Our Team
CEO - Chief Executive Officer
CMO - Chief Marketing Officer
hubert bendfeldt vasquez
Born and raised in Guatemala City, Hubert had the chance to start in the NGO world as an interpreter when he was 12 years old. After experiencing the non-profit for over 10 years he decided to move to the for-profit world where he worked for 3 years in different industries. Frustrated with both sectors he found that social enterprise had the best of both worlds and founded UTZ Means Good. He is an Industrial Engineer and PMP. His goal in life is to be an agent of positive change for the world. He is passionate about music, travel, food, wellness, networking and leadership.
aarón bendfeldt vasquez
Born and raised in Guatemala City, Aarón volunteered in NGOs from a young age. In his second year in college he won a scholarship by NOREC in Norway. After coming back to Guatemala he felt he needed to do something about social and environmental context in his country. He founded Grønn that very same year. Aarón studied Chemical Engineering and is studying his Masters on Industrial Management. His goal in life is to live in a sustainable way. He is passionate about travel, sustainability, music, learning, A.I., personal growth and life.
CFO - Chief Financial Officer
angel canux
Born and raised between Patzún and Patzicía, Chimaltenango. He has always helped his family and worked hard to get ahead in life. Working in the NGO world, he also learned that economic growth is basic for the development of rural Guatemala. He is a CPA and is one year from getting his degree in Auditing. His goal in life is to help others achieve their dreams. He is passionate about family, technology, friends, food and rural development.
OUR ADVISORS
Strategy, Growth and Corporate Culture Advisor
PHIL SOTOK
Phil’s 25-year career is underpinned by a core value—business is a human endeavor. And if you know him, this value extends into everything he does. He started his career at Chrysler, then he moved to Magna International, where he learned the global automotive supply chain from the ground up. While he enjoyed what he did, he was hungry for a challenge. He found his greatest one yet when he decided to found VentureSource and DPMC. When he’s not working, you can find him traveling, sharpening his linguistic skills, or spending time on Lake Michigan.
Financial Strategy and Investment Advisor
SAM BATISTA
Sam is currently working at Promotora Social Mexico ('PSM'), based in Mexico City. PSM invests in profitable and scalable Latin American companies that, through their business model, generate well-being and improvement in the livelihood and conditions of vulnerable segments of the population in Mexico. Stateside, Sam is continuing to build whoisraising.vc, which started as a newsletter back in 2017, featuring cool startups in NYC that were fundraising and helping them connect with investors. It has now expanded to feature startups across the US as well as providing ad-hoc consulting services. Sam is also a Business and Executive coach to clients who are looking to bring life to their scaleable ideas.
Marketing and Social Impact Advisor
PHILIP WILSON
Philip is the Founder and Director of Ecofiltro, a social enterprise dedicated to provide drinking water in a sustainable way, and also Founder of Solucionweb, a leader in social media and inbound marketing; both in Guatemala. He is a board member on the Chamber for CSR of Guatemala, and was named “Social Entrepreneur of the Year in Central America” by Schwab Foundation in Davos, Switzerland and “Top 10 Most Relevant Social Entrepreneurs in Latin America” by New Ventures Mexico. Philip has an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. and a B.A. from Notre Dame.
Vision and Social Impact Advisor
BILL CUMMINGS
Bill is the founder of Groundswell, where they serve impact-focused organizations with supportive consulting, clear messaging, and compelling design that moves people to action. He has served in leadership roles in urban community development work since 1994 and has his Master’s in Social and Civic Entrepreneurship. He believes strongly in deep relationships and standing in solidarity with those who are marginalized. He and his wife Cherie live in Raleigh, NC, and have been married since 1990. They have adult twin sons and a teenage daughter. Bill is passionate about development and generating impact.