Today President Bush promoted Carlos Gutierrez as the new Secretary of Commerce to replace the departing Don Evans. The only thing more impressive than Gutierrez’s personal story is his success as a leader. In his short stint as the top executive at Kellogg, Gutierrez revitalized the company and increased their net sales a whopping 43%. An impressive track record from a man who came here as a refugee, and learned to speak English from a bellhop. Much like Reagan, both Rice and Gutierrez came from less than favorable backgrounds yet achieved successes that merit the utmost respect.
Many in the media have said that the President’s recent cabinet selections are little more than “rubber stampers”, ready to give a thumbs up to any and every idea that the President proposes. One look at the track record of these nominees would indicate the exact opposite. These are two strong-willed individuals who have gotten where they are not by parroting what the higher ups wanted them to, but by thinking and acting on their own ideas. This is what makes America great, individuals with determination and resolve to do great things. They were not victims, relying on the government to fix their problems or blame others for their situations. They fought through adversity and ended up on top.
More on Gutierrez at Powerline
UPDATE:
Thanking President Bush, Gutierrez spoke about living the American Dream
I have had the opportunity to live that American Dream, so I know that the President’s vision is noble, I know it’s real and I know it’s tangible. I left Cuba to come to this great country in 1960 as a political refugee. I left with my parents and my brother and we started, essentially, from scratch at that time. Almost 30 years later, I joined the Kellogg Company and started selling cereal out of a van in Mexico City.
I recall saying to someone the other day that one of my big accomplishments in life was to obtain citizenship for my son and my wife, because of where people were born — born in different places; they were not naturalized citizens upon birth, especially my son. So 14 years ago, they became U.S. citizens. I was walking out of the courthouse and I told my son, you know, if I get hit by a truck today, I’ll feel a lot better because you are a citizen of the U.S.
Gabe Hughes at 3:39 pm
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Comment by Anonymous — March 16, 2005 @ 1:28 am