Last week we covered Hispanic leaders and representation in the restaurant industry, and we will now continue our series in retail. These individuals have left a stamp on their industries and their visions have affected millions of Americans. As the Hispanic population has grown in the U.S., so has the number of employees in major corporations. Like their restaurant counterparts, there is still an imbalance of representation, yet many major companies have changed policies to create more Hispanic leaders and executives. Two of the leaders we are spotlighting today are Juan Guerrero, Senior VP of Supply Chain at Big Lots and Willy Chavarria, Senior VP of menswear at PVH Corp.’s Calvin Klein division. These two individuals have been the driving force behind designs and products that millions of Americans interact with on a weekly basis.

As the Senior VP of Supply Chain since 2023, Juan Guerrero has been tasked with bringing Big Lots back to its discount store roots. Constantly rising retail prices have pulled the retailer into a higher pricing category and Guerrero has been making every effort to reverse course. Unfortunately, part of that plan involved Big Lots recent bankruptcy filing in order to restructure the company. The corporation will reduce its physical footprint during the restructuring and Guerrero will have the opportunity to reorganize the supply chain and bring back value to the consumer. It will be no easy task, yet Guerrero has a long history of senior leadership roles in companies like Office Depot, Starbucks and Bloomin Brands. Despite his extensive resume in both the retail and restaurant industry, Guerrero’s background is in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he studied after immigrating from Mexico. While his impressive degree is not directly used in his current line of work, Guerrero has admitted that there are strong similarities in solving complex problems. The substantial changes at Big Lots will be one of the most complex problems Guerrero has faced.

Our other spotlight is on Willy Chavarria, who has taken hold of the design behind the iconic Calvin Klein brand and the Chief Creative Officer at his namesake label. When he joined Calvin Klein in 2021, he became the most highly placed Hispanic executive in the American fashion industry. Outside of Calvin Klein his own label has earned acclaim and a menswear designer of the year award. Chavarria got his start in San Francisco by studying graphic design while working for Joe Boxer in the shipping department. He moved to New York in 1999 and fashion job with Ralph Lauren. He then moved on to American Eagle Outfitters where he became their design director before he launched his own label in 2015. Chavarria has used his platform and success to highlight the disparities in the industry. His fashion shows are political engagements, where he puts diversity at the center of his runway. His commitment to creating a conversation around making fashion a more welcoming space caught the eye of the Calvin Klein brand, and he has brought it into the modern era.

Both Juan Guerrero and Willy Chavarria have turned hard work and dedication into long careers that still continue to make an impact on their respective industries. Guerrero has taken a degree from the prestigious MIT and used it to transform supply chains across restaurant and retail. Chavarria has revolutionized men’s fashion and used his fame to increase representation in the fashion industry. These are just two of the Hispanic trailblazers that are creating new opportunities and changing the future of the retail industry.