Solomon. The group was introduced and welcomed at the Association’s annual meeting on April 27.
Maria Contreras-Sweet is managing partner and co-founder of FORTIUS Holdings, LLC, a private equity fund and commercial real estate development company with a Latino business focus. Before founding FORTIUS, Contreras-Sweet was the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency for the State of California. She also served on the board of directors of Blue Cross of California, as vice president and equity partner of the 7UP/RC Bottling Company and president of the California/Nevada Soft Drink Association. She was the founding president of HOPE, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality.
Jimmy Espinoza is president and managing partner of De Oro Properties, LLC, a multi-million dollar real estate services firm in Ontario. De Oro Properties has been recognized by Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine as one of the largest Hispanic-owned firms in the Inland Empire. Espinoza serves as president of the 4,000-member Inland Valley Association of Realtors. He has been awarded Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year, designated one of the top 10 Hispanic entrepreneurs in the nation. He and his wife, Irene, reside in Ontario. The couple has two daughters, Carla and Sara.
Robert Mendez is senior vice president of diversity at Disney-ABC Television Group. He is an accomplished television industry attorney who has managed business affairs, legal affairs, contract administration and production agreements for television series, including Live with Regis and Kelly and Who Wants to be a Millionaire. He is the past president of the Hispanic National Bar Association and serves on the boards of the Hispanic National Bar Foundation and The Imagen Foundation. He and his wife, Trudy, reside in Claremont and have two grown sons.
John Solomon has been the owner and president of Liquorama in Upland for 10 years, and describes himself as a serious fine wine aficionado. He is active in Chino Hills’ Community committee and Upland Chamber of Commerce. He writes monthly wine columns for the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin and Inland Empire Magazine, in addition to conducting wine dinners and tasting parties and teaching wine classes. He is a wine judge for the L.A. County Fair Wines of the World competition and serves on the Fair’s wine steering committee. John and his wife, Jeanine, and their three children are residents of Chino Hills.
The Los Angeles County Fair Association is a not-for-profit mutual benefit organization. The Association will not exceed 50 active members, including an 11-member board of directors. /b.js>
|
