On the Cover: Better Business Builders

Better Business Builders
Florida schools focus on training leaders
by Jennifer Lind-Westbrook

James Elias and Wilson Enriquez share a common goal. As state officers for national business organizations, they strive to make their organizations the best they can be. At South Plantation High School, in Plantation, senior Elias, 17, is the current president of Florida DECA (Distributive Education Club of America) while at Northwood University, in West Palm Beach, senior Enriquez, 21, serves as president of Florida Delta Epsilon Chi, DECA’s college division.

The main goal of both groups is vocational understanding, and membership prepares students for careers in marketing, management, entrepreneurship, advertising, and other business-related professions. “Say your career path involves owning a hotel,” Elias says. “We would train you to better understand the reality involved in running that type of business.”

Elias learned about DECA—an association of marketing students—his sophomore year after transferring to South Plantation High School in Davie. He enrolled in a marketing class taught by high school DECA Chapter Advisor Jerry Holt. “I thought it would be a good idea to join,“ Elias says. “It would make me eligible to do more things like going to competitions and participating in the school’s fashion show.” The school’s fashion show is an annual event organized by South Plantation DECA chapter members. Students handle everything from the advertising to securing sponsors. Proceeds from the event go to local charities and also are used to subsidize chapter scholarships, Elias says.

After serving as vice president for South Plantation’s chapter as a junior, Elias decided to run for state office. “DECA had become part of my life—it was my focus,” he says, “I figured why not step up and go for the best position I could get and make the club the best it could possibly be.”

Elias faced a personal challenge early in his term when Mr. Edgar Fleming, executive director of Florida DECA, suddenly passed away.

“When I first met Mr. Fleming, he scared me to death,” Elias says. “After attending a training conference, I grew close to him. He was hopelessly devoted to DECA. He was my first real role model. It was like watching a superhero die.”

To lend his support to DECA members following the loss of Fleming, Florida Delta Epsilon Chi Executive Director Jack Rose attended DECA’s 2001 fall leadership conference where he witnessed Elias’ leadership capabilities firsthand. “It was evident that the high school officers were upset,” Rose says. “Jimmy went into action. He took people from being upset to being happy for having had the opportunity to know [Fleming].”

“[Fleming] set a great example. He inspired us to work harder to live up to his expectations,” Elias says.

Enriquez also was present at the event to publicize Delta Epsilon Chi to high school students. With 116 chapters and 7,000 members, DECA is a significant source for potential college-division members. “We held a couple of seminars to give them tips on how to be strong, motivated, and successful and to relay information about Delta Epsilon Chi,” he says. “Once members go to a competition, they get hooked. They build an emotional bond, and they want to stay involved.” Unfortunately, many high schoolers don’t realize they have the option to continue in the college division, Enriquez says. “We want to make sure our name is out there and make ourselves more visible.” Students were very receptive and many have called or e-mailed for information on how to get a chapter started at their chosen school or how to help an existing one, he says.

It was during this conference that Enriquez and Elias met for the first time. The two leaders have maintained periodic contact to brainstorm how to make the two groups more interactive in the future. Although Delta Epsilon Chi members often make time to visit local high schools and help their younger counterparts prepare for competitions, Elias would like to see a more formal mentor program put into place. “We’re in the dark about the whole college thing,” he says. “Often, clubs are the last thing on people’s minds. They can show us that DECA does continue on.”

“I would like to see a lot more members [visit] local high schools and explain what it’s like at the collegiate level—competition and life,” Enriquez says.

Enriquez also visits college campuses statewide in an attempt to get administrators, educators, and students excited about starting new groups. There are currently 21 chapters, and membership has increased from 400 to 2,300 in the past two years. Rose attributes much of the growth to Enriquez’s promotional efforts, charisma, and professionalism.

“He’s the type of person who will enter a room and walk up to the one person standing by himself and make him feel comfortable,” Rose says. “He’s determined to see things happen. He can take anyone and build up their confidence by saying ‘Hey, you can do it,’ and challenging them to move ahead.”

Enriquez joined DECA his senior year while attending Taravella High School in Coral Springs and was anxious to take his involvement to the next level as a collegian. At the start of his freshman year, Enriquez joined the Northwood University chapter. After serving as state parliamentarian and communications director for the organization his junior year, he decided to run for president. “I wanted to do more for the organization like it had done for me,” he says. “I had hopes of making the organization grow.”

Just as Elias had a strong connection with his executive director, Enriquez maintains a close, personal relationship with Rose. “This summer, two different doctors needed to rule out bone cancer because of severe pain I was having,” Rose says. Not wanting to worry his family, but feeling the need to confide in someone, he turned to Enriquez. According to Rose, Wilson’s response was “‘Don’t worry Jack. I will take you to the hospital for the tests and stay with you until you get the results.’”

In addition to professional development, DECA and Delta Epsilon Chi members share a commitment to community service. Enriquez was the driving force behind Delta Epsilon Chi’s first ever “Good Deed Day” held on November 17, 2001. “Each chapter had been encouraged to do a good deed for a member or group in their local communities,” Rose says. Members engaged in a variety of charitable acts ranging from sorting food for the needy to volunteering at homeless shelters. Enriquez says that philanthropy is an integral component of any business. “You want to give back to the community as they give to you.”

Elias says that promoting civic consciousness is a major aspect of DECA’s Program-of-Work, the group’s annual agenda. “Throughout the year, we try to help out people in any way we can,” he says. In fact, Elias’ campaign slogan was “In Just One Second.” And he stressed how much students can accomplish in their communities if they effectively utilize their time. “Society tends to look down on teens as a nuisance,” he says. “It’s important for us to be recognized for our contributions.”

Both leaders acknowledge how vital the other officers on the State Action Teams—the organizations’ executive boards—are to their success. “You have to take care of the people who work for you,” Enriquez says. “They make you look good.”

“My voice doesn’t carry any more weight than the others’,” Elias says. “We’re a team. I’m just in the limelight more.”

For more information about DECA visit www.deca.org. To learn more about Florida Delta Epsilon Chi go to www.fldex.org. Contact Enriquez at wilson@representative.com or Rose at jrosefldex@aol.com.