Kaplan University Dean Shares Insights On Hiring And Retaining Latino Talent

PRLog (Press Release) – Nov 28, 2007 – In 2008, Baby Boomers will begin retiring at a rate of 11,000 per day, draining corporate America of their years of talent and experience. To remain competitive, companies should be poised to search for new talent and a good place to start is in the Latino community, one of the fastest growing U.S. demographics and the next great source of intellectual capital, according to Robert Rodriguez, Ph.D., a human resources expert and Assistant Dean in Kaplan University’s Graduate School of Management.

“By the year 2050, Latinos will make up one quarter of the U.S. population and will undoubtedly change the marketplace and our economy,” Dr. Rodriguez says. “Companies need to realize the benefits of attracting more Latino employees and their potential to drive economic growth.”  

Dr. Rodriguez recommends that corporations align Latino talent management initiatives with business strategy. By broadening traditional HR practices and developing in-house Latino employee networks and mentoring programs, companies can increase their hiring pool and retention, he says. Dr. Rodriguez provides these and other practical solutions in his new book, Latino Talent:  Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Develop Hispanic Professionals (John Wiley & Sons, 2007). He also offers advice to Latino professionals to help them enhance their careers.

Dr. Rodriguez has held human resource leadership positions at several Fortune 500 firms, including the Target Corporation, 3M Company, BP Amoco and RR Donnelley & Sons. He is the Board Chairman for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to building the careers of Latino students and professionals through leadership development.  He is a graduate of the Latino Leadership Institute at UCLA and was recently recognized by a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce affiliate organization as a one of the top Latinos in the country under the age of 40.  

For more information about Latino Talent: Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain and Develop Hispanic Professionals, visit http://www.latinotalentbook.com.

Kaplan University, based in Davenport, Iowa, is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).  Kaplan University offers more than 100 academic programs and currently serves more than 30,000 online and on-ground students, with support centers in Fort Lauderdale, Chicago and Phoenix. To learn more, visit http://getinfo.kaplan.edu.