Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> March 17, 2004
RICO VALLEJOS is Founder and President of International & Ethnic
Communications (I&EC), an award-winning Hispanic and multicultural
communications agency. Rico formed I&EC in May of 1994 by purchasing the
international and ethnic communications department of Lee & Riley
Micromarketing. Rico joined Lee & Riley in 1987, and served as account
executive, researcher/focus group moderator and copywriter for clients
such as General Mills, 3M, Target Stores, Wilson Leather, Hormel
Corporation, The State of Minnesota, and Hazelden Publishing. As Senior
Copywriter and Creative Director of I&EC and LatinoCreative.com, Rico
has consulted and developed communications for companies such as
American Express, Honda, Verizon (GTE), Radisson, The Gap, National
Computer Systems, The Toro Company, Radisson Hotels International,
American Family Insurance, Red Lobster, Fingerhut, Amoco, Great Clips,
Coca Cola, Olive Garden, Pillsbury and Regis. A native of Argentina, he
studied marketing at Metropolitan State University, and completed
studies in cross-cultural communications, management and linguistics in
Spain and England as a trainee with Gute Bcher fr Alle, a German non-
profit organization. Rico teaches Multicultural Communications at the
University of St. Thomas MIM program (Master of International
Management). Also, he has lectured on communications, marketing and
cultural topics at St. Thomas University's Graduate School of Business
(MBA and MBC programs), Metropolitan State University, Magdalene College
and Bethel College & Seminary, as well as in marketing conferences
nationwide. Also, Rico has taught in programs for the U.S. Agency for
International Development, and is a regular speaker for marketing,
diversity and trade groups, including Aguilar Productions' Midwest
Hispanic Marketing Conferences. He also has been involved in various
advertising awards competitions, serving as judge of EFFIEs and ADDYs
campaigns. Profile
Ethnic Communications and a picture of the company as you see it today?
Mr. Vallejos: We opened our doors on May 16,
