At Sempra Infrastructure, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture where diverse backgrounds and perspectives are respected and celebrated.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is at the core of our culture and everything we do. We are proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the rich culture, contributions and achievements of the Hispanic and Latin American communities.
Join us as we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month and learn more from our vice president of business development, LNG and Net Zero Solutions, Juancho Eekhout, as he shares what celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month means to him.
Tell us about yourself and your role at Sempra Infrastructure.
I am vice president of business development – LNG and Net Zero Solutions for Sempra Infrastructure and have been with the Sempra family of companies for 15 years.
I am originally from Venezuela and have been living in the United States and Mexico for the last 15 years. I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, playing tennis, pickleball, reading, and watching movies.
What do you enjoy most about your role? What do you find most rewarding?
I love what I do. I enjoy the creative process of collaborating with the team, coming up with energy infrastructure ideas that compete in the marketplace and then managing the project development process. It is incredible to see a project, once developed and built, safely and reliably meet the energy and decarbonization needs of our customers as well as the return expectations of our investors.
What I find most rewarding is seeing firsthand the number of job opportunities we create as we develop, build and operate energy infrastructure. It is very rewarding to see how, by working together, an increasing number of emerging leaders in the company also learn this core skill set.
How do you personally celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
I celebrate being Hispanic every day. I bring my authentic self to the workplace and I am very lucky to work for a company that embraces that and fosters diversity and inclusion. That said, I am glad that from September 15 through October 15, the United States formally celebrates Hispanic heritage. Hispanic in this context means all people with ancestry from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain. This includes many cultures, languages and transitions in this diverse group. Today, Hispanics represent about 20% of the U.S. population and add tremendous value to our economy and communities. Looking into 2050, this percentage will likely increase to about 30%.
Are there specific traditions or customs you observe during the month?
We love eating arepas, one of the most popular dishes in Venezuela and in Colombia. Arepas are made of maize dough or masa in Spanish and are often served with cheese, avocado or a variety of savory fillings (like shredded beef, chicken, or ham). Even though restaurants that serve Arepas have grown in in the U.S. over the couple of decades, Arepas are still relatively unknown to many Americans.
What hopes and aspirations do you have for future celebrations of Hispanic Heritage Month?
Increased awareness is a great start in continuing to honor and celebrate Hispanic heritage. I believe it’s important to continue to be our authentic selves and celebrate how our unique backgrounds and perspectives contribute positively to our culture at Sempra Infrastructure.