Luz Zavala of Star Staffing's Santa Rosa office wins 2019 Latino Business Leadership Awards

Luz Zavala of Star Staffing's Santa Rosa office is proud that there is more recognition in the Latino community that has been long overdue.

Professional background: Staffing and Recruiting Education: Santa Rosa Junior College plus 10+ years' experience in the staffing Industry Staff: Leads a team of 7 fulltime employees

Tell us your story and that of your organization: Born and raised in Santa Rosa, CA, as a hard-working Latina and proudly raised by my parents from Aguillila, Michoacán, Mexico.

As a young child, I grew up watching my parents work from sunrise to sunset to provide for our family of seven. Seeing them work hard day to day and struggling to raise us, inspired me to work hard and become the person I am today. My parents gave me strength and determination to succeed and I want to instill this with my four daughters as well.

Star Staffing has helped me grow in my personal and professional career. Star Staffing has given me opportunities and the owners have trusted me to lead the highest producing branch in the Northbay.

Star Staffing is a full-service staffing firm, we fill industrial, clerical and also have a Direct Hire division.

I joined Star Staffing in 2001 and started as a receptionist. I worked the front desk and moved my way up from processing payroll, recruiting, assisting the CEO, to now managing the largest office. I am responsible for the day to day operations of our Santa Rosa Branch. I lead and support my team and produce alongside with them.

Is there a major accomplishment in the past year or so that you would like to share?

I have had many accomplishment these past years. What I am most proud of is the gratifying feeling I get when seeing so many of the people that I have recruited and placed in the past that are still working at these companies today. They have now been promoted into higher roles and I feel like I made a difference in their life.

What is the achievement you are most proud of?

Seeing my team succeed and grow within their roles is a major accomplishment for me. It's important to lead by example and that is what I display to my team. I want them to know that I care and want to see them continue to succeed.

I have received several awards throughout my career at Star Staffing, from the Circle of Excellence Award to receiving the President's Club Award which is the highest award recognition two years in a row at Star. I have been one of the top producers and now it's my teams time to shine. I am here to support them to reach that goals.

What is your biggest challenge today?

One of my biggest challenge is asking for help. I take a lot of pride in my work and feel like I can do it all and I can't say no. Through my professional and personal growth I have realized that I need to let go and ask for help when I really need it and I should say no more often.

What are you most proud of regarding the achievements of the area Latino business community and what are the greatest challenges faced by that community?

I am proud that there is more recognition in the Latino community that has been long overdue. By having these awards it encourages a lot of our younger generation to see Latino's as role models.

Words that best describe you: Best words that describe me are: honest, caring, team-player & dedicated

As a successful professional, what were the biggest obstacles you faced and how did you overcome them?

Lacking confidence in myself was an obstacle that I have faced. It has taken me time to overcome but I can now say that I have gained the skills to believe in myself and making decisions.

How do you think your profession will change in the next five years?

With the advancement in technology, things are going to change for the better. There's a rise in mobile recruitment, and mobile is the most commonly used for searching the web.

This make it imperative that staffing professionals use mobile devices to stay in touch with candidates. This will be a key to attract candidates and stay in touch with them throughout the recruitment process, especially since the unemployment rate remains low and employers are having a hard time finding the talented workers they need. We need to have a quicker and efficient way of contacting potential candidates.

Who was your most important mentor?

I have had many mentors in my life, but the most important mentor has been my mother, Guadalupe Gonzalez. She instilled in a strong work ethic, taught me values, and to care for others.

Tell us about your community involvement: I am involved in the community and participate in a lot of the local events. I help community members with resume building, job searching and placing in their next position on a daily basis.

What advice would you give to a young person today?

Follow your dreams, be persistent and don't give up.

Most admired businessperson outside your organization: We are very fortunate in the North Bay to have many Latino leaders in our community and I have an admiration for all.

Current reading: I'm currently reading children books. I have a 3 year old that loves books!

Most want to meet: Singer Vicente Fernandez

Stress relievers: Taking walks and working in my garden

Favorite hobbies: DIY projects at home.