David Segura is the founder and CEO of VisionIT, one of the largest Hispanic-owned technology firms in the U.S., headquartered in Detroit, Michigan. He is also a member of President Obama’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. David shares how America’s diverse cultural resources are enhancing trade relations and economic growth.
My family came to the United States more than 90 years ago from Mexico to contribute to this great nation. Being a grandson of Mexican immigrants, I felt the biggest way to contribute to our nation was through creating a dynamic company, and so I created VisionIT 15 years ago.
Today, VisionIT is one of the largest Hispanic-owned technology firms in the United States providing information technology (IT) managed services, staffing, and vendor management. After our national expansion some years ago, we entered the Latin American market to provide our services to Mexico and Puerto Rico as the initial platform for VisionIT’s expansion plans for the region. The development in communications prompted by globalization, VisionIT’s extensive experience and resources in the technology sector, and our company’s unique heritage have given our company a tremendous edge in the marketplace as many of our existing Fortune 500 customers were seeking partners in these markets.
We operate today in not only a more connected world, but one in which the flow of information and communication continues to increase exponentially. The abilities to interact and to access individuals and information worldwide have set the foundation for an international business network that allows global trade to expand like never before. And America’s minority-owned businesses play an especially critical role in globalization and the continuing expansion of trade, as well as the U.S. economy.
The U.S. has been a place where ideas and entrepreneurship can flourish because of having the infrastructure, laws, financial system and personnel in place to develop and grow organizations. In fact, one of the biggest competitive advantages in America is our human resources. People from all over the world have come to this great country for the opportunities to prosper in industries of their choosing. In the process, their capabilities, hard work, and determination have and continue to contribute to the prosperity of America. Especially in the last 20 years, minority-owned businesses have grown and evolved tremendously to sizes and capabilities that allow them to positively impact their communities, like creating American jobs. Equipped with employees with unique insights and connections to different cultures outside the U.S., these minority-owned businesses are able to capitalize on the diversity within their firms. These cultural resources provide an outstanding opportunity to connect their companies in new parts of the world and to be great trade ambassadors and business leaders.
The successes of minority-owned businesses are felt across diverse industries, markets, and communities, as these companies continue to grow and develop products and services that make America more competitive. This is most apparent in major metropolitan cities throughout the country, the main locations of America’s export hubs.
Our story is only one of many that we see of strong minority-owned businesses utilizing their history and existing customer base to accelerate growth globally and gain access to new markets. All American businesses- large and small, majority- and minority-owned- need to engage with global markets in order to sustain growth in this international economy. By further leveraging diversity, our nation can achieve the goal President Obama set forth of doubling our exports by 2014. The team at VisionIT is proud to be contributing to the National Export Initiative and supporting the awareness of export benefits for all American businesses.
