Martha de la Torre

Martha de la Torre
de la Torre at the Latinas of Influence Event in 2013
Born Los Angeles, California
Residence Los Angeles, California
Occupation Publisher/Corporate Executive
Title Co-Founder, President and CEO, El Clasificado
CEO, EC Hispanic Media
Board member of Loyola Marymount University
International Classified Media Association, Chairperson
Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic
LMU's Latino Alumni Association
Spouse(s) Joseph P. Badame

Martha de la Torre is an American newspaper publisher, co-founder and president of El Clasificado.[1] Graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a B.S. in Accounting. After working as a CPA for Arthur Young & Company and, later, CFO for two years at La Opinion, the Spanish-language daily, Martha co-founded and launched El Clasificado in 1988. Today, the company has revenues over $20 million, a weekly circulation of 510,000 and 175 employees. She has been an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalist for Greater Los Angeles area, SBA Small Business Person of the Year.[2]

In addition, Ms. de la Torre serves on the board of the Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic[3] and is a former board member for the L.A. County Education Foundation. She is a Regent [4] for Loyola Marymount University and Board Member of LMU's Latino Alumni Association, providing scholarships to Latino students and Chairperson of the International Classified Media Association,[5] representing over 60 classified media organizations globally.

Today she runs El Clasificado, the largest free, weekly Spanish- language classified print publication in the U.S., reaching more than 1.5 million people. It's the flagship title of the thriving 130-employee publishing company de la Torre and her husband, Joe Badame, started 23 years ago for Southern California's Latino population. In an interview with Bloomberg.com she explained how she is balancing print growth with online push.[6]

In an interview she gave to KTTV a Los Angeles local Fox Affiliate title "Growing our Economy: El Clasificado," Martha said that instead of buying a convertible car in 1988, she was encouraged to start her own business[7]

Career

In September 2007, Martha de la Torre admitted she was a rather reluctant entrepreneur. In fact, when she told her parents that she and her now-husband, Joe Badame, were starting a business, they weren't exactly thrilled. That's because de la Torre was a successful business woman, climbing the ranks of the corporate ladder, with, in her mother's eyes, absolutely no reason to take the risk.[8]

In May 2012 Martha received the Latino Business Award presented by the Los Angeles Business Journal and the recognition or her previous employer, Ernst and Young as Alumni in the News.[9]

In April 3, 2013, Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine named Martha one of Hispanic Lifestyle's 2013 Latinas of Influence[10]

In August 2014 Martha De La Torre, CEO and co-founder of EC Hispanic Media, won the 2014 Latina Business Woman of the Year Award for the state of California, announced on August 12 at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Orange County.[11]

In November 2014, the Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and The Regional Hispanic Institute awarded the prize "Women of the Year" to Martha de la Torre. This award recognizes the impact of women in the Hispanic community through their efforts, their work, their leadership and inspiration.[12]

References

  1. "El Clasificado: Martha de la Torre brings classified ads to the Latino market - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
  2. "Los Angeles Child Guidance Clinic". Lacgc.org. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
  3. "Board of Regents". Lmu.edu. 2014-01-09. Archived from the original on 2013-12-22. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  4. "ICMA Board of DirectorsICMA: International Classified Media Association Online". Icmaonline.org. 2013-11-21. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  5. Klein, Karen E. (2011-08-04). "Spanish-Language El Clasificado Balances Print Growth With Online Push". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  6. Devine, Christine. "Growing Our Economy: El Clasificado - Los Angeles Local News | FOX 11 LA KTTV". Myfoxla.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-21. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  7. Edelhauser, Kristin (2007-09-25). "Viva Entrepreneurship". Entrepreneur.com. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  8. "Connect, May 2012 - Alumni in the news - EY - United States". EY. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  9. "Latina of Influence | Martha C. de la Torre". Hispanic Lifestyle. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  10. http://www.echispanicmedia.com/martha-de-la-torre-latina-business-woman-year/#sthash.gHs5nWPW.dpuf
  11. http://www.echispanicmedia.com/martha-de-la-torre-named-women-year-rhcc/
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