It’s a Sweet Ride to the Top
Prior to her stint in state government, Contreras-Sweet served as one of the founding directors of The California Endowment and is the founding president of HOPE (Hispanics Organized for Political Equality). Contreras-Sweet serves as a member of the board of the Los Angeles Children’s Hospital and on the Women’s Leadership board at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Contreras-Sweet was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. with her mother and five brothers and sisters when she was in the first grade. After the family settled in Los Angeles, Contreras-Sweet’s mother found work in a poultry factory – the type of work she hoped her own children would be able to avoid when they grew up. Contreras-Sweet was able to overcome her blue-collar background through hard work and education.
A career in government always interested her, and toward that end she took various political science courses that gave her a deeper understanding of the democratic system. After earning her bachelor’s degree in political science from California State University-Los Angeles, Contreras-Sweet was eager to participate in the U.S. system of government. This eagerness reflects her strong opinion that, because so many issues face the Latino community, everyone within it must be prepared and willing to participate in public policy debates and decisions. In addition, she feels it is essential for everyone to understand how the various levels of government work, and to understand why certain decisions are made.
During her tenure with the California state government, Contreras-Sweet found the fact that she could have influence over banks, real estate, corporations, financial institutions, healthcare, and other weighty matters very rewarding. Feeling that she brought a unique combination of perspectives to the role, she relished the idea that she reflected a woman’s point of view, the Latino perspective, and the immigrant experience.
When it comes to the career choices she’s made, Contreras-Sweet seems to keep reinventing herself – community leader, government leader, small business entrepreneur – but a common thread that runs through all her career decisions has been ensuring that she is helping to move California forward, creating jobs, and leveling the playing field for Latinos.
Founding Promerica Bank was a logical decision for Contreras-Sweet and fit perfectly with the goals she has set for herself throughout her career. She wanted to create a financial institution that provides people, especially Latinos, with an equal opportunity to fully develop their business ideas.
