CUD elects 13 new Board members, president, and president-elect
The United Retailers Association (CUD, in Spanish) elected the new 13 members of their Board of Directors, the president for the next two years and president-elect during its annual convention held over the weekend.
The 2022-2024 Board of Directors are Sheila Damaris-Otero, Alan Tavera-Sepúlveda, Maria Elena Margarida, María Del Mar-Torres, Cynthia Román, María Judith Oquendo, Edna Díaz, Cindy Cruz, Hilda Resto, Alfonso Lam-Veloz, Rubén Diaz, Carla Cáceres, and Jorge Argüelles.
The new CUD President, Lourdes Aponte-Rodríguez was sworn in and among her short-term priorities are developing a work plan that incentivizes businesses and CUD partners, and that promotes the establishment of new businesses.
“The experience we have as a group validates us when contributing to new legislation, continuing to support small- and mid-sized businesses (SMEs) through alternatives that result in retaining our member base and garner future members, and raising our voice, united, to demand that the needs of our entrepreneurs are heard and addressed in the shortest possible time,” said Aponte.
Aponte is advocating for the expansion in the use of technology, the development of economic projects that are a source of additional income for the CUD and its partners.
In addition, she wants the CUD to become an effective economic partner for SMEs and continue developing commercial alliances and educational programs to attract young entrepreneurs.
Aponte-Rodríguez has more than 32 years in the business and educational field and presides over the Educational Computer Center firm, offering technology courses.
Since 2012, she has held several leadership positions as a partner and member of the CUD Board of Directors and in 2019 she was selected “Director of the Year” and chaired the Businesswomen’s Committee for the past 8 years.
As for the new CUD President-Elect, Ramón Barquín III, he defeated Héctor Mújica-Trenche in an internal election process held as part of the annual convention.
Barquín III currently serves as vice president of the CUD and in his professional life is chairman of the Board of Atlantic University, a science and technology university serving Hispanics.
He has held faculty positions at the University of Phoenix, Columbia College, the InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico, Universidad del Atlántico, and the Institute for Business Education, authoring numerous technical publications.
“We have committed ourselves to upholding the ‘Strategic Work Plan,’ which is nothing more than my campaign platform, endorsed today by the members of the CUD,” said Barquín III.
“This vote is a ratification of a commitment that will strengthen our organization with the vision of increasing revenues while reducing expenses,” said Barquín III.
The CUD’s goal is to ensure economic, technological, social, and cultural progress of the 5,000 partners, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, who in turn represent 15,000 businesses in Puerto Rico.
