Interviewee

Rosa Santana

Interviewer

Arlina Palacios

Project

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Biographical Synopsis of Interviewee

Rosa Santana was born in 1958 in Chihuahua, México. Rosa is the daughter of Josefina Laeal Denaranco and Simon Santana and she had one sister and has three brothers. When Rosa was very young, her family moved to The United States. Rosa attended Douglas Elementary and Jefferson High School in El Paso, Texas. She has two daughters who also help her run her business in San Antonio, Texas. Rosa currently lives in El Paso, Texas and is the owner of Integrated Human Capital.

Summary of Interview

Rosa had her first job when she was 13-14 years old working at an A&W drive thru. While Rosa was in high school, she was a part of DECA, a program that helps students learn about professional jobs and Rosa was able to work at the Popular Department store in El Paso, Texas. Rosa married and moved to Las Vegas for short time and had a daughter. Rosa moved back to El Paso and after a few jobs, Rosa went to work for Kelly Staffing Services. Working at Kelly, Rosa was able to get involved and grow professionally within the staffing industry. In 1989, Rosa was able to take Kelly Staffing to México. Rosa worked at Kelly for 17 years before being recruited by another staffing companyWestaff. Rosa also took Westaff to México. Rosa worked at Westaff for 3 years before being downsized and after Rosa left, Westaff left México as well. Rosa was able to purchase the furniture from the Westaff branch located in Juárez. Within a week she received a call for 3,000 employees that were needed by a client for a business in Juárez. Rosa began her own staffing business by simply finding employees for this business. Rosa ran her staffing business out of home at the beginning but soon realized that she needed an office building. Rosa happened to be contacted by a former business associate who suggested that Rosa speak with a company looking to broaden their business from automotive to staffing services. Rosa met with the company and realized that they were trying to interview her for a position within their company. She explained that she did not want to work for them, because she already ran her own company. A few weeks later, the President of the company called her to schedule a meeting, meeting that led Rosa into a partnership with the company, giving her 51% ownership. Integrated Human Capital was created and though Rosa is no longer in that partnership, she now owns IHC 100% and is a minority owned and woman owned certified staffing business. IHC works to help employers and employees with job placement. Rosa attributes her work and life ethic to her mother who taught Rosa and her siblings that no matter what do the right thing and the right thing will happen, to and be ethical about what you do. Both of Rosa’s daughters live in San Antonio and help run a branch of her business in that city. Rosa has a partnership with Randstad to work nationally and world-wide. IHC’s partnership with Randstad has birthed a new company called Diversa, which Rosa owns 51% of and Diversa helps IHC and Randstad to work internationally. Rosa has received the businesswoman of the year award for region three Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was nominated by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Rosa has also been inducted into the El Paso Women’s Hall of Fame. IHC and Rosa were minority business enterprise of the year. Rosa was Out-Standing Ex from Jefferson High School and she has established a scholarship for students as well. The advice Rosa would offer to entrepreneurs is to do what you are really good at, research your field and know your competition.

Date of Interview

10-13-2010

Length of Interview

88 minutes

Tape Number

No. 1499

Transcript Number

No. 1499

Length of Transcript

34 pages

Transcriber

GMR Transcription Services

Interview Number

No. 1499

Terms of Use

Unrestricted

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