Social leadership in action! Winners of the Eugenio Garza Sada Award

For their contributions to the development of Mexico, businessman Enrique Terrazas, the COMUNIDAR Foundation, and the company Prothesia have been declared the winners of the 2020 Eugenio Garza Sada Award.

FEMSA and Tec de Monterrey recognized them at a virtual ceremony at which it was emphasized that their actions bear the values instilled by the founder of the Tec when he was alive.

“The winners are people and organizations that are working to the benefit of others with a generous vocation of service and commitment to the community,” said José Antonio Fernández Carbajal, Chief Executive Officer of FEMSA and Chairman of the Board of Tecnológico de Monterrey.

In his message to the winners and those following the broadcast, he urged them to follow Don Eugenio’s example in the face of our current challenges.

“We should take heart with strength and great resilience as did Don Eugenio, facing these difficult times with tranquility, bravery, humility, optimism, and a certain spirit of sacrifice, always seeking flexibility and adaptability.”

For David Garza, Rector and Chief Executive Officer of Tec de Monterrey, this award emphasizes the importance of having examples to follow.

“In challenging times such as those we are living through, it’s inspiring to witness the determination and leadership of those who seek the wellbeing of their communities through initiative,” he emphasized.

PROMOTING EDUCATION

Enrique Terrazas is a businessman and board member of various organizations who has fostered programs that favor education and community wellbeing.

He is part of the founding group of the Tec’s Chihuahua campus, where he has participated with financial and personal support. Terrazas was also minister of Economic Development for Chihuahua from 1992 to 1998.

“I thank you for this award and pay special tribute to the memory of Don Eugenio, who imagined a society that was hard-working, supportive, with ethical principles in which respect was given to people’s dignity and integrated development,” he said in his speech.

He has given support to provide resources for the Leaders of Tomorrow program, which offers 100% scholarships to talented young people to study at the Tec, and has also created organizations for social wellbeing.

Terrazas helps more than 35 associations and chairs the following ones:

- Fundación CIMA Chihuahua A.C.

- Promotora de Hospitales Mexicanos, A.C.

- Asociación Filarmónica de Chihuahua, A.C.

HELPING TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY

One philanthropic model that seeks to strengthen social projects and foster a culture in which the community is responsible for their development is that promoted by the COMUNIDAR Foundation.

Its lines of support include education, community development, environment, and health, which have had an impact on the lives of more than 467,000 people in Nuevo León.

“I always make reference to the fact that we can donate ‘3 Ts: Time, Talent, and Treasure”, shared Carmen Garza T, one of its board members. 

“We continue contributing time to the causes that motivate us; talent so that they happen; and as much treasure as we can,” she added.

Since it was set up in 2012, Comunidar has mobilized more than 400 million pesos for social projects in Nuevo León. It has also managed and assessed 81 social initiatives.

Its value proposition is based on mobilizing resources through Social Investor Development by means of designing strategies, assessment, mentoring, and operations.

CREATING ACCESSIBLE MEDICAL DEVICES WITH 3D TECHNOLOGY

Orthoses and prostheses to help Mexican children walk; manufacturing and designing protective equipment for doctors, as well as sampling kits with swabs, valves, and 3D-printed masks are some of the activities carried out by Prothesia.

The project for medical devices was founded by Francisco Valencia, a Mechatronic Engineering student from the Tec’s Monterrey campus, and it has collaborated with the Zambrano Hellion Medical Institute, the Nuevo Amanecer Institute, MIT, and Harvard Medical School.

The initiative is also led by Julio Barriga, Diego Ramírez, and Ángel Grande.

Its achievements include helping seven Mexican children walk for the first time in their lives, thanks to customized prostheses made with 3D software and printing.

“We feel very proud to receive this award. It’s validation to keep going. Although it may take us decades, what we want is to transform the health system through medical devices, technology, software, and algorithms,” said Francisco during the ceremony.

Prothesia has aimed its recent efforts at providing a response to the COVID-19 emergency, so it has developed medical equipment and protective material for hospitals and health workers.

They have now been invited to become knowledge partners by MIT’s D-Lab for its class “Prosthetic Design” in spring of 2021 and to give workshops on 3D design and digital manufacturing to students and the public at large over the internet.

ABOUT THE EUGENIO GARZA SADA AWARD

The Eugenio Garza Sada Award was started in 1993 by FEMSA and Tec de Monterrey to perpetuate the legacy of Don Eugenio Garza Sada as a businessman and social leader.

The prize recognizes leading national or foreign people and institutions that contribute to the wellbeing of the Mexican community through the development, improvement, and productive capacity of its human or physical resources.

The winners in the three categories receive the sculpture “Inner Light” by Yvonne Domenge, written recognition, and a monetary prize.

144 proposals were received for this year’s award: 10 in the category of Humanistic Business Leadership, 69 for Social Entrepreneurship, and 65 for Student Social Innovation.

The winners were evaluated by a panel consisting of Edna Jaime, founder and Director General of México Evalúa and Fernando Pardo, founder of the consultancy firm Fernando Pardo y Asociados.

Ricardo Saldívar, the former president and director general of The Home Depot México, also took part.

Also participating in the evaluation of the student social innovation category were Luis Raúl Domínguez, Director of Student Leadership and Education at the Tec and the President of FETEC, Abraham Zavala.

The 2020 awards ceremony was held in a new format. Virtually attending was Consuelo Garza Lagüera de Garza, President of the Steering Committee for the Eugenio Garza Sada Award.

Leading the ceremony from the Monterrey campus were José Antonio Fernández; Eva Garza de Fernández, Vice President of the Award Steering Committee; and David Garza Salazar, Rector and Chief Executive Officer of Tecnológico de Monterrey.

Also in attendance were members of the award committee, including Alfonso Garza Garza, Gabriel Garza Rangel, and Eduardo Padilla Silva.

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