También puedes leer este artículo en español, Esperanza Massana-Crane Busca Llegar a las Minorías y Mujeres.

Esperanza Massana-Crane was named in January as director of the Arkansas Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise Division, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. She has worked for the AEDC for more than seven years, most recently as director of marketing.
Before working for the state, Massana-Crane was an account executive at the Little Rock marketing firm CJRW and an adjunct professor of business at her alma mater, Harding University in Searcy, where she earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration.
Massana-Crane was raised in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, and speaks Spanish, English and German.

Could you describe your new job at the AEDC and the mission of your team?

The mission of the Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprise Division is to facilitate the growth, development and expansion of minority- and women-owned businesses by helping them gain access to valuable information, new market opportunities and financial resources.

How does your background, including marketing and economic development, equip you for the task?

Growing up in a different country, attending bilingual schools and discovering my love for travel early in life have provided me with an appreciation for other cultures, which I think is key to understanding the importance of diversity. My economic development experience gives me a solid understanding of the key players for community and business development in the state. I am confident that this will also be an asset in our efforts to help businesses grow. Marketing and communications are critical to spread our message and create awareness.

What is your ultimate goal in the job?

To be a resource and an advocate for minority- and women-owned businesses in Arkansas. I want to make sure we increase our networking and education opportunities and connect the businesses we serve with all available resources, both at the AEDC and at other agencies and organizations that are working to add value to small businesses. I hope to expand our outreach to the growing Hispanic community. In all these efforts, the goal is to involve the private sector as a driver for business innovation and mentorship. Stronger business relationships will always benefit the women- and minority-owned business community.