Her journey to this position is marked by a series of progressive leadership positions, including a tenure as interim president and chief executive officer of the same organization in 2023.
DETROIT, MI, January 21, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Laura Chavez has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who’s Who. As in all Marquis Who’s Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
A distinguished leader in the business community, Mrs. Chavez currently serves as the president and chief executive officer of the Southwest Detroit Business Association, which works to support inclusion and equal opportunity in the community. Her journey to this position is marked by a series of progressive leadership positions, including a tenure as interim president and chief executive officer of the same organization in 2023. Prior to these roles, she was the vice president of programs from 2022 to 2023, where she played a pivotal part in shaping the company’s business development, information technology and community empowerment initiatives.
Before her involvement with the Southwest Detroit Business Association, Mrs. Chavez held significant positions in the banking sector. She was the vice president and operations risk manager at Comerica Bank and also served as co-chair of an employee resource group within the bank in 2022. Her role at Comerica followed an impactful tenure at Flagstar Bank, where she was the assistant vice president of sales from 2020 to 2022 and a branch manager from 2018 to 2020. Her leadership skills were further honed during her time as a branch manager at Citizens Bank from 2014 to 2018 and as a relationship banker at JPMorgan Chase and Co. from 2010 to 2014.
Mrs. Chavez’s professional journey began in education, where she made a lasting impact as a world language instructor at Detroit Edison Public School Academy from 1999 to 2005. Her dedication to teaching extended to higher education as she mentored students at Wayne State University.
To supplement the experiences gained on her diverse career path, Mrs. Chavez completed coursework toward a master’s degree and earned a Bachelor of Science in bilingual bicultural education, secondary education and teaching from Wayne State University in 2002. She has also earned several certifications that have bolstered her leadership capabilities, including “Own Your Voice: Improve Presentations and Executive Presence” and “Diversity Recruiting” from LinkedIn in 2022, as well as certificates in leadership from the Detroit Regional Chamber and transformative leadership from the University of Denver.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Mrs. Chavez has been deeply involved in civic activities for decades. She has served as a financial literacy coach for Southwest Solutions since 2000 and holds leadership roles such as president of Prospanica Detroit and board member for Widening Advancements for Youth. Her commitment to community service is further demonstrated through her involvement with organizations like Junior Achievement USA and TechTown Detroit.
Mrs. Chavez’s personal life is centered around her family, particularly her son, with whom she enjoys spending quality time. In the coming years, she hopes to write a memoir as well as a young adult or children’s book aimed at supporting young women in foster care, drawing on her own personal experiences growing up in the system. Additionally, she aims to continue advancing her organization as an advocate for immigrant communities and aspires to become a public speaker promoting positivity on a global scale.
About Marquis Who’s Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who’s Who in America®, Marquis Who’s Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who’s Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who’s Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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