Diedra Garcia: Hispanic chamber leader draws on small-business past.

• Author: Bronikowski, Lynn
• Position: EXECUTIVE EDGE - Interview

Diedra Garcia, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver (and a ColoradoBiz CEO of the Year finalist) was born in Las Vegas, N.M., and moved to Denver when her father enrolled in law school at the University of Denver. Her father returned to New Mexico, leaving her mother and grandmother to raise Garcia and her two sisters in a Southwest Denver neighborhood.

Garcia, now 49, took the reins of the 2,300-member Chamber in February after leaving DRG Construction Corp., a commercial contracting firm she operated with her now ex-husband.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB?

At 14, I was a receptionist for the Democratic House of Representatives. From there I went to work piercing ears in a kiosk in the middle of Villa Italia mall. I also sold shoes at Fontious and worked as an intern at Mile High Cablevision.

IT TOOK YOU 10 YEARS TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE AND THEN YOU RETURNED TO REGIS UNIVERSITY TO EARN A MASTER'S IN LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

It took time because I was balancing school, work and family. But I've always set goals for myself. My life has always felt like an upward trajectory. I'm committed to lifelong learning; that's my passion. I'm still eager to learn about leadership and examples of leadership in the Hispanic community.

HOW DID YOU HAPPEN UPON THE CHAMBER POSITION?

I sat on the Chamber board for several years and advocated for...