An almost countless number of people raised on the Lower East Side have gone on to do great things. Some of them remain connected to the old neighborhood, while others have lost touch with their local roots. One person who has renewed her bond with the community is Sylvia Montero.
Montero spent nearly 30 years with Pfizer before retiring, ending up as senior vice president of human resources. She serves on the board of one of the Lower East Side’s oldest organizations, Grand Street Settlement, and was board president until last year. In 2011, Montero wrote a book, Make It Your Business: Dare to Climb the Ladder of Leadership, in which she told her LES story and recounted her path to success in the corporate world.
A couple of months ago, we met Montero in Hamilton Fish Park, where she shared her inspiring story. Click on the video above to learn more about her journey from a, “plantation shack in Puerto Rico and the projects of the Lower East Side” to Pfizer, where she became the highest ranking Latina in the history of the company.
