Hartford Business Journal

B 12 WOMEN IN BUSINESS | HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | APRIL 3, 2023 Maria Lino CEO/Founder The Latino Way, Marketing and Media M aria Lino has been working in the communications and media fields for more than 20 years. After many years working as a journalist and TV producer, she founded The Latino Way, Market- ing and Media, a multicultural agency dedicated to building effective, organic communication and relevant media components to engage companies and their clients/consumers. During the last five years, her business has grown and carried an outstanding reputation and footprint in the marketing network, having in her portfolio, clients at the federal, state and municipal levels, as well as private and nonprofit entities in need to understand and serve better their communities/markets. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? I'm proud to be one of the pioneers of the multiculturalism in New England, with a strong approach to community involvement and engagement. The content we craft goes deep into the consumer's feelings, understanding how people feel, live, fear and thrive in the America of colors and cultures. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? I'm working to consolidate our name at the national level and expand to Latin American countries interested to engage Latinos in the U.S. with buying power, a demo underesti- mated by many here, but highly desired by companies looking for clients ready to invest or spend in the Caribbean or South America. What's one of the biggest professional challenges you've overcome? There was a moment where I needed to prove that our work was as good or better than any mainstream marketing agency. It's hard at the beginning when people don't know you, but after many campaigns and proven results, we have gained our place in the market and overcame that challenge. What legacy do you want to leave after your career is over? I want to encourage entrepreneurship, because the only way to independence and a path to wealth is when you are the owner and creator of your resources. Dara Macchi Senior Vice President, Marketing and Data Analytics American Eagle Financial Credit Union D ara Macchi is senior vice president, marketing and data analytics at Amer- ican Eagle Financial Credit Union. Macchi serves as strategic partner to the chief strategy and revenue officer, delivering value by elevating American Eagle's brand and identity through the utilization and advancement of its data capabilities. She oversees the Credit Union's marketing and philanthropic and community relations initiatives, in addition to maximizing new and existing revenue streams using data analytics. She joined AEFCU in 2018 with more than 20 years of marketing experience, 12 of them in financial services. Her previous roles, concentrated in marketing communications and digital marketing, were in the insurance and medical device fields. What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far? Throughout my career, I've built solid, trusting partnerships with my managers. They've known they could rely on me to deliver results, be accountable to do what I say I'll do and maintain a 'no surprises' communication mantra. As a result, I've had multiple instances where previous leaders have reached out with opportunities or brought me to new organizations with them. I've always taken pride in consistently demonstrating this competence, even as a young professional. What's the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally? My responsibilities recently expanded to include oversight of data analytics. While data and customer information is always critical to marketing, delving into the technical side infrastructure, governance, data warehouse and domains, etc. was new for me. The last year has been an incredible growth period for me, but there's still a lot to learn. So my goal is to continue this journey of improving my technical skill knowledge. Marketing & Media Way Congratulations to our CEO, Maria Lino, for being named one of Hartford Business Journal's Top 25 Women in Business of 2023! We say it in many languages because your leadership in engaging and connecting underserved communities in our State has been extraordinary. 1965 Main St. East Hartford, CT 06108 • Tel. (860) 816-1783 • www.thelatinoway.com THE 2023 WOMEN IN BUSINESS HONOREES

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