HACR Mourns the Loss of Iconic National Latino Leader and Lifelong Champion for Youth Development
Ronald Blackburn Moreno was Treasurer at the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and President and CEO of ASPIRA Association, Inc.
November 9, 2021 /3BL Media/ - The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) mourns the unexpected passing of its longtime board treasurer and former board chair Ronald Blackburn Moreno who passed away on November 4, 2021. Blackburn Moreno was the board designate on the HACR board of directors, representing ASPIRA Association, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations focused on empowering Latino youth through advocacy, education, and leadership development. The more than 450,000 alumni of ASPIRA programs around the country are known affectionately as ‘Aspirates’.
Blackburn Moreno had served as a member of the HACR Board of Directors since 1994, the same year he joined ASPIRA as its President & CEO. He was a dedicated contributor to the HACR board for over 27 years in various executive board roles including chair, treasurer, and secretary. He will be remembered as a legendary leader in HACR’s history of advancing Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of an iconic giant in our Latino community. Ron Blackburn Moreno was one of the highest-respected and admired Latino leaders in our country. He empowered the lives of hundreds of thousands of Latinos over his decades of leadership at ASPIRA,” said HACR President and CEO, Cid Wilson. “As our longest-serving HACR board director, his leadership and statesmanship was the foundational catalyst to the mission-driven accomplishments of the organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. He was a mentor and longtime friend. We will miss him dearly.”
Blackburn Moreno was a steadfast servant leader who leveraged his longtime experience in nonprofit administration to strengthen the organization’s governance and financial performance. His belief in the use of metrics to hold corporations accountable for their Hispanic inclusion laid the groundwork for HACR’s corporate accountability strategy and its annual HACR Corporate Inclusion Index. He is also remembered as a consensus builder who earned the respect of his fellow board members.
“This is a huge loss for HACR and the greater Latino community,” said Ramiro Cavazos, Board Chair of HACR as well as President and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). “Ron Blackburn Moreno could always be counted on for his deft counsel, wisdom, and guidance, especially during moments when we needed strategic leadership. He was a courageous champion for Latino causes and an unwavering advocate for Hispanic inclusion. On behalf of the HACR board of directors, our deepest sympathies to his wife, Evelyn, and their family.”
Blackburn Moreno, who was born in Jersey City, NJ, and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a key leader in taking ASPIRA Association to national prominence. In addition to his accomplishments at ASPIRA and the HACR board of directors, he was also the former board chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), and served on the boards of the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC), Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP), and multiple corporate advisory boards.
Memorial services will be held on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 6:00 pm ET at Immanuel Church on the Hill at 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Ronald Blackburn Moreno Youth Fund at the ASPIRA Association at 1220 L Street, NW, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20005. Donations can also be sent online at aspira.org
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About HACR
Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is the nation’s leading corporate advocacy organization, representing 14 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Its mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America in the areas of employment, procurement, philanthropy, and governance. Through our corporate leadership advancement programs, best-practice conferences, research initiatives, and public engagements, HACR is illuminating The Power of Hispanic Inclusion™ throughout Corporate America.
