The XV Tumi USA Awards, an event that celebrates the accomplishments of US Peruvians, last month presented it’s prestigious 2009 New Jersey Illustrious Award to Esther Novak, founder and CEO of VanguardComm, a multicultural marketing and communications agency with offices in NJ, NY and Miami.
“I came to the US as a child and have been blessed with the opportunities that have come my way. I’m honored to receive this award and represent the Peruvian immigrant community. Our contributions are rooted in our values and the challenges of adapting to a new country and culture,” Novak stated.
Esther’s experience includes pioneering efforts at AT&T, the National Endowment for the Arts and Rutgers University in the areas of marketing communications, arts and entertainment, corporate public relations, public affairs and philanthropy. She is a recognized pioneer in embracing the diversity of today’s marketplace and founded VanguardComm in 1995, serving major Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, privately held companies and government.
She is on the Board of Directors of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA) and has recently been on the Board of the US-Peru Chamber of Commerce (USPCC) and Former NJ Governor Corzine’s Council for Economic Growth. In 2009, she was selected Entrepreneur of the Year by LATINA Style Magazine. Earlier, she was selected NJBiz 2008 Top 50 Business Women of the Year and 2006 Professional Services Business Person of the Year by the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of NJ. Novak has held leadership positions on numerous nonprofit boards, including McCarter Theatre in Princeton, el Museo del Barrio, American Repertory Ballet and INTAR Hispanic American Arts Center.
The Tumi USA Awards, created in 1995 by Federico Perez-Eguren, Sergio Massa, Gloria Rosebrough and Nancy Bradley, is an event that showcases the accomplishments and leadership of Peruvian immigrants who have exhibited a spirit of solidarity, a vocation of work, professionalism and community service.