WASHINGTON-Susan Au Allen, national
president and CEO of US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC),
holding a noon staff meeting at her office near the District’s Dupont Circle,
was talking about the organization’s excellence in business awards.
“Take Faye Caballero,” she said. “She’s
amazing! She came to this country in the 70s as a nurse, worked double jobs in
order to send younger siblings to schools in the Philippines, joined Ford Motor
Company as a nurse and worked her way up.”
Today, Faye, born Mariafe Caballero, a
working mom - she’s married to Peter H. Mytnyk, with whom she has a daughter
and a son- is the owner and CEO of Black River Plastics, a tier-one automotive
supplier based in Port Huron, Michigan.
Mrs. Caballero and Eileen Konopacki-Sulit
are among the five recipients of the excellence in business awards presented in
Chicago at gala night May 17, capping a three-day annual conference. Eileen is
a Pentagon equipment readiness expert and National Guard. The two joined Sam
Pitroda, “the father of the Indian telecom revolution,” public servant Judy
Topinka, and McDonald’s franchiser Carol Chin as honorees.
“They are all trailblazers and role
models,” said Ms. Allen. USPAACC is a non-profit national organization founded
in 1984 in this capital. It has over 8,000 members. It promotes the nation’s
economic growth by linking minority business with Corporate America and federal
agencies with annual diversity contracting goals.
Black River Plastics specializes in
products and services: interior, exterior, and under-the-hood parts, including
injection, insert molding, plastics and metal assembly. Since Mrs. Caballero
became CEO in January 2000, Black River has more than quadrupled in size.
Mrs. Caballero earned an M.A. in business
from Central Michigan University. In 1978, she joined Ford Motor Company as a
nurse. Within a short time, she was promoted as an OSHA auditor. Later, she
became a specialist in the Office of the General Counsel. She held several
positions in the automotive plastics industry, specializing in sales, customer
relations, and management.
Eileen is a federal technician for the
Department of Defense. She has served in this capacity for over ten years,
managing two field maintenance shops, one in Crestwood and another in Chicago,
Illinois. Her shops are responsible for ensuring equipment readiness for Army
National Guard units. ( Jennie L. Ilustre)
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