San Diego County’s Men of Influence 2020
Nathan Schmidt, San Diego County Credit Union, one of our 2020 Men of Influence
Nathan Schmidt
Nathan Schmidt is one of San Diego’s top executives. With over 20 years of financial services management and marketing experience, he is responsible for strategic planning, brand, marketing, digital channels, product development, business development and community and media relations and the overall customer experience at San Diego County Credit Union. SDCCU is the 18th largest credit union in the country and the largest locally-owned financial institution In San Diego. A cornerstone of Schmidt’s dynamic leadership is an unwavering focus on continually raising the bar on creativity, service, strategy and execution resulting in exponential growth for SDCCU and impacting the overall credit union movement. He has always had a knack for not only seeing the big picture but taking others along to anchor and deliver those ideas. In late 2019, Schmidt led the successful launch of SDCCU’s new and improved online banking platform. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, the new online banking platform quickly became a valuable resource for customers to perform nearly all banking transactions from the comfort of their homes. Schmidt continues to push the envelope with marketing, leveraging new technologies, enhancing traditional tactics and making new, creative and innovative ideas a reality to elevate awareness of SDCCU’s breakthrough banking products and services and encourage more customers to make the switch to SDCCU. With Schmidt at the helm, SDCCU’s breakthrough and innovative product offerings continue to increase in popularity and have led to double-digit loan growth. SDCCU improved its home loan program in 2019 allowing loans up to $3 million, which helped bring in over $2 billion in real estate loans for SDCCU in the past two years.
Ronson Shamoun
Ronson Shamoun owns RJS Law Firm, San Diego’s leading tax law firm. He started as a sole practitioner but his firm has now expanded into four offices throughout Southern California. He sits on the University of San Diego School of Law Board of Visitors and the USD School of Business Board of Advisors. He received his B.A. in Accountancy in 1998, his Juris Doctorate in 20092 and his Master’s of Laws in Taxation in 2003, all three degrees from the University of San Diego. He co-founded the Annual USD School of Law-RJS LAW Tax Controversy Institute. Every year he donates billboard campaigns to the Girl Scouts of San Diego as well as to the Susan G Komen. Every year he donates a scholarship to a USD School of Law and Business student. He has been named a San Diego Super Lawyer, a Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent: Highest Excellence in Legal Ability and Ethical Practice, a Best Lawyer in San Diego by SD METRO Magazine and has won the Distinguished Alumni Award from the USD School of Law.
Dr. Kami Hoss
Dr. Kami Hoss is a co-founder and chief executive officer of the Super Dentists. Hoss has written a book, “If Your Mouth Could Talk,” that will be published in 2021, that connects the dots between oral health and whole-body health, and makes the argument for the medical and dental fields to join together for the collective benefit of patients by employing a holistic and all-inclusive approach to their care. He is a strong believer in giving back to the community. The Super Dentists proudly supports San Diego causes, especially those related to kids and education. The Super Dentists Tooth Keri character visits hundreds of schools to deliver complimentary oral health presentations annually reaching 15,000 students across San Diego County. The Super Dentists was a premier sponsor of Grin Land! At the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum in Escondido, and sponsored more than 19,000 San Diego students visits to Junior Achievement’s Biztown since 2015. Hoss is an alumnus of USC with a post doctorate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and a doctorate degree from UCLA in Dental Surgery. The Super Dentists see more than 20 percent of San Diego County’s children and has served more than 250,000 patients in 24 years. The Super Dentists have seven locations: Carmel Valley, Chula Vista, EastLake, Escondido, Kearny Mesa and Oceanside and a corporate headquarters in San Diego.
Cory Hazlewood
Cory Hazlewood is a principal with C&S Companies and is responsible for the Western Region engineering and construction practice. He has 20 years of leadership experience in Design and Construction and is responsible for taking the C&S practice from a small regional startup to one of the top competitors in engineering and construction in San Diego. His leadership style has offered his team empowerment and transparency through sales and delivery of projects. He was a project principal for the first public-private partnership project in San Diego that was nationally recognized for multiple awards for the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. He is an active member of the DBIA San Diego Chapter where he volunteers time for the young professionals. He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University.
Gregory Cabello
Gregory Cabello is president of Greca Construction. He helps small business people seek contract work for the federal government and mentors companies pro bono in is spare time. He has worked with the federal government for more than 20 years. He has helped the Ronald McDonald House for seven years and serves dinner every three months and cooks for some of the families. He has won the Caltrans safety award, and recognized for supreme architectural design. He is a graduate of University IberoAmericana.
Jorge Enrique Diaz de la Fuente
Jorge Enrique Diaz de la Fuente is the owner and president of De la Fuente Construction Inc. He was born in Sn Diego, went to school in Tijuana, then came back to continue his studies at Southwestern College and later at San Diego State University, where he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering. He has grown the company exponentially from the low $100s to $30 million following the company’s business growth strategy. DSL Construction also serves the private industry as a general contractor and self performs various trades. Projects vary such as tenant improvements, new construction, custom residential, churches, car dealerships, restaurants, hotels, and other commercial projects.
Brad Weber
Brad Weber is Group Publisher of Local Umbrella Media which, in addition to donating time to numerous local nonprofits, has contributed over $1 million since 2015 in complimentary media to numerous local organization throughout San Diego County including Boys & Girls Clubs, San Diego Oasis, Serving Seniors, Girl Scouts, San Diego Women’s Auxiliary, Alzheimer’s San Diego, Rady’s Children’s, Traveling Stories, Miracle Babies, Friendship Circle, ARC of San Diego, Kitchens for Good, F.A.C.E. Foundation, San Diego Humane Society, Helen Woodward Animal Center. Doors of Change, Kids’ Turn San Diego, San Diego Foundation, St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, Patrons of the Prado, Kiwanis, Rotary, Rachel’s Challenge, ALS Association, Walden Family Services, San Diego Rescue Mission, Project Compassion, YMCA, Share the Love Now Foundation and more. As Group Publisher, Weber leads a team that publishes direct mail community magazines and newspapers in over 30 San Diego area communities, in addition to several areas outside San Diego County. With over 35 years of experience in printing, direct mail, and marketing, Weber has assisted tens of thousands of small business clients in reaching customers in local markets throughout the country. Originally from Colorado, Weber moved to San Diego in 1985 and is never leaving, currently residing in the Mt. Helix area with his wife Francine, and their two rescue dogs Luka and Pierrot.
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