Bio

ARABEL ALVA ROSALES

President and CEO

AAR & Assocs., Ltd., (AAR)

Arabel Alva Rosales is an entrepreneur that has been described in Chicago Magazine as a “Renaissance Woman” because of her ability to discuss concerns on Wall Street, global issues and what is happening in our communities. She is also recognized for having a critical eye for art and fashion. She is known for genuinely loving her life and not being afraid of bringing together highly skilled teams that use innovative methods and technology to achieve what others deem impossible. Her life is a great representation of the American success story. With her parents being of Mexican descent, they instilled being bilingual/bicultural with a strong work ethic. She is a well respected business leader and is known for having acumen for creating successful businesses for herself and others.

As the President and CEO of AAR & Assocs., Ltd., (AAR), a corporation with a decade under its belt, she oversees a company that utilizes technology to transform both private and public sector entities into exceptionally run organizations. AAR is a full breadth technology firm. Its specialties include developing technology infrastructure, proprietary software management tools and the management and installation of hardware for their Chicago Public Schools (CPS) partners, Dell Computers and Scholastic Books, at all CPS locations. AAR’s motto is “Managing the Best via Technology” and included amongst those client partners have been Com Ed, Dell Computers, Scholastic Books, LATA, Infor, World Wide, Inc., and several City of Chicago Departments including Office of Emergency Management Services, Department of Purchasing, Bureau of Information Services and Chicago Public Schools.

Arabel is also co-owner and Managing Producer of Latino Fashion Week, the only full week dedicated to Latino Fashion in the country. For more information, visit www.LatinoFashionWk.com

Arabel Alva Rosales has had a wide breadth of experience in state and national government: as a former Senior Policy Advisor to Illinois Governor Edgar and the only woman to serve as Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, as Commissioner of the Illinois Human Rights Commission, and also serving on the U.S. Department of Transportation Business Advisory Council. Arabel’s governmental experience has included work on international trade missions to Latin America.

Arabel serves as Chairperson on the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) Board. She is also board member of the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC), where for the past 11 years, she has been the Chairperson of the Childcare Expo, a nationally recognized initiative that has helped develop over 10,000 successful businesses. Arabel also serves on several other boards, and she recently finished her term on the Swedish Covenant Hospital Board.

Arabel has appeared often in the media where she is quoted both as a business leader and a noteworthy expert in issues that affect women, and issues within the Latino community. Some areas where she has been featured include Latina Style Magazine, Dinero Magazine, Hoy Newspaper, the August, 2004 issue of Chicago Magazine “Latina Style”, as well as Chicago Tribune’s “Handling the Summer with Poise”, and the front cover of Today’s Chicago Woman Magazine’s “Woman’s Hall of Fame” edition. She has also appeared on 60 minutes, CNN, and U.S.A. Today.

Additionally, Arabel has been a recipient of over 30 national and local awards, including the 2008 Chicago Latino Network, an online social network that reaches over 50,000 people, Entrepreneur of the Year, the 2007 Aflac Civic Citizen Award; the 2006 La Raza Newspaper’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award and she was honored by the Goodman Theater. She has also received the Anti Defamation League’s Women of Achievement Award, the Aztec Award from the Mexican Civic Society, the Government Advocate Award from HACIA, and the Hispanic Business Advocate Award from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

However, her proudest accomplishment is being the mother of a dynamic, energetic and knowledge-seeking twelve year old daughter. “She keeps me priority focused”, says Arabel. “We are always looking for opportunities to enjoy time together and learn new things”, says Arabel. She and her daughter Alina became first degree Black Belts in Tae-kwon-do together, and have recently taken up dance. “These are bonding experiences, and we also learn so much from each other,” says Arabel.

She holds an undergraduate degree from Mundelein at Loyola University in Liberal Arts with a major in Business Administration. In May of 2001 she obtained her J.D. from DePaul College of Law, where she has been a recipient of the law school's leadership scholarship award and Mayor Daley's Leadership scholarship. Currently, Arabel serves on the Dean’s Council for the DePaul College of Law.