Latin+ Heritage Month: Benny Fernandez

I am the son of Cuban immigrants. My parents traveled from Cuba’s Mariel Harbor to the United States in 1980. They left everything behind as Cuban exiles and began a new life in their mid-thirties with nothing although grateful to have freedom. The youngest of 4 kids, I was born in Miami, FL and grew up in humble beginnings. It was difficult at times but with basic needs and hard work everything always worked out. I earned a Bachelors and Masters degree from the University of Miami where I played college football. Later, I earned an MBA degree from the Gies College of Business of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, specializing in Strategic Management. I’m currently working as a Regional Sr. Sales Representative in the Implant Direct Business Unit and ranked #1 sales rep in the country YTD.

All our Circle values mean the world to me but the one that resonates the most is Respect. Living in the United States, people come from all over the world and can express themselves however they like. I choose to Respect all people of different backgrounds. At Envista, we do the same. It’s an amazing workplace where diversity and inclusion are valued. People can be themselves and feel accepted by colleagues which gives everybody reasons to celebrate.

Envista is shaping the dental market as a leading manufacturer of dental implants, orthodontics, and consumables product portfolio. Latinos/Hispanics are making a tremendous impact as the fastest growing minority in the US. At Envista, our cross functional dental portfolio is facilitating the well-being of all stakeholders involved while creating smiles for our wonderful society, including the Latin+ segment.

I’m married to my wife, Yaima and we recently welcomed our first child, our daughter Bella Sophia. Yaima was born in Cuba and later earned two MBA degrees in Finance and Accounting in Puerto Rico where she lived before moving to the US and now works as a senior accounting manager and process improvement for a privately held firm in Coral Gables, FL.

My hobbies include reading, golfing, and weightlifting. If I can go back in time, I would tell myself not to worry about things I can’t control. Focus on the task at hand and make an impact the most that I can with my capabilities.