It was January of 2007 when I walked into the Council’s office for the first time. This was the first time I met Mayra as she greeted me with a warm smile and “Hello.” Since then, Mayra and I have been working side-by-side developing, building, and growing the Council.
Mayra began her career as a contract receptionist in 2006. Little did she know she was brought onto the team right before a holiday so that everyone else could take a long weekend off. Mayra was working solo by her third day, and was later hired full-time that fall. In 2008, Mayra assumed the Certification Manager’s position and began mastering the process. Mayra learned events management with a “can do” attitude. Mayra moved on to take on a new challenge in 2013 as the Manager of Operations. She has managed all back office operations, accounting, events, records management, etc. One of her main duties was to become our Human Resources subject matter expert. Mayra took courses, attended seminars, and received several certifications. She has been invaluable in this role. She accomplished all of this while raising her family.
While managing her job as Manager of Operations and taking care of her family, she attended the University of WA at night, studied during her lunch hour and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree two years later. This was no easy feat, but she did it! Mayra has accomplished many things without sacrificing her commitment to the Council or her family. Her smile has not waned one bit through all of this.
Recently, in light of both the economic and health pandemic, it has challenged everyone with varying levels of difficulty. Mayra has elected not to allow this pandemic to dictate whether her children receive an excellent education. She leaves the Council to become their teacher and insure her children grow, flourish, and succeed in life. We are proud of Mayra for taking the most difficult step in her life – to protect her children today and secure a safe journey into the future.
Mayra we will miss you tremendously, but know you are doing the right thing for the right reasons! Best wishes and keep smiling!
Fernando Martinez
President and CEO
Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council
A Look Over the Years
