Growing up in Cuba before, during, and after Fidel Castro’s revolution, Esther Rodriguez understands the importance of hard work, independent thought, and what happens when creativity is stifled.
After coming to the US in 1964 and becoming a US citizen, Esther never took her eye off the ball of having a better future than the life she left behind in Cuba. In San Diego since1979, she embarked in pioneering the early stages of pay-per-view and digital television. She retired from corporate life at General Instrument (Motorola) in 1996, remaining active in the business community as CEO of Rodriguez Consulting Group, providing business development consulting services to clients across the globe, and serving as director on boards of directors locally and in Mexico.
“Chairmen’s RoundTable is the best way I’ve discovered to remain connected to the San Diego business community and expand into valuable relationships while staying current and continuing to learn about new businesses being developed,” Esther observes.
Says she of a willingness to constantly give back to the community around her; “I’m eternally grateful to the USA for welcoming our family to this great country and allowing us to thrive.” It explains her dedication and support on behalf of countless non-profit organizations like the San Diego Symphony, The Country Friends, March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, the Scripps Foundation , The University of San Diego and others. She will be honored by the Salvation Army Women of Dedication as a 2021 “Women of Vision” in September.
Esther has been bringing this wealth of experience, talent, and connections to Chairmen’s RoundTable since 2007 and shows no sign of slowing down. In addition to providing free mentoring services to businesses to help them through their operational and management challenges, Esther’s also invested significant time as a member of our board of directors, overseeing both client acquisition and mentor development.
“There are 50 mentors in Chairmen’s RoundTable, and these are the highest quality professionals you’re likely to meet ANYWHERE,” says Esther. “They’ve run businesses of every size, from start-ups to multinational corporations. They’re incredibly intelligent, experienced in every issue a CEO will have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, and they’re willing to give it away for free to business owners willing to ask for help.”
She continues; “Each of us volunteers to help companies and non-profits to find and fix their issues in management, marketing, finance, and operations. We coach them; provide insights, accolades, and tough love; and document our efforts for later reference so they and their business plans are stronger moving forward.”
“To me there’s nothing like the satisfaction of helping deserving people and the lasting relationships I’ve created with clients and CRT colleagues over the last 14 years. “
About Chairmen’s RoundTable
Delivering free mentoring services from an impressive roster of 50 current and former CEOs, 15 sponsor firms, and the region’s premier educational and professional organizations, CRT’s collective expertise has helped hundreds of San Diego businesses meet and exceed their professional objectives.
You can get more information about CRT, including whether your business qualifies to become a client, at www.chairmensroundtable.com. Please take a moment to introduce yourself to Esther when you’re attending one of our free meetings, or reach out to her at estherlrodriguez@att.net.