Dominican men have always possessed the capacity to chart successful paths. The truth is many men of Dominican lineage have soared to prosperous heights – often quietly and devoid of fanfare – in sectors or occupations few dare to travel. In celebration of the Dominican Republic’s Independence Day, we salute five Dominican men you need to know.
Thomas Edward Perez
Chairman, Democratic National Committee
What’s the alternative when your dreams of playing professional baseball evaporate as quickly as your breath in cold weather? Become the nation’s 26th Secretary of Labor and that’s just for starters. Nominated by then President Obama, Secretary Perez, the son of first-generation Dominican immigrants who was born in frigid Buffalo, NY, has a list of educational and professional credentials that rival the most intelligent brain trusts in Washington, DC. A graduate of Brown (undergraduate) and Harvard (Schools of Law and Government), Perez was directly accountable for fostering, promoting and executing national programs that benefited wage earners and job seekers as well as improve working conditions and assuring work-related benefits and rights. All of this while overseeing 28 agencies, 17,000 employees and nearly $100 billion dollars. Not without his critics and professional setbacks throughout his career, Perez is the first Dominican-American to hold a presidential cabinet post and joins only a handful of Latinos to hold such a distinction. If that weren’t successful enough Perez is now serving as the head of the DNC, were fighting for issues such as DACA, Obamacare and energizing the democratic base are his new mission.
Image credit- Joshua Lott/Reuters/Corbis
Mark Jackson
Former NBA Player and Head Coach
Surprised? We confidently bet this was not a name you’d expect to find on this list. Born in Brooklyn and carrying Dominican roots from his grandmother, Jackson’s trajectory to the NBA has New York written all over it. After becoming one of the nation’s leading point guards at Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, Jackson’s exploits descended on Big East powerhouse St. John’s University in 1983, where he eventually teamed up with future NBA all-star Chris Mullin, and ultimately the mecca of basketball – Madison Square Garden – when the New York Knicks’ made him their first round pick in 1987. In his 17-year NBA career, Jackson played for seven teams and amassed 10,334 assists (currently 4th all-time) before retiring. After years of calling games for the YES and ABC networks, Jackson became head coach of the Golden State Warriors in 2011 and quickly infused his players with a defensive passion and game intensity that personified his playing years. In his three seasons Jackson guided them to their first consecutive playoff appearances (2012-13 and 2013-14) and 50+ win season (2013-14) in over 20 years. To our knowledge, this makes Jackson the first person of Dominican ancestry to become an NBA head coach.
Image credit- Steve Lipofsky/Corbis
Rafael Alvarez
Founder, President and CEO of ATAX Accounting and Financial Services
Move over Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block. The first Dominican-born entrepreneur in the United States to franchise tax preparation, Alvarez has evolved from a modest operation out of Audubon Avenue in New York City (Washington Heights) to creating ATAX, a thriving financial services business with over 40 franchisees in seven states. Built without a single injection of venture capital, ATAX is the fulfillment of a dream that began in the late 90s and materialized itself in 2007. In 2012, ATAX was listed as the 3rd Top 50 Minority Franchisor and his franchises currently prepare more than 11,000 personal and corporate tax returns. Only one of a handful of minority franchisors nationally, Alvarez is intent on projecting the growth of ATAX westward and in carefully selected states over the next five years. Just recently, the International Franchise Association recognized him this February with the Harrison Award. An unquestioned trailblazer, Alvarez certainly deserves the honor.
Image credit- Atax Tax Services
Miguel Montas
Restaurateur
“I’ll have some baseball with that carne guisada, arroz blanco, habichuelas y maduros, por favor.” It’s not a combination you’ll hear very often. Not unless you find yourself at El Nuevo Caridad Restaurant on W. 191st and Saint Nicholas Avenue in Washington Heights, one of two classic establishments owned and operated by Montas. When you cater exclusively for the New York Yankees or you get that call from Albert Pujols for his favorite dish(es), and your restaurant walls are jammed with signed photos of baseball royalty, you realize why food and baseball are always on the menu. Montas has been a staple in the restaurant business in North Manhattan for over 20 years and his enthusiasm for the game of baseball remains vibrant. An entrepreneur with a penchant for giving back, Montas’ story and themed restaurant have been featured over the years in the local press. Quiet, humble and unassuming, Montas’ personality belies a passion for excellence in delivering exceptional Dominican cuisine that keeps you hooked. With baseball just around the corner, you can say Montas resembles a pitcher in spring training. In his case, however, don’t expect fastballs, curves or sliders when you step up to the “plate.”
Image credit- Latinosports.com
Gregorio Luciano
Founder and CEO of Dominican Magic
In case you’re wondering, Luciano has never made a lady levitate or disappear. In fact, it’s doubtful he knows a single card trick. But when you ink regional and national distribution deals with Target, Duane Reade, Sally, Rite Aid and Bed Bath & Beyond for your line of hair care products, it must feel pretty magical (pun intended). What began conceptually in his basement in the late 1990s, Luciano, a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany with a MS in Chemistry, launched Dominican Magic in 2003 but did not come to market with his first product until 2006. Today, his company – Luciano Brothers – manufactures and distributes a complete line of Dominican Magic products and recently moved into a 27,000 square-foot facility in Mount Vernon, New York with an investment of $1.8 million. A devout supporter of local communities, Luciano chose Mount Vernon as his headquarters to help boost economic development in an area with a significant African-American population, Dominican Magic’s largest consumer base. To support the aforementioned partnerships as well as demand in France, United Kingdom, Germany and soon Switzerland, Luciano has 32 employees and anticipates this number to increase substantially over the next 18 months, especially if his vision to expand into select African nations is realized. As Luciano puts it, his company’s mission is “to combine our African, European and indigenous roots with the American way of doing business by creating a company that our communities, families, customers, employees and shareholders feel proud about.” With quality products and a company that has blossomed rapidly, Luciano is not just fulfilling the mission but seems intent on making the world “believe” in magic; Dominican Magic that is.
