By Leonard Rodriguez
This column highlights inspiring stories of Latino leaders. For more than 500 years, Latino men and wom- en have positively influenced the face of United States so- ciety. Let us celebrate these outstanding hispanics.
Solomon Trujillo grew up in a Mexican-American family in Wyoming, where he played with his father’s Band, Sol Trujillo, and his Mariachi Brass. After earn- ing his MBA, he began his career with Mountainville and Wyoming in 1974. Join- ing U.S. West, Trujillo be- came a director-level man- ager at 25. Seven years later, he became the youngest officer in the U.S. West his- tory. In July 1995, Trujillo became president and chief executive officer. During his tenure, he oversaw a $9 billion company with more than 51,000 employee and telecommunication services to more than 25 million cus- tomers in 14 States. Active in the Hispanic community, he served as a chairman of the Tomas Rivera Center and is a member of the corporate board of advisors for the National Council of La Raza.
